New-York tribune., 1874-11-30
THE POST-OFFICE.



for 1873 The aggregate amount Of postage tsea inland
and oreign) ON the letter mails exchanged with the
United Kingdom OF Great Britain and Ireland Germany
France. Belgium the Netherlands, Switzerland. Italy,
Denmark. and Sweden ana Norway was $43s 500 ss an
increase OF 293 5 the amount reported for 1873
The postages letters sent exceeded the postsges on
$2sss l5 being SOC per cent OF the aggregate amount
The collected in the United States amounted TO
s69 9Gi S. and IN Irope sos sO the col
lections United States s3O O 90 per
cent OF the entire postage receipts European corre-
spondeDce Comparing the year 1874 with the year 1875
the rate Of increase in the total number OF letters ex-
changed with foreign countries was Al per cent and tne
les per cent The increase in the number letters
changed with European countries was L95 per cent ana
the increase OF hostages thereon amounted 20 per
cent The total weight OF mails exchanged during the
year with European countries was 3 POUNDS (oVe
pared with the previous year The weight of letter
correspondence was 4oi.237 pounds, aad OF prlnted
matter and samples I,53LOe6 pounds. The sggre-
| gate weight OF mails seat 10 Europe 94G,9I1
pounds, and OF mails received from Europe
| 9eS392 pounds. The weight OF letter correspond
sent to Europe 2l659O pounds and of letter
| correspondence received from Europe ls7,sG pounds
Tie weight Of printed matter and samples sent 20 l.
rope 730320 pounds and OF printed matter and sam
| pies received from Europe Oo746 pounds. ,
| TIE cost OF the United states Transatlantic man
steamship service for the year 1874 was s25J 81 beng
Increase OF $ "a over the cost OF Ae same service
The 1ited states posrages mails conveyed 70 and
from the West Indies Panama Central Amerca Brazi',
Mexico BERMUDA, Nova Scotia, New-Cranaui. NcAeL-
uea and Ecuador amounted 10 Sli 6S 81 and the cost
OF the conveyance thereof s969l H. The United
states posages on mails exchanged win Brazil japan
and China, the Sandwich Islands. New Z,aldnd, and
/
mail steamers amounted to s5355O g. The total cost OF
the United states ocean MAJ! steamship service Ior
appr5priation for steihishlp service to japan ana
China, to Brazil, and to the Hawaiian Islands, was
1924. .s44 o.
NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR FOREIGN MAIL SERVICE.
The contracts heretofore made tn, trans
atlantic steamship companies for the conveyance of the
Ualted States mails between NewYork aad IFoDeaa
ports, compensation equal TO the sea posares on
the mails conveyed, expired by ntltiJn the 3st
ID l5t3 l. Ide
from Nw-YOrk on but three days III each week, VIZ,
Wednesday, Thursday, and saturday.
Since the expiration OF tAc contracts in question
new arrau-emcAt proposed by my predecessor and
accepted by companies, has been put into
successful and satisfactory operation. Under This
rangemeut wncn went into operation jan l. 1874. the
European mails dispatched from NcT-Iora on four
days 0t the week VIZ, Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday
aud Saturday. the several companies furui,n1g IA ne
for tAe publication thereof b. tA prtDelt, prior 10
tine fret OF eacn month schedule OF thr saings or
their steamers Tor tne m7nh and also from ts 10 time'
when called upon therefor tne nee sslry data rom
logs general records o. the steamers to enable
the department select and designate tn vessels
Tne advantages sought anu secured by tis arrange
meUt frequent service and greater rapidly Of
mail communication with Europe Withou, additional
cost and 10 would seem evident that the competition
best ana fastest sieamers and the constant roi
and surveillance Of the service which tn ARRANGEMENT
10 the Department, must result 0enel ia4y.
