The New York Herald Newspaper, December 5, 1867, Page 4

4 . NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY (DECEMBER ;5, 1867.-TREPLE, SHEET. OUR POSTAL AFFAIRS, Annual Report of Postmaster Gen- eral Randall, Post Orncea Daranturwr, Nov, 26, 1867. Sin—The revenues of the Department during tue fica’ year ended June 30, 1867, were $15,237,025, 10 which should be added amounts drawm from the Treasury ander the acts making appropriations for carrrying “free mail matt $900,000, and amounts under the Special avpropriations for overian / and marine tervice bewween New York and Culifornia, $900,000; Meamsbip service between San Francisco, Japan and China, $41,666; and between the Uniied States and Brasil, $250,000 (including $100,000 on account of service pertormad during the previous fiscal year); for new mail Foutes, $150,000; and to supply deficiencies, $150,000; making the receipts from all sources $19,078,693. The expenditures of ai! kinds, including the foreign mail teansporiation and service tor which the above special Appropriations wore made, say $1,191,666, during the period, were $19, 483, rhowing an excess of pis over expenditures of $743,210, . The ordivary expenses of the departmon’, not includ- {ng mail transporia‘iou provided for by special appro- priaion, were $18,043,816: and the ordivare receipts, fncludiag the @moaut drawa under appropriation for carrying irve mail matter, were $16,137 026, showing an excoss of expenditures of $1,905,789, which nag been inet by the unexpended balauces of former apprepriations, No appropriation for the past year is therefore needed. The receipts for posiages, as compared with the pre- year, show an increase of six per ceut ani the an increase of 25 3-10 per cent. The enue concentrated in the depositories and Gratt offices was $6,164,728: collected by ths auditor, $2,197,113; retained by postmasters for compensation and office expenses, $0,314,156; and remaining in the hands of postmaster: Ling collective, $51,026. The details of the financial operations of the depart- ment are fuliy set forth in the accompanying compre- hensive report of the Auditor:— ESTIMATES FOR 1869, The ordinary expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1869, are estimated at...... Adi for overiand =mail and ine service be lew York and Culi- oe « $900,000 12,500 ——— $1,637,500 $22,837,500 Making the total estim: expenditur's, The ordinary recei ing the standing tion of $700,000 free Priation for Cxiifornia, China and Brazil mais, aud tor the deficiency above’ named... $13,262,500 $4,576,000 Bhowing an excess of expendi+ tures of see Deducting the vodruwn bal- ances of appropriations for tho department, amount ug 2,000,000 Sng ‘deticiency “10 be Provided for from the geno- ral treasury... APPROPRI It will also be nec Priations as follow For overland inai . 2,575,000 SPRCTAL ERRVICR, to make the usual appro- Fo ry transportation and marine service bowweeu New York and Cailforoia, ,000 Mail stoamentp service between Sun Francis: Japan, and China... . 000 Mail steamship service bwiween the United States aud Bri And for deficiency on a ount of servic tween the United States and Bi fiscal year ended June 30 186: bree 12,500 Mail steamship service between Sam Fraucisco and the Saudwich Islands... see+ 75,000 POSTAGE STAMPS AND STAMPED ENVELOPES, During the year 605 postage stampa, of the vaiuo uf $11 578. 150 plain oper, repr 10,593 ; envelope: ing $494 712; and 1,857,750 pew~paper wrappers, valued Sat Were Issued, An aggregate value of sue Of postage stamps, compared with the pre- vious year, slows an increase of about 65 per cent, while the issue of stamped envelopes tus increased almost 61 per cent, This increase 14 attributable to the {ntroduction of printing business cards and requests for return if not delivered, without additional cot. cue issue of this class of euveloper during tue year was in- creased 103 per cent over that of 1863, Tb jietion mm last Year's report that the use of such envelopes would tend largely to reduce the name ber of dend letters has beeu verilied, Tne statsticn elsewhere given, under the head of dead lottera, show that the number bas dimini-hed nearly one milion dur- ing the past year, and that this gratifying result is attribuiabie to the use of envelopes with @ request for the return to the writers of unclaimed lotters directly from the post office addressed, Itasesiimated that fully fifty millions of thaso envelopes were used during the Year, tho department supplying about one-third of the Bomber. The sales of postage stamps and stamped envelopes during the year amounted to $12,958,124, leaving unsold in the hands of pos!tmasters $413,926, NEW