Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-03

| carseS-acc1QonCS, burning OF cars Ill
postoffices and other casualties - an
only 2l3 we're the result of theft by dis
honest officials.
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DOMESTIC SERVICE
Foity-four thousand nine hundred an
seventeen complaints in regard to the dt
mestic ordinary mail we're received, an
30, 1928 investigated. In view of the fis
ures showing the increased number {
postage stamps sold during the veal
demonstrating the great increase OF ma
handled. these figures show an improve
ment in the service. In 6, 100 OF the CON
plants investigated the claim OF loss wa
found to be false.
The Postmaster General says: "A
the request of my predecessor an add
tional appropriation of 500, 900 was mad
for the inspection service. This Wa
do in order that the smaller postoffices
those of the fourth class, might b,
examined aud postmas asters instructed b,
a personal visit of the inspector. Th
had not previously been done systematic
ally. During the past year "a $3.50 sucf
Offices were carefully inspected. Mucl
good has resulted, as the Department
record shows. Gereater promptness in
making deposits and reports to the De
partment has resulted, and there has
been a marked increase in it's receipts
The Inspectors collected or caused to be
deposited in the Treasury, on account o.
cases of Glass G Ceases which are no,
strictly to be called mail depredations]
$177 ,525.12. For the good of the service
in all its branches, this additional ap
propriation of 10000 should be renewed
for the coming year."
LOSSES IN FOREIGN MAIL.
The total number Of complaints in re-
gard to foreign mail, both registered and
| ordinary, was 10 ,855, a considerable in
crease over any previous year, but it is
also noticed that the number of actual
losses is less in proportion to the number
of complaints treated. There were 6,6S3
cases relating to registered mail, 1902 to
ordinary mail, and $40 to miscellaneous
mail. An actual loss was sustained in
202 cases relating to registered matter.
THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.
Tables of tests of the efficiency OF rail-
way postoffice clerks under the standard
adopted prior to 1885, are submitted,
showing marked improvement, the
average per cent. of the increased eff
cheney of 1888 over 1887, by the result of
the tests submitted, showing 81 so per
cent. for 1887, to 80 80 per cent. in 1885,
The report submits an elaborate sched-
ule OF railway mail connections in the
South. and between the North, West and
South, showing a constantly increasing
business, and the need of more attention
and needs for its proper care, with q
showing that the subject has received
marked consideration during the past
fiscal year.
The Postmaster General submits that
the appropriations for special pay to rail-
roads shall be better distributed, Or if
need be, increased. If the policy of
special appropriations for increased pay
is to be continued, he calls attention to
the settled application of such appropria-
tions to the payment of one or two lines
OF road, and the absence of any such
means to secure by contract better con-
nections between NewYork and New Eng
land and with the new commercial South.
He states that by special appropriations
to a few of the railroads the impression
is given that the Department has dis
bursement fund for all, and dissatisfac-
ton is created by increased pay to soIe
for a service no better, no more needed,
if so much, as that on the lines of others
who receive no such special favors. Not
withstanding the absence OF any such
funds he proceeds to show, in addition
to the many special additions of the i'm
proved service upon the shorter lines,
that many through fast mails have been
attained by negotiation and contract.
Tue through fast mails East are the first
in the history of the Department.
LEADS THE WORLD.
Statistics are submitted contrasting our
service with that of Great Britain, Ger
many and France, demonstrating that in
cheapness of postage, gross revenues and
expenditures, mum ber of postoffices, ex-
tent of mail routes, mileage of mail
service and volume OF mail transmitted,
the postal system Of the United States is
leading the world.
FOREIGN MAIL SERVICE.
The total cost of the foreign mail SER
vice was $500, 1867 OF which $464 9l0 was
for trans porting mails of United States
origin. OF this amount there was paid
for the transatlantic service 1858 1862 !;
for the trans-Pacific service, $42 ,593, and
for miscellaneous service, $58, ,553.
The mails for Europe have been in
variably assigned each month to those
steamers which made the fastest time,
as ascertained from the average of their
trips, as reported by the steamship COM
panies.
The Department during the year nego-
tiated postal convention between the
United States and Canada which went
into operation March /, 1888, and makes
virtually one postal territory of the
United States and Canada. A uniformity
Of postage rates has already been estab-
lished, but there was still the restriction
that no merchandise ofany kind could be
sent to Canada. This restriction has now
been removed, and with the exception of
specially prohibited articles, merchan-
disc can now be sent at fourth class rates
of postage.
Parcel postal conventions were con-
cluded during the fiscal year, ended
June 80, 1888, with Barbados, the Ba-
hamas, British Honduras and Mexico.
Parcel post conventions are now pending
with all the Central and South American
States, and will doubtless prove of great
benefit to American commerce and in
dustIy.
In connection with the foreign mail
service, and especially in relation to our
means of communication with Central
and South America and Mexico, the
Postmaster General vigorously reasserts
his views against making the postal adj
ministration the disburser of subsidies
| l. oA~o 80, h1p /; O,>fv at