The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-12-31
WASHINGTON.
New Currency.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30-The Comptroller of
the Currency is daily shipping large amounts
of the new national bank circulation in return
for mutilated notes that have been redeemed.
Tie amounts shipped last week averaged about
$780, 900 daily. Shipments have been made
each day to about 200 banks. The total amount
of mutilated currency received from the Treas
urer since the passage of the act of June 20 is
SAL 066, S05, nearly the whole of which is al
ready issued in new national bank notes.
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances for
to-day:-Currency, 1862 22; special deposit
of legal tenders for redemption of certificates of
deposit, $4o 900; coin, SIG GA 9Sl, including
coin certificates $21 1884, 400; outstanding legal
tenders, $3S2,00O,000
Postal Order.
The following order to postmasters has just
been issned:
On and after the LIST of January, 1875, all
printed matter of the second class destined for
Canada will be treated as though it was
destined for the United States. The arrange
ment with the Canadian postal authorities
being that it shall be delivered there free of
charge. All matter of this class coming into
our offices from Canada will be delivered by
this department free of charge. The same rule
also applies to transient newspapers and postal
cards.
On and after February LIST, 1876, the single
letter rate to Canada will be three cents pre-
/ flom Canada will be delivered free of charge.
| Demand upon Railroads.
| The Secretary of the Treasury has made a
| demand upon all the Pacific railroads having
| gov.rnment aid, for the payment to the United
| States 0f the five per cent. of their net earn
ings as required by law. Should the companies
| negleG TO make such payments within sixty
days, alton will be commenced against them
| in the Curtis.
| Newspaper Stamps.
The Possffice Department decides that pub
| fishers and Jews agents shall have the right to
purchase iron postmasters such stamps for
| prepayment OF postage on printed matter, I'M
| der the new law as they may DESIRE This de-
| cision contraveues the impression generally
| lntlmated that the new stamps would have to
be both affixed and cancelled by agents OF the
| postoffice department, and could not be sold to
| any one. The sale. however, will be restricted
to news agents and publishers.
The New Postal Trcaty with Canada
| Signed.
| New YORK, Dec. 30.-4The postal treaty with
The Dominion of Canada. which was completed
yesterday and approved by the Cabinet, was
signed last ennsning., Under the treaty letters
n be sent under a9y part OF the and pafes
and while letters will begin to be thus t Called allied
| only from the first Of February, the carriage of
papers will begin from the first day of the new
| year, when the new rate of two cents per
pound for printed matter goes into effect in the
United States 1t is estimated that uEder the
new arrangement our government will lose not
more than $4,000 per annum, while the con-
| venience and business interests Of the people
| will be greatly advanced
| 1t is possible that similar arrangement will
| be perfected with Mexico after a while, and
sea rate on letters to Cuba also will be lowered.
| The Postmaster General is also DESTROYS of es-
tablishing weekly slow mail to England,
| under which a three cent postage stamp will
| carry letter from any part of the United
| States to any part of Great Britain and Ire.
land. The double rate would still be called for
| on letters sent by the fast steamers, but the
| single rate would be saving and convenience
| to thousands of poor people who have friends
| in the old country. Mr.. Jewell thinks he can
| get the slow mail carried for forty dollars per
| ton, and this would enable him to arrange for
| three cents postage.
The New Supervising Architect.
VIM. A. Potter, recently appointed Supervis-
ing Architect, is said to be entirely free of po-
| litical prejudice and was the architect of the
| Berkshire Athenaum, Congregationalist
church at Springfield, Massachusetts, the Am
| herst College chapel, and the Princeton Scen-
tific School and library, which is considered
the best building for its purpose in tie United
States