The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-05
WHAT THE MAILS COST.

In the year ending June 80, 1891. it cost
the United States to carry the mails So, 067.-
$50 and the amounts received from the sale
of stamps and postage charges was 500, I62, sos,
leaving deficit of S6,3O4,6 72 This is partly
due to the lingering effects of the reduction
of letter postage from three to two cents;
partly to the opening of new mail routes,
and partly TO the maintenance Of established
but unproductive routes. Everybody under
stands that it has never been intended that
the PoStofice in this country Should be self
sustaining; the loss of a few millions year
in that department is deemed to be Offset by
the advantages derived by the people from
the liberal circulation Of mails.
The last time tie postal revenues came
near to balancing the expenditures was in
1882 when the debit balance at the end of
the year was about S1,S00.000 Since then
it has been rs high as SS,000,000, and in 1888
it was So 100000. Last year the deficit was
swelled by loss of about million in lot
terry revenue, and by the establishment of
about 5000 miles of new railroad routes, 1900
miles Of which were on this Coast 1t is the
calculation of this department that in 1898
revenues and expenditures will about bal
ance each other, when new extensions of the
service will probably be undertaken to keep
the balance on the popular side.
These extensions are likely to take tho
shape of Geographic and telephone aunexes
to the pOStol1ices. On this subject the con-
troyersy between Mr.. Wauamaker and the
Western Union is still fresh in most men,
cries. 1t does not appear that the Postmas-
ter General has changed his mind on the QueS-
ton, and the public are quite anxious to see
his plans get "a trial. Postal teleGraphy would
be decided advantage on this Coast, where
the use of the telegraph is a luxury denied
to the poor. 1t is the natural complement
Of the letter mail system and it would seem
that it ought at all events to be tried. 1t is
not pleasant TO reflect that the adjacent
Dominion of Canada, which is supposed to
he so far behind US in most things, is ahead
of us in this respect. The chief telephone
patents will expire in 1898, having made
every one who had an interest in them a
mutimllionaire; by that time the Govern
ment should be prepared TO supply the
people with machinery to utilize this valu-
able invention at moderate price.
The Postmaster-Gene announces that
the recent acceptance of the bids of the
Pacific Mail Company for carrying the
mails on the Pacific will compel that corpo-
ration to spend six or seven millions in
building new ships. 1t was known that
the company contemplated or had actually
begun the construction of some three new
vessels to cost something like $500, goo each.
The announcement that its outlay on new
vessels will be six or seven times that
amount is news, and good news. 1t was
not suspected that it designed to set afioat
steamers Of 1900 or $500 tons. II it does. so
much tie better. The Colima, San Bias
nj 81 ,,hf III, lN4,
and Panama, are old ships, which might
advantageously be superseded by vessels of
newer type and larger tonnage, and it is
tinle that tho Rio Jaueiro and the other
vessels on the China line, except the China,
we're also retired. 1t is question whether
the China could benefit by the recent sub
sidy, as she flies the British flag. though ner
ownership IS American.
The Postmas ter General also announces
the withdrawal of the Oriental and Ocei-
dental steamers from the service between
San Francisco and Hong-kOng. The an
nouncement was made here some weeks
age, but was not generally credited. 1t
may now be regarded as official. The ves-
sells are English, sailed under the British
flag, under charter TO the Southern Pacific
ana Union Pacific companies. Il is doubt
~ '"NNHo' WY wv paul. N"oS5H tHSJ
served the purpose of diverting some traffic
from the Suez Canal TO the American route
1t seems probable that the large ships
which, according to AIR. Wanamaker, the
Pacific Mail is about to buid, are designed
to take their place. a few fue ships, capa-
bic OF steaming 10 or II knots, and furnished
with all the modern improvements, would
take all the traffic between China and Japan
and this Coast, and would leave the Cana
dian Pacific line to depend upon Its subsidy.