New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-22
AN INDISPENSABLE PRACTICE.


AN INDISPENSABLE PRACTICE.
MISUSE OF UNITED STATES MAIL SACKS.
A STRONG LETTER FROM POsTMAsrER-6ENEfAL
JAMES TO THE POsTMAsTER-GENFkAL OF CAN
ApA-UNrreD STATES PROPERTY STILL USED BY
THE CANADIAN PosrMAsrERs-A VERY SIMPLE
REMEDY SUGGESTED.
lBY TELEGRAPH TIE rRBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Aug. PA letter was not
long since received by PostmasterGeneral James from
the Deputy Postmaster General Of Canada, proposing
that distinctive mail sacks and pouches be prepared TOR
use between the countries The following interest
ing letter from PosnasterGeneral James sent IN
reply:
Posi- OFFICE DErARrMENT,
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
Mr. Grn's letter OF the 18th inst in which reference
Officers of this Department on business connected
with the alleged general misuse of United States mail
bags in the domestic mail service Of Canada. To the
facilities extended to them In prosecuting their nQuir
in any measure that would satisfactorily accomplish tho
object OF their missions, desire to state in reply that
OF the mail bags of each country by the respective Off
ces Of which Mere proposed d by this Depart
seSed II to f BY IN %p
oees, "0a o@rfoct rfesaTte Who&S t RSS
were dcsigned to remedy These rogla-
his had beeo specially called by the Sec
iect for long series Of years OF Postmasters in Canada
promptly all the United States mail bags used
IN spatching mails from this country To Canada, and
that in consequence OF this neglect large quantities Of
United States mail bags had accumulated In Canada, and
were being utilized in the Canadian postal service; They
prescribe % that each country In spatclns mails shall
peporme of eaca Country shall cause ali the mail
bags received from and belonging 10 the other to be
back regularly and promptly, empty with the return
mails dispatched to it, and 60 that tho exchange post
the mali bags sent aud received and exchange receipts
Tor the mail hags received.
they were chiefly Intended correct an prac
plant had ever been received OF the misuse of Canadian
aud so far as this Department is advised no
tsrs bags S have c eyer been So used II
OF bags In the domestic United states
Canadian mail bags by United States postal OH
cals is shown by replies lately received to specific in
reported under date of August We make no use of
a r Sess c Canada O" a Fe empty all
them To be SO used. We sent there during juno 063
back 1877 which we signed receipts No receipts have
since been sent here Tor signature, so That we
any, have been returned to railway post offices other
ported Have never known a Canadiin SACK or poncI
70 have been used rs stated. Only one of men
ever seen Canadian pouch in the United States and
then 9n o One ana sn that over ave years ago.
prohibited all postmasters, agents and employ this
Canada, and required them to collect and
Tnd states exchange oe to 30 tine
empty TO Canada. This order far as is known has
been strictly carried out by all officers aud employees of
this Department butt appearing from reports received
from United states exchange post offices that Can
aQan mails continued TO Do forwarded to this
United states mail sacks and also that such sacks con
tnued 10 he used extensively the Canadian
service considered expedent to send officers of
this Department to Canada to make personal Inquiries
relative to the continued misuse of
Canadian post Offices, and to take such action in the
premises might be necessary an observance
al snch offices OF the regulations adopted respec
tive Departments. 1922
With regard TO the suggestion that special descrlp
ton of bag should be provided the Exchange of mails
between this country and Canada, have state that
Al tne Gags OF each country are promptly returned.
empty To the exchange offices dispatch as is the uni
form practice with the bags used in conducting the ex-
cnanSe OF mails with European countries the aoDton
OF special international mai unnecessary 1d
see no reason why the mail respect}ve De
partments cannot be reciprocay returned elptv as in
the case of the mail bags used In eectng the xchange
OF mails with other countries The existing reCulatios
require such return, and all that is needed is to enforce
their execution on each side.
The fact that the present date reports ar ro
ceived at this Department that CANADIAN mails are
regularly dispatched TO this country United Statea
mall sacks and that such sacks have been at a very
recent date used at the Montreal for dspafcn,
closed mails to winnipeg, Manitoba Detroit shows
that these regulations being observed at the
Canadian exchange Offices and regret exceedingly tbat
sucn should De the case after
OF THESE onces mas been called the erroneous prac
OF reports received from the Detroit Chicago and
Vanceboro and Bangor Railway mail post Offices relative
70 tne Oteu states mail sacks received by them from
ahada COL tdlIDlg jamaican mails from August l TO
August l3 1881. inclusive showing that lIg of snrH
sscGs were received by those two railway postolces
During that short period.
trust that such further measures may be taken nv
your department as yo9 shall consider ~ 20 So
Ssi9 on tEe Pars OF Canadian post cices exchanging
regulations above referred TO. a,n very rfsnect',
your obedient THOMAS L. JAMES
OTTAWA Canada. ''