POSTAGE STAMPS, Experiments are in progress with a postage stamp Printed on embossed paper, wuicn scems to afford good 4 fraud, The fibres of the paper beiog marks almost necessarily penetrate, asily be removed without destroy- alhesive properties are also pro. Vantaves secured which commend rable noiice, mber of packages of postage stamps Jost in the during the year ended June. 20, 1867, was nine-~ teen, represonting $3,530, The nomber of packaves of Stamped envelopes iost during tue same period was @even, valued at $1,191, Daring the year twenty-eight cases of claims ou ac- count of robberies by armed forces have been arted on, Twenty-four of these, amounting to $6,064, have deen allowed, and four, amounting to $383, have been disallowed. CONTRACTS. ‘There were in the service of the department on the 0th of June, 1867, 6,376 contractors for the transporta- thon of the mails Of mail routes in operation there were 7,743; acgre- gate length, 203,245 inilee; aggregate annual trans. portat cost, viz. $1,020,871, the aggrecate annoal cost was $10,357,157. This servico was divided as follows, viz,:—— Rail roates—Lengtb, 34,015 miles; annual trans. Portation. 32,437,900 miles; annual cost, $3,812,000; about 11.75 cents per mile. Steamboat routes—Length, 15,004 miles; anneal trans. Portation, 3,210,740 miles; annual cost, $472,206; about 147 conte per mile. C certainty and security row'es—Lencth, transportation, 43,334,149 miles; ‘bout 11.65 cents per mile. Increased over the preceding miles; anna: 892, to railway postal clerks, route, focal and other agents, $241,161, makes an aggregate of $1,946,973. LEGISLATIVE CONTRACTS—SAN FRANCISCO TO PORTLAND, BY SRA ‘8 joint resolution of Coneress approved Febraary 18, 1867, the Postmaster Genera was ‘authorized to employ ocean mall service between San Francisco, Call. fornia, and Portland, Oregon, not jess than three times. ® month, in contiauation of the service from New York via Panama to san Francisco; provided that the cost of agaid service shall not exceed $25,000 per annum.’ The ‘The resolution further directed that bids for the service de invited by advert sement in u Ban Francisco, Catifornia, ani nd, Oregon. compliance with the provisions of this enaciinent an advertivement was prepared under date of igo 25, 1867, and 1 in the newspapers directed, and al in one printed in piad Yost inv’ cy is for ser. But one bid and Mesican which was aod contracts have since been ‘Steamship Company, accepted Sune 1867, executed. LINCOLN TO PORTLAND, EY LAND, The Fortieth Congress adopted ‘a resolution to term. nate a contract of a member of Congress with the Post Office Department,” which was approved by the Prosi- This resolution autnonzes the contfact betw Present copiractot for the on route No 14,782, between ‘ortiand, Breede a take eff at the rane i directs 1 bo department “advertise for bids tor the performance of service Tesidue of the coutract term" im California and Dowspapers, An advertisement was accordingly issued April 4, 1867, and published as directed, inviting ate for the service from October 1, 1847, to Jane 30, 1870, under which advertisomont bids were received from three por+ 4 | "Sisecent that of Jesse C. 4 of San bbe , fF annum, which was aqua 6 1867, | ara ah eee Compensation under the contract superseded this legisiation.was $179,000. 4 his ageots as an excuse for the non performance of ser- vicw, were m pretence, and that there was po reason way the mails sould mot be conveyed regi and it The oifetal reports, bi ferred by th at, proved conclis'vely that the most serious trou>ies did ex- on the plains, fy ‘that here was Bo Cont d for etther seogers or inails except under ample military escort, ved could not be furnished daily. A ‘agent of the Lepartment, lately sent over the route for the ex- press purpose of reporting as to the manner in which the service bad been performed duriug the summer, and aiso as to t's present condition, has, under date of November 4, 1367, made bis report, which is accom. panied by the ailidavit of the postmasters at the prin- cipal offices on the route, and alao by the statements of severa! offic-rs commanding military stations on the fige, The burden of this proof is suinmed up as weil, perhaps, in the aifidavit of tne postmaster at Denver in any Of the other papers submitted. He say: - ‘hat portion of the route from Denver to Omaba City, or terminus of railroad, Indian troubles of a serious nature cominenced as early as 16, and, notwithstand- ing thé contractor, supported by the military, pat forth every effort tm bis power to clear the road and keep it Open, NO mail was received at this office over that route {rom February 23 to March 2, During the month of March our registers show eighteen failures, From June 8 to September 1 regular trips were madeon alternate Gaye, and from that date to the present we have had daily service. 