The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-21


 tailment of the postal facilities. as may be seen by the fact that there have been established 3.744 new post. offices. delivery by carrier has been added to the service in lSfi cities. 2,516 new rural routes have been establish ed. covering GO.O0O miles: the force of postal employees has been increased in these two years by more thun 5000. and their average annual salary has had a substantial increase.
 On Jan 3. 1911. postal savings de- positories were established experiment tally in forty-eight states and territo- ries. After three months successful operation the system was extended as rapidly as feasible to the 7.50O postof- Aces of the first. second and third class es constituting the presidential grade By the end of the year practically all uf these will have been designated. and then the system will he extended to all fourth class postoffices doing money order business.
 In aelecting postof1ces for deposi- tories consideration was given to the efficiency of the postmasters. and only those offices where the ratings were satisfactory to the department have been designated Withholding desig- nation from postmasters with unsatis- factory ratings has had salutary ef- feet on the service.
 The deposits have kept pace with the extension of the system. Amount ing to only $G0652 at the end of the first months operation in the experi- mental offices, they increased to $679.- BIO by July and now after eleven months of operation have reached q to- tai of $11.OOO.OOO. This sum is dis tributpd among 2.710 banks and pro- tected under the law by bonds depos- fted with the treasurer of the United States
 The depositors thus far number ap- proximasely 15OOOO. They include for ty nationaIities. native Americans largely predominating and English and Italians coming next.
 The first conversion of deposits into United States bonds bearing interest at the rate of 21a per cent occurred on July 1. 1911. the amount of deposits exchanged being $41.g .gU. or a little more than $ per cent of the total out standing certificates of deposit on June 30 Of this issue bonds to the value of $G.12O were in coupon form and $35. .7S0 in registered form.
 Parcel Post.
 Steps should be taken immediately for the esta blishment of rural parcel Tn hn xaSfi rn.,fp uf tious needed for the maintepance of the postal service for the ensuing ifs. cal year an item of $1;DaNO has been inserted to cover the preliminary ex. pense of establishing a parcel post on rural mail routes as we'll as to cover an investigation having for it's object the final establishment of general parcel post on all railway and steam boat transportation routes. The de partment believes that after the initial expenses of establishing the system are defrayed and the parcel post is in full operation on the rural routes 1t will not only bring in sufficient rev. enue to meet it's cost. but also 6 sur plus that can be utilized in paying the expenses of a parcel post in the city delivery service.
 It is hoped that congress will au. thorize the immediate establishment of limited parcel post on such rural routes as may be selected providing for the delivery along the. routes of parcels not exceeding eleven pounds.
 The suggestion that we have gen erai parcel pOst has awakened great opposition on the part of some who think that 1t will have the effect to destroy the business of the country storekeeper. Instead of doing this. think the change will greatly increase business for the benefit of all. The reduction in the cost Uf living 1t will bring about ought to make its coming certain.
 The Navy Department.
 On the 2i of November last I re- viewed the fighting fleet of battIeships and other vessels assembled in New York harbor. consisting of twenty-four battleships. two armored cruisers. two cruisers. twenty-t two destroyers. twelve torpedo boats. eight submarines and other attendant vessels, making nine ty.eight vessels of all classes of a ton mage of 57ti.ti34 tons Those who sal W the fieet were struck with it's prepared- ness and with it's high military etd- ciency. All Americans should be proud of its personnel.
 The fleet was deficient in the num- Der of torpedo destroyers. in cruisers and in colliers as we'll as in large bat tleship cruisers.
 The building plan for this year con- templates two battieships and two col Hers. This is because the other and smaller vessels can be built much more rapidly in case of emergency than the battleships. and we certainly ought to continue the policy of two battieships a year until after the Panama canal is finished and until in our first line and in our reserve line we can number forty available vessels of proper armament and size.
 The rganizatiOn of the navy and the appointment of four aids to the secretary have continued to demon strate their usefulness.
 It Is certain that the navy with it's present size should have admirals III active command higher than rear ad- mirals. Our great battIeship fleet is commanded by rear admiral. with