The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-02
BY TELEG GRAPH
TO THE
WHEELING REGISTER.
Associated Press Report. by Western
Union Line, Office Northwest cor.
of Main and 18th SITS.
DOMESTIC NEWS.
Annual Report of the Postmaster
General.

Annual Report OF the POsfmnsiei
General.
WASHINGTON, December l.-Th'
Postmaster Generals annual repor
shows the receipts of the department t.
be $27 ,44l, 800, and the expenses s3S,
OIL ,309. The receipts exceed those o
1874 by 1S-l00 per cent, and the ex
pendltnres 62-l00 per cent. Th'
amount drawn from the treasury Wa
s4,7l6, ,329, or s54, 1866 less than the pre-
vious year. The recorded complaints o
missing letters numbers 5,645, of which
2,677 were registered letters containing
bonds, drafts, &c, amounting to $76,
ll6 while the unregistered letters con
tanned valuable contents amounting Il
S75,997. Ofthe former ! l,0S3 were satis
factorlly accounted for, 9ll actually lost
and 6S3 remain under investigation.
The arrests for violations of the posta
laws numbered 307, the greater portion
not being connected with the postal ser
vice. Or those l07 convictions were haC
and l57 cases await trial.
The department is in correspondence
with the British department on the sub
jeCt of the increase of the nited States
territorial rates on British closed mails
transported by rail between New YORK
and San Francisco, the present rates, hXec
by the postal convention Of 1862, not
paving the actual cost of transportation
The report shows the operations of the
various bureaus OF the department, con
cerning which much has already been
published. The money-order department
the annual transactions of which reach
about $S00OO,OOO, shows an apparent
profit of $4,000, though really il
arrears moro than that amount
if clerk hire and stationery required fol
business were charged direct to its &C.
counts. The increase of rates on smal
orders made by the authority of the las
Congrss will, it is believed enable tn,
bureau hereafter to ray its.own expenses
Foreign Mail Service.
The fact that but one American steam
ship line carries mails across the Allan
tic and none TO South America is regard
ed humiliating to American pride, Jewel
thinks rs u matter of national pride as AT
aid To the revival OF American commerce
and as a means Of supplying efficient
steam marine available for immediate
use by the Government in case of war
provision should be made for the trans
portation of our mails on important ocean
routes in steamships oflicered and manned
by our own citizens, and sailing under
our own flag. A moderate compensation
in excess OF the postageS now allowed
would enable the establishment and
maintenance of American lines to Eu.
rope and South America, and moderate
mail compensation for line to Japan
and China will doubtless continue
mail services to these countries
in American ships After the
termination of our existing subsidy con-
tract, which will expire on the 3lst OF
December, 1876, think it safe to say
the sum of 100000 per snnum now
granted as subidy to the Japan and China
line, for single monthly service on that
route, would, in addition to the postages
on mail conveyed, be quite sufficient,
judiciously apportioncd between the re-
spcctive routes, to maintain an efficient
mail service by the steamers sailing
under our flag on all the important ocean
routes which should be occupied by lines
OF American steamers. Mr. Jewell says:
The Evil OF Straw Bidding,
which annually involves the department
in the loss of many hundreds of thou
sands of dollars, can, in my judgment,
even be etiectually removed by such a
change in the law as will authorize the
Postmaster-General, on the failure Of any
accepted bidder, to offer contract, as at
present, to the next lowest bidder on the
list, if in his judgment, the bid be not
too high, and if this next lowest bidder
declines to enter into contract with a
person not bidder, Mt any price not ex-
ceedng the said next lowest bid.
The report favors postal trains, and
recommends them to be run from New
England to the Gulf, and from the At
lantic to tho Pacific, 1t recommends,
also, a reduction in the postage on third
class matter, and "A law requiring post
masters who draw good salaries TO at
tend personally TO their duties. 49,
Public Debt Statement.