1am retiabiy informed that the delay was, io Many tostances, caused by loss of stock driven off by hostif® Indians at poiots where it was impossibto to re- Place it witoout prolonged delay. This was more espe- om pr erog the route from Denver to Salt Lake City. je 1 caused another delay of three weeks and the diversion of the mail trom the Platte to the Smoky Hill line. From the best information I can obtain the cause of all tho detentions and irregularities complained of wore un- avoidable on the part of the contractor, and of sucha character as to have precluded the. possibility of any mao or set of men ehiag: regular trips over the route, unless securely guarded by an armed force of consider- bie magnitude,” From Fenn submitied by the con. tractor to the inspection division it would appear that from April 1 to August 16, 1867, the Indians robbed him of three hundred and fifty head of stage stock ; burned twelve of his stage stations, with large amounts of grain and hay; desiroyed three coaches and express waconr, severely wounded several of his killed nt thirteen of his most reliabie ry a8, The Santa Fé route. although more fortunate than the overiand, was also by Indians during the great- er part of the summer. Several of the stations were robbed of their stock, which, of course, seriously de- laved the transmission of mail matter. At this date, however, the route is working.weil, and the registers show that the service is being performed even within the lately shortened schedule time, which gives great satisiaction to the residents of the entire Territory, A daily mail baving been ordered on the route from Salt Lake to the Dailes, Washington Territory, letters ud papers from the east for northern Oregon and blo are distributed so as to be forwarded by ‘hat tine, - Contracts for the overland and the Dailes routes expire September 1868, and the usual advertisements, in- viing for the serviee, are about being issued by the De; it, The importance of a mail over the old southern over- Jand route from Ei Paso, Téxas. by Tucson aud Yuma, to Los Angeles ones the a upon the Dey » route 17,408, originally m Mesilla to was ox- tended, at pro rata pay, to Los Angeles, and the number of trips increased to three per week. This has proved @ source of great benefit to persons living on the line of the route, who had been for five years cut off from any more direct comumunication with Calitornia than by sending their letsera by stage fifteen hundred miles to Saint Joseph, to be again transmitted two thotsand miles by the same conveyance to San Francisco, With the view of affording more direct mail communica- tion between Chicago, St. Pauland other im; it points, and tbe Territories of Montana. Idaho and Washington, route No. 18,811, from Fort Abercrombie to Helena, was rtised for the spring letting of 18967, and duly ded to contract, fora three times a week service, to the lowest biddera. By this route. i¢ was claimed, ‘six hundred miles in distance would be seved between Chicago and Helena, aa com: direct one via Sait Lake City. Unfortunately, however, ‘both for the communities interested and the contractors, the Indian hostilities have been so flerce and unrelent- ing on nearly the whole line, with not even an attempt at military protection, that what little mail matter was trusted to it has been conveyed by ponics, travelling over some portionsof the route only at night; aod, therctore, lostead of shortening the time between the points named, it bas been more than doubled. Tho ser- vice, as new performed on the route, ie of no value to the ‘Department, and, unless a marked Improvement Shall take place by spring, it will be discontinued RATES OF PAY AND WRIGHTS OF MAILS ON. RAILEOAD ROUTES, There are three acts of Congress which contain provi- sions proserybing the rates ot compensation which shail be allowed fur the transporiation of mails on railroad routes, By the first, approved July 7, 1833, section 2, the Postmsster General is authorized to cause the mail to be transported upon ‘each and every railroad witbin the limits of the United States which now is or here- atter may be 1nade and completed,’’ ‘provided he can have it donc upon reasonable terms, and not paying ‘herofor, in any instance, more than twenty-five per centvm over and above. what similar trangportation would cost tn post coaches.” The second, approved January 25, 1839, section 1, restricts the autvority vested in the Postmaster General by the act above quoted, 