Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-12-06
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE POSTMAS.
TER GENERAL

From the admirably drawn up report OF
Postmaster General Denntnson, we gather the
following of interest:
The postal revenues for the year ending the
30tn June last were Si2,43s,253 rs, and the ex-
peDdItures OF this department during the same
period were S12,6i4, 1S6 20, showing an excess
OF the latter of 5000 $50 IL. Tables accompany.
ing the report exhibits the annual postal
revenues and expenditures from 1854 to 1864
from which it will be seen that the average an
nnal receipts OF this department from 1859 to
1861, inclusive, were SS,745,252 81. and the
average annual expenditures for the same
period were Sl4,4s2,OUS a., showing an average
annual excess OF expenditures over receipts of
SIS, s3b,.25 81; and the average annual receipts
from 1862 to 1864, inclusive were Sl0S7l $50 81,
and the expenditures sIl,694,7e5 -, showing
an average annual excess Of expenditures
over receipts of SS23,25i IS.
The excess OF receipts in 1885, over 1861, the
first year Of the rebellion, was 81, JOSS, 1857 IS
Although the proportion ofreceipts as against
the Expenditures has doubtless, been increased,
on account of the suspension of the postal SER
vice in the insurrectionary States, he above
exhibit furnishes the evidence of an improving
financial condIditien OF the department. highly
creditable.
Postmaster Dennison says, to the admlnssra.
ton OF his predecessor, Mr.. Blair:
The estimate OF expenditure for 1854 was
fixed at Sl3 ,CAt, GOO, in which was included the
sum OF SlN0,UUO specially appropriated for
the overland mail service, being S355,213sO
more than the amount actually expended.
On the other hand, the revenues of 1861 were
estimated at an increase Of five per centum on
those of 1862, making S8,7l4,010 while they ac-
tually reached SIP, ABS ,253-7s, or 50, 12i,25373
more than the estimate. This increase equals
424 per cent.
The increase of expenditures in 1861, COM
pared with those Of 1863 is IL = per centum,
and the increase in the revenues for the same
year IL 3 per cent
This exhibit promises an increase OF the rev.
enues tor 1865 over the estimate submitted in
the reportof last year.
The estimated deficiency for 1865 is 1913, 052 81.
The grants for the trans portation of tree mail
matter for the last two fiscal years have not
been expended. Assuming that the amount of
100000 for the lest year is still available, no
appropriation for any deficiency in the rev.
ennes Will be req uired.
In making the estimate of probable expendi-
lures for 1860, the amounts actually expended
under the several heads during the past fiscal
year have been taken as basis; but an in
crease in several OF the items named has be.
come necessary, particularly in the appropri-
alton for postage stamps and stamped eEvel-
opes, the tstima cost OF the latter being in
creased $4,000 per annum, according to the
terms Of q new contract
The mailing OF all letters direct from one
office to another, however situated, in so vast
territory as that embraced within the Uni
ted States, is objectionable The ordinary
distributing post Offices not meetin the ne
cessities of the service, experiments have been
commenced with railway or travelling post
offices. The req uisite cars for the purpose
are prepared for one daily line between
Washington and New York, and by means OF
clerks taken, temporarily, from the post Office
at W as hington, Baltimore, Philadelphia. and
New York, letters intended for distribution at
ether OF these points are distributed in the
cars, and SO arranged that they can be dis
patched without delay on connecting routes.
Thus it is found that the transmission of let.
ters is expedited from twelve to twenty-four
hours, being the time usually lost in distribu.
ting offices Similar experiments have been
made on the routes from Chicago, Illinois, to
clinton, Davenport, and Dubuque, Iowa,
with equally satisfactory results.
Attention has been given the putting in
operation the railway distribution to other
prominent points, and the companies which
have been asked TO furnish the necessary car
facilities have generally responded favora-
bly,.
superintendent and assistant have been
appointed, one hundred and forty -one post
offices have been designated as money order
offices, and the operation of the system com.
meuced on the first instant.
The maximum amount for which money.
order can be issued Is fixed by law at thIrty
dollars, the object of the system being to afford
cheap, Immediate, and safe agency for the
transfer through the mails of small sums of
money The tendency Of the system is to ex-
clude money from the mails the presence of
which in letters is frequent cause of the loss
OF correspondence, even when the latter does
not contain money. The limit Of thirty dollars
Is he'e we'd 10 be snfcier tly large to include all
that class Of remittances now sent in money
through The mails, but in exceptional cases
more than one order can be procured. The
average amount contained in each money let
ter received at the dead letter Office during the
fiscal year 1862 was "a 50; during 1863 it was
81 20. and in 1864, S5lS, showing that, as rule,
money remittances by mail are made in small
amounts.
In commencing the money order business, it
has been deemed expedient to begin with the
larger offices, and extend it to others as rapid.
ly as possible. Measures will also be taken
for its Introduction into the army. The estab.
lIshment OF the system in this country will no
doubt lead to arrangements for the interch ange
OF International money orders with the Sc yeral
foreign countries with which we have direct
postal relations.