New-York tribune., 1879-11-14
ANEW SYSTEM OF REGISTRY.
SAVING TINE rRornLF AND EXPENSE IN HAN

SAVING TINE. TROUBLE AND EAPENsH iN ""
LING REGISTERED LETTERS.
Henry T. Pearson Assistant Postmaster oi Ne"-
York while on a vacation last SUMMER h'"uo :"
thorough inspection Of the regstered-ie''cl s's
of Great Britain. General Knapp, Chiei 'ielh y.
the Postmaster-General; Colonei Aihecl, N"',i
Clerk of the Third Assistant Postnaster-uenera''
and Mr. Forester, Superintendent Oh 'no nos''''y
Department in this city, have also de'o'eu niuon
attention 10 the study of the various
svstems of the world with view OF introducing III
the United States plan which shall equal II no'
excel that of any other country. Inc gen'le"o"
named above met IN consultation In th's c"S y"
Wednesday and discussed various details VI
scheme suggested by Mr.. Pearson.
All persons who have had occasion to send regis
tered letters are aware of the annoying delay which
occurs at the registration wicket. The time re-
ouired 70 make the necessary record of registered
letter and TO fill out the receipt given TO the sender
notwithstanding that in the NewYork office TWO
clerks assist each other in the work, has caused
much complaint and especially so on pusN ;t u"S
when long lines of people are at tne Wlhu"M Nv ~
ing their turns Two forms nave 10 pe hou III w" "
fore receipt is given, and even then the check on
the letter has not been, III the past, compoVo' N'
Pearson has devised system when mas been PIdc P
ticallv rested IN the NewYO Office and when mas
heen found to work so well that so soon az ilie
requisite books can be supplied 10y the uepaItine%he en-
will be used not only IN thls ey, ou. "s ~ n
DrincIpnl offices throughout the country Inc new
plan saves the work OF two clerks ana SECURES % an
absolute check over a registered lettSr lIoii nno
moment II is received IN the ONCE untl W - ~u. IT'LL
.rad IA the nersOn TO whom II is sent. MT. feHscn
has devised book which has inserted between ls
heavy paper pages two tim sheets, perioiateu 80 @
TO he readily torn out. Between the leaves Is III
serted carbon paper, and with one writing three
copies of the receipt are made. One o1 these u
gwen to the sender, another Accompanies ,.e "''0
m its handling in the department.. The thlrd Is a
heavy paper page which remains IN the book as the
record of the Office. When the letter reaches ihe
hands of the mailng-clerk he attaches to u win
rubber band "regstTy return receipt. lhlS Is
card similar to postal card, and on II is NIlt'eh
the humber of the letter and the name and ADDRESS
of the nerson to whom II is sent. IL also contains
a blank space for the signature OF the person
for whom the letter Is intended. On the
reverse side the card prepared win me auuress
of the sender When the receiver signs 'he IecelPV
On tho card the letter carrier, or the postmaster,
retnTns il to the mall when 1t receives the post
mark, which shows the date OF the uelixery oi .he
LETTER as well as the date of the mailing OF the
retnrn receipt Under the old system the return
receipt was ON thin paper and had to be luciosed IN
an envelope at the delivery ONCE aaHreSseu 10 .ne
office of origin and there taken out oi the envelope,
inrlosed III another and addressed to the writer oil
the letter. 1t wilt thus be seen that the new system
saves tlme labor and material. - ,
The return receipt now comes directly 10 the
sender from the delivery office, by return mail, ana
before the recipient has time TO write an answer
acknowledging the receipt Of remittance. ne
Denartment has also adopted suggestion made by
Suneriutendent Forester, which VIII also save
time money and material. The ola style OF Dlll
and return bill which accompanied registered let
ters has been replaced by single card Formerly
tbe bilI was retained file at the office of desina-
lion and the return Ill forwarded under cover
of an envelope TO the Office OF origin. lhe card
answers the purpose of both documents.
n is believed that the new system VIII surpass
any of those in use on the Continent and that II
viii certainly excel the English plan. Tho marked
d,tf.rence between the British and American sys-
TENS is that while the former is one OF record only
tbe latter comprises receipt as well as record Ihe
4, oi "A
in America than IN Great Britain for here, accord
inc 10 return dated last June there are 90 G4Opost
offices In Great Britain there are about $4,000.
The confidence in the American system OF Teglstra-
non j. shown by the fact that any person sending
a money letter through the mails can have 1t III
sured by any one of several Insurance companies III
this city. One company especially does profitable
business in that line.