20 as Rot to perinit him to allow more than three huvdred dole lara per mile per annum to any railroad company in the United States for the conveyance of one or more dail! mails upon tneir roads; and the third, ved 3, 1845, ection 19, . prescribes ' tl “to ime sure, a8 far as may-bo practicable, an equal and just rate of compensation, according to the service performed among the several railroad com- panies in the United States for the transportation of the Mail, it shail be the duty of the Postmaster General to arrange and divide the rali Toutes, including those an which the service is partly by railroad and partiy by steamboats, into three classes, accordipg to the size of the mails, the speed with which ti are veyed, and the importance of the service; and it shail be lawful for him to contract for conveying the mail with any such railroad company, oither with or without advertising for such contract, provided that for the conveyance of the mail on any railroad of the first class he shail mot pay a higher rate of compensation than is now allowed by law; norfor carrying the mail on any railroad of the second ciass a greater compensation than one hundred dollars per mile per annum; nor for carrying the mail on any railroad of the third class a gren'er compensation thaa ity dollars per mile per annum; and in case the Postmasier General sball not be able te con- ciude @ coniract for carrying the mail on any of such railroad routes at a compensation mot exceed- ing tbo aforesaid maximum rates, or for what be may deem a reasonable and fair compensation for the service to be performed, it shall be iawful for him to separate the letter mail from the residue of ue mail, and to con- tract, either with or without advertising, for conveying the letter mati over such route by horse express, or othorwiss, at the greatost spoed that can reasonably be obtained. and also to contract for carrying over such route the residue of the mail, in wacons or at ®@ slower rate of speod: Provided that if aif of the service on apy railroad is required to be performed in the night season it shail be lawful for the Postmaster General to pay twonty-five per contom in addition tothe aforesaid maximusa rares of allowance: And provided further, that if tt sbalt be found to convey over any railroad route more than two mails daily, i Shail be lawful for the Postmaster General to pay such additional compensation as he may think just and rea- sonable, having reference to the service performed and the maximum rate of allowance established by this act.” In order to soch an arrangement and classification of railroad routes as the act last meniioned eeptemplates, thero is an obvious necessiiy for accurate aud reliable information as to the ‘‘size of the watls’’ they severally convey. Yet, untilrecently, no tweasures were over taken to procuro from auy considerable proportion of the roads ia the service of the department statements of the amounts of mail matter conveyed by theta, respectively. In February and March last, however, a “railroad weig) circular” (a copy of which ir hereto annexed) was issued and addressed to the proprietors of each ratiroad rout reques'ing them to ‘weigh ail the through mails way mails” conveyed in both directions to and from every station for thirty consecutive working days, com- mencing on all roads east of the R mouatains on the ‘Ist and on ali ronds west on the 15th of April, 1867, and report the resuits to the department {n a prescrived tab- ular form annexed to the circular, and to return also a description of the accommodations ded for mails ag Oxtures avd furniture of the car oF apartment allot. ted to their use, and a statement of the number of trips per week in each direction, Prompt responses were returned from a majority of tbe routes; and, io obtain returos trom the residue, & second circular was issued, under date of the Ist August, 1867 (copy herc- with), notitying them thetthe returns received would be Pudlished, and remarking that roads refusing oF failing to reepond would incur the fmputation of unwiliingaess to exhibit the amount and character of the service they Performed for the department in comparison with others receiving equa! compensation, aad that, upon any future call or opportunity ter the readjustment of the pay for transporting mails on such roada, the information asked for would be deemed indispensable, The result of these the weight on jations for mage ans of mails and accom agents on railroad routes, with the frequency of the service and the rate of pay per mile porannum for mail tion (see Appendix),”’ in which, st will be observed, Toutes are ; hot by states, but ry rate of pay, ighest being