The Washington times., 1909-10-18
SEA POST OFFICE
DOES BIG BUSINESS
More Than sc. 600 600
Pieces of Mail Handled
Annually.
By JAMES HAY. Jr.

- J<4NAE<1 ia IL
The sea postofhces on board the
steamships Of the world. arriving at, and
departing from. New York have come to
be tremendous business, according to
hsures on file at the Postoffce Depart
ment.
More than 100000 pieces Of mail mat
ter letter for every man, woman. and
/ chio IN the United States, is handled
each year in these Offices. Some idea of
the great bulk of mail on the ocean
I liners may be had when it is known that
1t weighs 100000 pounds. This would
MI z'Z05 standard mail cars on the Post
office Departments basis of three tons
or man matter to each postal car On
an average, a passenger train consists
Of ten coaches, and to haul the mails
handled by the sea postoffces would re-
quire not less than 30 trains. OF the
500 tons Of mail matter, 4.310 tons are
what are known as transatlantic mails.
The letters for transatlantic mails
alone weigh 100000 pounds. while the
newspapers and other articles aggre-
gate 100000 pounds, making a total Of
o000o00 pounds.
Errors Are Infrequent.
In handling this great quantity Of
mail matter only go erors in distribu-
ton were made in sorting some 100000
The sea DostOfhces cost the United
States Government annually, S2,S75,O0O
CongTes7 authorized the Postofhce
Department to sort and pouch mails on
board steamships in 1890. but II was
not until 1891 that any systematic effort
was mace to take advantage of the
authority conferred Then regular ser
vice between the United States ard Ger
many was established on the fast ex-
press steamships Of the North German
Lloyd, sailing between New York and
Bremen, and touching at Plymouth and
CherbOurg. After this initiative had
been taken. and the experiment had
ocean liners were included in the ser
vice.
Mail Clerks Provided For.
In the building of their modern steam
ships, the North German Lloyd line has
been a model in providing every comfort
and convenience sOr the clerks handling !
the mail The mail clerks have their
own mess. their own quarters and uni /
forms. but are required TO conform
strictly to the discipline Of the steam /
ship
The nature OF the work on the sea !
postndice IS in most respects similar 20 I
that in the railway mail service.
On a recent voyage to New York from /
Bremen. the steamship Kaiser Wilhelm I
II Of the North German Lloyd brought !
/ 1925 sacks of mail Some idea Of the /
work of sea postal clerks may be had 4
from the quantity of mail handled on /
this trip. which was ia February, 1903, /
not a particularly busy season Of the |
year. The sea post force consisted of /
clerks. and three German suba}terns, /
who are akin - porters in a United /
States p0stoffice
On this voyage 7S5 sacks of mail were /
opened. $4,000 ordinary letters assorted. |
3,4Sl registered letters and parcels as
sorted. and the other mail handled IS 7.
needed. To do this the clerks were /
compelled 20 work in the office eleven /
hours each day. The mail for New /
York city was distributed and sacked /
for each Of the forty-four stations there. I
and that for the United States according
to a schedule which has 12S divisions, /
Mail Tor outgoing steamships sailing or 4
about to sail On the day Of arrival was 4
placed In sacks and delivered aboard !
the destined SHIPS.
Many Letters Far Across Pacific.
In addition to the distribution for the
United States. ne clerks are compelled /
to assert and sack mail destined for
Cuba. Mexico. Canada and countries
south of the United States and across
the Pacific.
The quantity Of mail assorted varies
for the reason that rough weather re-
tards the york By causing the clerks
20 become seasick, and again it Is some
times necessary to send inexperienced
clerks on board. who are unable 10 keep
I'D the pace set by the experienced /
handlers Of the world 3 mail.
To expedite he mails two mail boats
Ts4F n
incoming steamships at the quarantine !
station and while the steamships ara /
awaiting the medical and customs in
spectfon, the mails are transferred TO /
the mail boats. The mail destined for
trains is put aboard one boat, which /
steams directly 20 the railroad stations
along the river front, while the other /
is loaded with mails for New York and
ether sections which require a rehan-
ding.