New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-25
THE BRITISH POSTOFFICE.
SOME SUGGESTIVE FACTS AND FIGURES
London. October ID.

SOME SUGGESTIVE FACTS AND FlGURES
London October ID.
Government reports usually dry reading for ths
general public but and then they made as In
teresting The report OF the British
Posonice example which has just been issued, con-
many statistics which appeal 10 the Imagination with
irresistible And it also contains many bits Of
incident Of most amusing kind. What
idol conveyed the human mind by the simple state
that than 1,700CO 10000 letters were &C.
ivered in the United Kingdom during the yearI
That Is about fortyive each aud every man,
and child. What estimates flncifu arithmeacisn
might build upon IT, OF the gallons OF ink used the num-
dotted and Us ossd and the amount Of stamp
licking and sealing done! 1t gives one vast idea OF
London too to know that 400 900 letters
delivered WITHIN rs Limits. Their beside t7t number OF
letters the United Kingdom received 20 VVOoo postal
cards than per head-Of which Mr. 'Iladstone
contributed a great many. doubless-and 4ol2OOOOo
packets OF books and samples and 161 900 900
newspaper and by the parcels post 40 900 packages
The total Of pieces OF mall matter distributed vas
2623 0s7 .956.
In this vast food there were more than 100000
registered letters. But large proportion Of the most
valuable things sent by mai. were not registered The
practice very of sendiag money, without reg
istraton inclosed letters parcels with objects Of an
ncongruous character. sovereigns have been found
racket with butter flowers figs and puddincs. As an
illustration Of reckless economy" mention is made OF
lady living siam having forwarded to London several
parcels declared contain walingscNs and stationery
ordinary ,aue whereas the real contents were found
" consist O. diamonds ana Jewelry worth upward OF
$4,000. 10 tsge at the registered letter rate would
have amounted 10 about $3.50. little insight is thrown
on another kind OF transaction which lady advertised
in newspaper asking persons send cents each in aid
OF Refuge Fund, and induce two friends TO do the
same The lady appears moderated her chances
Of success for subsequently removed from the address
given In the advertisement without giving notice Of the
change As a consequence the replies accumulated
the Returned Letter Office such that when
her new address discovered there than
10000 letters awaiting her attention. the remIttanecs
amounting TO $3.50.
The OF the Returned Letter Department bear
witness customary careesness and blum
aering part public. though the sender
not always the guilty Iarties. More than $500 600
letters were the offices. BY far the
greater porCon were RENTED senders,
sent back unopened postOces foreign countries.
about 1856 ressued corrected addresses. and
Jess than 500 900 remained hand The number o.
30 OCO letters posted without being addressed and u
these contained bank and checks to the
value Of than SIS 900 IN all. The number OF re-
turned packets and circulars nearly 1000 600
and OF newspapers a little under 600. 900.
Other suggestive figures these. There are in the
Untd Kingdom Is 500 postOces and about $4,000 per-
sons, including q 600 women employed more or less
directly in postal service. In the Aoney Oider De.
partnent 81 600 received from foreign countries.
OF which So COO the United states There
was more than s235 600 900 OF and postal
orders issued in the Kingdom. In the postal savings
banks more than 1885,, 100000 is now on deposit