first, and those of equal pay according to the average weigut carried the whole distance, Two routes receiving the highest ra‘e of pay—{375 = mile per apnum—lave reported, bamely—the New Ne the the Railroad, route 2,006, between New York and runewick, on whie receiving pay at the rate of $300 erage weights range {rom 22.581 pounds bet weea Baltt- more and Washington (rowte 3,907) to 7.668 nds bo tween Baltimore and Cumberland (route both ‘under covtract to the Baitimore and Ohio Com- pay: On cight routes receiving pay ab rates ng $275 to $210 $7 per mile, the wi po A day bet Cincinnatt Miami Rail route 9,406, vas to between Cincinatti and Ham on fae} fiton and Dayton Railroad, route 9,405, pay $225). On Sfteen router receiving $200 mile the weignts eg tg a aryivania Fd between Syracuse and Rochester York pounds Tat (New uwhich the vania Rejiroed at Harrisbu gaee betwoen and Boonsboro’. (Chicago and jortu western Rail roule 11,403, Ay $175). On few York Ge ‘tral Raiiroad, ‘287 pounds ‘orl at Foute 1,282) to poun iene Leavenworth and Tawrenes (Selos Pacitic Rail Toad, route 14.083, branch), Ou twenty roates receiving pay at rates odes from $145 64 to $103 63. the weights Taage from 3, beiweea Richmond aod Peters- burg (Richmoud and Petersburg Ra: ure 4,408, Day $122 45), to 30 eos Point and ja line (Cham and St, Lawreuce Ratiroad, route 1,138, pay $116 60), On sevemty-one routes receiving $100, the weights range from 7,086 pounds between Washington aod Lynchburg (Orange and Alexandria Bali pounds beiween shaw- Pennsyivania Cane Toute 2, ., On six Fol rom $00 to $77 17, the weights range trom 7382 pounds beween foorry 4 Jonction (Rensselaer and Railroad, route 1,080, Ee 15) 10 108 pounds deiweea Canaudaigua an via (New York Central Raliroad, route 1,277, pay $83). On Gfty-one routes receiving $75 the weighis Fange from 2,048 pounds between Atlanta and West Poiut (Atlanta and West Point Railroad, route 6,003) to 0 pounds betmean Neehvoro! ond Pratt 's station (agri- ul Branca road, route 6404). On twelve routes receiving pay at rates ranging from $69 00 to $51 12 the weights la 1,824 pounda between Buffalo f and Corni road, route 1,321, $00), or 3,794 pounds dividing the route at Attica, to 46 pounds between Taunton Middleboro’(Midateboro’ and Taua- toa Railroad, route 679, 16). On one bundred $63 and eigdt routes receivi gf) the weighis range from 6,488 pounds between Suspension Bridge and Detroit (Great Western Raliruad of Canada, route 1,320) to 12 goqnss. between Washington and Double Wells (Georgia liruad, route 6,005), On thirty-one routes receiving pay at rates rao; from $47 77 to $20 the weights Tange from 464 pounds between Lancaster and Middle- town (Peansyivania Railroad, route 2,257, pay $45 84) to iu inds between Hodges and Abbeville (Greenville Columbia Railroad, route 5,607, branch, pay Io tabular form these results appear as foilows:— ao Rates of Pay. | Range of Daily Weights, , Routes.| From— To— From— Tto— 2 $875 119 20,069 - 0 20, H ses00| aiosr| “asss zie 16 — 200 00 aiiese 367 6 187 50} «160 72 4,827 1,156 27 — 160 00 7,384 287 20 145 64 | 103 63 3.603 2 nm — 100 00 7,086 6 6 90 00 WW i 108 rt i 16 00 2,048 40 13 69 09 61:13 1,324t “6 108 oe 50 00 6488 13 3 4077 20 00 wt u 361 det ea tl i igs he cheigete * Or 23,825 dividi Pennsyivenia Rail- road at Hareisbung, an tial ’ + Or 3,704 pounds, dividing at Attica Not the weight of the mails alone, it is true, but also the accommodations provided for the mails and agents of the department, the fixtures and furni- frequdhoy of tbo service and, may be, ser clngume stances besides, are entitled to ton in adjust ing the pay for railroad Still the size of rates actually allowed. No general systemauc revision and readjustment of these rates, based upon the returos received, has yet been attempted; but in a number of cases of disagreement between the de i$ and railroad companies the returns bave been used asa guide to a proper settlement of the dispute; and as tue terms of existing contracts expire, and it becomes neces- sary to enter into new engacemente, it 1s expected that tory fg Ree OAS eventuate ultimately in the Bearcat practicable a) to a perfect classification of allroad routes and gradua- tion of their pay heresies. Wha the comparative value and importance of the emperor, fhe table showing the weight of maiis, &., above referred to, is ‘accoubani by an alphabetical index, for easy reference, and also by « list of routes from which uo response to the. Somciment's calls has been list the of the companies are received, in which orranved ih alphabetical order. Several whose titles do not appear in cither the table or the list are expected yet to furnish the