New-York tribune., 1875-02-26
TIE REGISTERED LETTER SYSTEM.

PLANS FOR SIMPLIFYING AND INCREASING ITS EFP1-
CIENCY-INCREAsE IN THE BUSINESS LAST YEAR.
tfRoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-SOme information in
relation to the operations Of the registered letter sys
tenn and the mode Of extending its usefulness has been
furnished to the Senate by the and
the Third Assistant Postmaster-General This system
originated in the attemptof the Post Office Department
10 give greater attention to the transmission OF such
letters as might contain valuable matter This at first
was done without charge, but since the greater extern
sion of the mail service and Of this peculiar part of It,
fee has required No responsibility Is assumed
by the Department for registered matter. but greater
care taken OF It, No precise statement Of the extent
of the operations of the system can be made as until
recently little attention has been paid to it, and only
since have trustworthy data been attanable. At
that time the plan OF registered package envelopes
was adopted, of which during that year million and
q half were used, while during 1873 the number
increased to 100000. For seven years the system
has been rapidly and continuously growing In public
favor of its general availability and reason
able safety. Its utility and safety the POstOce De
partment shown in the distribution of postage
stamps money order funds &c Out Of al 1926 packages
OF stamps &C. transmitted during the year 1854, only
four packages valued at s67 49, were lost; and OF the
100000 OF regular registered letters, only ss
tuay lost stolen The increase the number Of reg
istered letters, compared with the increase In money
orders is comparatively small the number OF the latter
issued during fiscal year 1928 being four times
great during the year S66S while the increase In
the former during the Same interval was
only about 30 per cent. The growth
of the money order system is due to the
fostering bestowed it, and the reduction Of
fees and the comparatively small increase In registered
letters is owing to the little attention bestowed upon
the subject by the Department from the lack Of requisite
legislation. At the beginning Of the year 1874 the fee
registered letters reduced from 5 to cents and
IL estimated that the number OF such letters would
be nearly five millions for that year. In Great Britain
and Canada the proportion OF regstered 70 ordnary
the proportion IN a. against in 232 in the United
States. In both the countries mentioned every eX-
pedient has been resoted to, not only 10 induce the
public to patr0nize the system, but also to secure
ceerty and security in the TRANSMISSION OF registered
letters, and In neither has it been affected greatly by
the operations OF the money order SYSTEM each system
gaining in fact by the facilities afforded for the prompt
safe transaction Of business The use OF tine regis
tered letter system by the public has now reached
simplifying t that the average postmaster can under
stand the proper method OF registering letters and that
OF the work now imposed upon the large dstrout
ing offices may be dispensed with
f. W. Barber, Third Assistant P0stmaster-Gen-
eral, who has devoted much attention to this ques-
ton, makes several recommendations for the purpose
bill now pending before Congress, and are as follows:
First maximum fee OF 10 second abolition Of The
return receipt" third penalties for stealing destroy
ing delaying registered matter; fourth, holding
Post-Ofce officials TO more strict accountability for
registered matter fifth, apenalty for falsely claiming
loss registered matter the sixth provides for special
through pouches the seventh authorizes the
appointment Of chief Of division OF registered letters and
Ave clerks Mr. Barber believes that this system In
its infancy. and that under proper management 1t will
grow 10 great proportions It, does not conflict III any
with the money order system, but acts as an
reaches only 400 Offices while the other embraces every
postOffce III the country.