THE PACIFIC MAIL CONTRACT
The contract for the additional monthly mail service
between san Francisco and Japan aud emma authorized
by the Of Con approved June l. ls4 was. after
advertisement IN accordance win the req ge mems OF
pauy ot Ne"-IOrk at an annual compensation VI
The COMPANY falling however 10 commence TIE addi-
uoIa service contracted for u steamships. du At
the prescribed. both the act % Congress cled
ABOVE and the terms OF ther contract. when this De
partment notified the month Of July. 1874, uIne
months after the stipulated time. Of the compeuou ~
but and designed for the service II WIS
deemed necessary 10 submit 70 the AttJrueT-Generll
flr his oIla.ou, the question Of tie Cowpiny'.
right 10 have the new steamers lusIec 3D.
aud. II approved, accepted for the service uI.e-
their contract The AttorneyGeneras decision upon
-, CONSTIPATION OF the case presented 10 nm. naHing
been 10 effect that the contract with the Company
had not lapSef but was IN force notwithstanding the
failure 10 Commence the service Win tAe steamers anj
at the TINE provided the steamers city OF Pehln% and
CITY Of Toxic n>pected, provided Oy tue act OF
Congress OF jane 1872 and upon tAe iiVgta' IePoit
Department for service under the contract WIN sad
COMPANY with the understanding. however. that a NJ
appropriation made by Congress AZ it, last session
for tue additional monthly service cOnricted i0r no
payment could be made therefor unul C)nGr'-s sAluI
further leGislate upou the 81 J"ct IAi' pLt pclt
rrI,nGulsnenf u the mail steamship service between
Inc United stats and the Hawaiian Islands authorized
INTO optra ln UNDER contract with tn "ClIforn!a
oregon and Ne-IoO steamship COMPANY on 'hr oIh o
S-pf.mbrr. l-f7. for term OF rrn vetr- AZ a con-
p.nsaon OF $4,000 Tor twelve round trps per anndn
40 service Ia oocn rosn.d q az o. cCA,fa.s ~, &
last arrival al san Francisco ol the srduer Costa dca
Of said line win the United syd'es mans from the
Hawaiian Islands
Nv inmcdiate predecessor communicated the above
facts TO the POstOice Committees oi the sentte anu
WIN resolution OF tlt 2eu.e 1 i @ % Ion ,i'IG on
frred upon the rnerl IN the contract Tor
this servIe 10 aunu tue same for repc ted failures ana
iclerred the question OF continuance OF tn service TO
The mail steamship service to Brazil authorized by
act OF Congress approved lIy D. co. TdlcA vent INTO
operation Sept. JJ I,. under contract wliH e Ited
states and Brazil Mau steamship COMPANY. T expire
by limitation Of and contract, on the 5OtA sclem
INTERNATIONAL POSTAL CONGRESS.
The Uni Ell STATES having bsen uVtei TO take part in
the international postal congress appointed to assemble
AT Berne in Switzerland the 1Jtn OF September last
Mr. Blackfln the Superintendent OF reign Mails was
selected the representative OF tla paFihelt HIS
Acknowledged lty and thorough acquaintance Win
the foreign and domestic mail service * lie country
seemed 70 render MS selection an ENTITY proper one
Mr. RAmbuscu OF the O1ice OF Foreign MaIls APP
PSeGd Berhe Be- pe s,h Of The onress
had adjourned 20 the 2lst OF mat month and on that
gress M BOrei, Postmaster General Of switz .raud)
complimentary 10 the p0sluOh OF The United
States on the question Of postal reform, the
gentlemen above named took their seats. Two sessions
only had been held before their arrival. On the 7th OF
October international postal convention was agreed
upon anu suUu 49,, ~ inc ,e e,rtIn ~ U @
representative decided 10 defer hs signature until the
approval OF the National Assembly could be ODaned.
IL generally believed that France vii eventually give
ner adherence the convention and, should she do
all Europe, Egypt, Aslatic Turkey, and the United
states Will be included IN the proposed postal union
The convention wl OF course, have 10 he rauned
cordng the laws and usages OF each country partlc
pating in II before provisions acquire the
OF treaty obligations. II rati1ed it proposed mat
II shall 90 into effect on IL" 1T Of july 1870 The pro-
visions convention are too numerous DO stated
IN etai TINS report Those OI primary importance
That a uniform letter rate OF SIX cents may be estab
shed ali countries included Ia the postal unon which
will greatly existing rates to ali countries
cept Great Briilin and Germany.
ibe total abolition OF accounts for international corre
spODdence Tns Will not only the expenses Incl
dent to keeping such accounts, hut 1t Will add
largely TO our postal revenues, as we shall re-
tain the large excess OF foreign postage which is
pualy collected IN the United States, and. under
existing arrangements, accounted for and paid quar-
tery 10 the respective foreign Offices The
DnafIf I'M