desired information, they betug in Correspondence with the department on the subject, oi os ag ha 80 maps, the general outline of wi was sug- by and inaugurated under the adwinistration of ostmaster General Blair, are intended to embrace a systematic exhibit of the service of the United tated, On a plan adapted to keep up with the periodical changes and gradual improvement of the service, © It 13 meediess to do more than refer to the advantages of this graphic mode of representation, for a general view of wail connections, Over (he tedious reference to books of entry. Owing to the vast extent of our national domain, and the great number of post offices and routes to be shown, with the reqaisite amount of detail. such maps can only be compiled in successive groups of States. During the past year a. map of the mail service in the States of New Hampsbire,, Vermont, diassachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, with aria of New Yorn and Maine, has beea completed by the wopographer and dia:nbuted to postmasters and other agents of the de- partment, as also to officers im other branches of the public service, and has already secured numerous testi- mouials to the usefulness of such an vflicial production. These first demands having been met, copies of the map aro for eale from the department (Second Assistant Postmaster General's bureau), and from agents in Bos- top, Portland, New York and Pui! ipuie. ‘The noxt in the series—the map of the State of New York and its immediate connections—t!s neurly com- pleted by the engraver, and will be issued this winter; aud the third map, embracing the States of Yennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland aod the District of Columbia, being well advancod, will follow soon alter, WINES AND DEDUCTIONS, The amount of fives imposed and deductions made from the pay of contractors, for failures and other de- Mnquencies during the year, was $183,839, and the amount remitted for the same period was $42.931, loav- ing the net amount of fines aua deductions $145,907, Mal BAGS, LOOKS AND KEYS. A table is annexed showin, 0 pumber, description and cost of mail bags, locks and keys purchased during tne year; the amount expended fom mail bags being $80,440, which, though an excess of $26,812 over the expenditure of the previous year, 1s less by $11,275 than tha: of tho year next procedin, WASHINGTON AND NEW ‘ORLEANS, ‘The through mails between Washi mn and New Orleans. are carried over the Orange and Alexandria Railroad between Wasniacton and Lyachburg, Virginia; the Vi and Tennessee Railroad between Lynchbur; and i, Tennesiwe; the Euet Tennessee aud Virgi Railroad between Bristol and Kuoxville, Tennesse: East Tennossoe and Georgia Railroad bet ween Kuox vill aod on Be een te, Meshyine avd Chat tanooge Railroad be:ween stanouge ‘Alabama; the Mempnis gee; the Mississippi Contral Rallruad between Grand Junction and nog try, oF and the New Orleans, Jackson and Gi orthera Railroad between Canton and New Orleans. This is called the Sout! At ig aii rail, and its Ce Jength is tw and eighty miles. The AUantic route, via Richmond, Virginia; Wilmington, North Carolina; Kingsville, south Carolina; Augusta and Aidanta, Georgia, and Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama, i* twenty mil:s shorter, the aggre gate distance thereby between Washington aud New Or- Jeaus boing tw bandred avd sixty miles; but on th route thore aro two hundred and thirty miles of steam- Dost service, viz: beiwoon Washington and Gam Poimt (Aquia Creek), 56 miles, and between Mobile tbe lake terminus of the Pontchartrain Railroad, miles, e Records have been kept at Now Orleans and Washing- ton since 21st January last, showing the time occupied im the transmission of through beiweou the two extremes. The period from 2lst January to 3ist October, in- elusive, embraces two bundred and eighty four days; during thiriy-Gve of these days, th of March to the ton, by she Southwestern route, two hundred and forty. eignt mails, of which ninety-six were carried througn at ap average speed of y-eight hours and thirtcea 8 and twenty-two hours and torty-fve minuces; one m one hundred and-twenty-seven hours and ‘oie winutes; one in one bundred and thirty three hours forty-tve minutes; and one in one bundred aud thirty-four hours and forty-Gve minutes; the common average speed of the two hundred and forty-eight mails being cighty- ute seven bours and thirty. les, Or three days o3 failure of (he trains to connectgat some Toute, During the same two handred and forty-nine days we t on from New Orleans at Was! et eet] robs eng he the i Es ii tF HH Mi ville, Ter incinnat!, Obio, at an average speed vinoge beadvad cone thirty Bs att tri agin De ge tanner nar began h agp oeageenaped force by the addition of at thirty, The saving Senet vars ane cae sae sf ju per seducing the balance inst the rall- way pos'al service, as at present in and organ- ee ome ee seeven: Teduction of laborin New York, Philadelphia and bo coa be ee pb Meg course, be ag much - portion oi teas pd Jabor in the offices and Baltithore,” and as ralnay pom service on these 6,000 per ‘annum, or an average ordinary I ture. renin and 418 niles Shah a cob@nestl varmved i eustern cities toward the Pacific was ‘@ cap existing, east of Omaha hte fg Chicago to Beane Bi lone the eastern side of the Missouri {ihe Pustte route) had ‘ond Kearny: 329 miles to Moun- tains, 519 . 1,013 miles west of animes = Junction eel bas also beon extended 153 miles to See the Of the ratiroad route west of St. Louis "671 miles. carried daily on these routes west from and oa the Pacific side the maits are conveyed twice daily be- ii Toute the past year, exceeding one mile per day. A continuation work with like energy will verify the promise: companies by the year 1870 to span Pa FORRION Mart = Sggregate amount correspon dence ex with forcign counttion was $2,461,242, ‘an increase of $152,023 over the previous year. Of this 605 ed t= changed ibe mal wih Groat Brae Frenon Fras Bremen, 3 $848, Seer. with the British North American and 833 on mails transmitted to aod ‘from the West Europe amounted to $871,223; American Provinces, 196,448; and with the West Indies, &c., $123,333, making the total United States postages with foreign covn- tries (exclusive of the British North American prov- faces) was mpd of which ae were sent from, and 4,985, received in the United States, Of this tries, an increase of 877, year. eceenes sete manana wien: the provinces was ), makin, ‘total 18,100,000 letters exebanged ia the mails with foreigo sent (exclusive of the British North American provinces) 950,599, and the number received 1,871,710, making a total of 4,828,482 Of this number 4,415,482 were ex- cbanged with Kuro) countries. As DO ac. counts are kept with the British provinces, the number of nowspapers exchanged bei ween the United states and these provinces cannot be stated, even approximately, although it is kno to have been larze. The transatlantic steamsbip lines employed in the service of foreign governments conveyed mails, the on which poor = rig ee and mom employed in the same serv! this department con- veyed mails the postage on which amounted to $878,416, OCRAN TRANSPORTATION. bet aeay am opaniennypender be provisions ot ony iv the the hat thos nig ooaend cre) postages to Amorican and fea postages only to foreign steamships was _ 338, ‘The amount paid for the transportation of mail 3 and in Bhat Indies, &e. eee erreet ae ferent rat compensation fim: prseaes, ‘was $00,711, and the amount paid for sea and ‘ahmus conveyance of mails to and from Cenwral and Seuth America, via Panamta, was $22,956, making a total ex- penditure for ocean transportation of $635,006, exclu- sive of the paymonts made te the Brazil aud Cina ti Toceiving subsidies tor mail service ander special acts Congress. BALANCE DUE FORFIGN POST DEPARTMENTR The exoess of postage collections in the United States. on the correspondence exchanged with Great Britain and countries on the continent of L.arope was $664,757, aod the balance agaist (he United Siates, on adjusimeat of the ented to SacTeasee accounts with those countries, amounted to $357,223. Additional particulars of the results of the forcign mail service; wich ts 1 rapidly in exteot and Importance, are embraced ia the | appendix, and also im the-report of the Auditor, ap- pended hereto, NEGOTIATIONS OF NEW POSTAL CONVENTIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN AND COUNTRIES ON TRE CONTINENT OF RUROPE. new convention wore yet adjusted with the Britien office, a wat enn ee ‘was presented to establish “Stith te object tn view, the Commissioner Ou, bebaif of te was ted on armen wi nnrettons to ae 4 tate, in person, at Post departime: seljoeete revision and approval by the Postmaster General, the details of new postal conventions, in con- formity with the general basis of international postal nt recommended by the Paris conference of Pa ae pend te. meta teeny eo i is because 'of bis k ing his connection Fecsmorey fh the whieh which he took ® prominent part this department, fo Rn gill ed pena sees bent ee bave Teasouab!y expected, considering the diferent toternal oms hoe variety of postal interests to be consulted the delays encountered in conducting such negotia- tions, Liberal postal conventions, with general uniformity of inciples and details, have been juded with the Tnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Iretand, og jum, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the North Germa' fatroancing caher’ rantabie uprovomeate our 4 those countries, intercourse with one 1m progress with the Frech post ment for @ simi. Jar arrangement, which it ts may terminate ‘The leadii Juptites of wre pectat eperestion we Se Unies Kinedgm wien goes into Tull effect om the Ist the United Ki with uniform progression from thet onal of by to be subject in‘ ranting on soenes ‘with: Ieee free of 5. The postage ban Correspondence, writtea or leer = Sen Saas, Bal eae aces ne ‘which it re. itl " for Great Britain, to be computed by the ounce, or bam a pec on jetters, aad by the pound or kile Hon: the dependent Chinese ports with f° Sih Hoag Keg mantles etal relations) lncludiag jw aod meats wgty Paces ie Chinese ports and Pre) sory. Each office ae sage which i coleciat the on ‘at of Sema janu- mahip Cote- mails for Japan and hama and Hong 'rancisco om cae iat oyages of she bd, bus a i 10 From Hong Ks 0 Yokohama a % From Yokohama te “as Francics 9 0 From Kong to San Francisco, n geake detention ne anaes 22 on this service, bave becn on the tine, Tue Great Republic has just first round Acie age, begun at San September 3, 1867, and ended November 19, 1867, and the China entered on her first voy from Saa Francisco ow the 14th October, 1867. contrac! expec: to 0 the third steamship buildin; Ilpe, roady tor service about the ist of July, fourth steamship, not yet named, bat now om the siouks in @ state of forwardness, wiil likewise bo roady fur service in January, 1869, ‘They are unable at present to indicase the time of commencing the full monthly service required by the contract, contract was executed on the 20th cop} zed, for the mais th on tue outward and homeward voyages, according to the terms and conditions of the second section of the act of Congress approved -Febraary 18, April last the contractors by @ monthly branch line of first ciass American sidewheel steamships, iu connection with tbe mainline, under the stipalations of the contract, similar to those authorized by the act of February 18, 1867, for the branch service between Yokobama aod nae, Fepresenting that it mngut bocome necessary, in order to perform the Chiua nail service with the fultest offi- ciency, to terminate the voyage of the large ships re- quired by the couiract at Yokobama, and to employ one or more branch steamssips of a like class and de-crip- tion, but leas 1m size only, to do the service between Yokohama and Hong Kong. After full consideration nd consultation with the Al General upon the question of authority, who was of the opinion tha: the modification of service desired was within the spirit of ‘the law of February 17, considercd tn connection with the amenda.ory act of 18, 1867, the per- mission asked was granted by the department until Con- gress sball have legislated further in reiation to this service, The steamer New York was despatebed on the 3d of August for Hong Kong and Yokobaina, via Capo of ready to perform the branch service 6a those ports, suouid it be fount best to do it in thi ry under (he permission granted by the depart- men! Tbe company have also been authorized to change the Japan port of calling from Yokohama to Osaka, and.to carry the transier into immediate elfect if their pres- dont, who has gone to Japan and China for the purpose ot ing add perfecting the service in that quarter, change tuspecti should consider it desirable to make that o.der to increase the eilicieacy of the mail service and benef: ail interests connected witn the establishment Of the ine, To carry into success{u! operation a new steamship line of suct extent and national importance, it was deemed expedient to employ a matl agent om board of each wo receive and taku charge of the mails, to attend to their exchange and delivery the route, and alsv advise the department alt irregu- tarities of service aud make such recommendationg fur Promoting its usefuluvess aud efficieucy as personal ob- servation would le them to s.ggost, Four agente have been appoin id are now employed in this ser- Vide; two on the main line between tan Francisco aad Yokohama, cne beiweea Yokobama and Hong Ki and one on ee ee between ‘Youousme apd Shangbae. was Kanagawa (Japan) agen at Shang! (China) to receive, deliver, make up and despatch the mails cenveyed to and trom each of those ports; and in the absence of legislation authorizing lishment of Uvited Staves posial agencies in connection ‘with this service, or any apprupriation to pay saisries of and other expenses incident tuerete, ine United and United stares structed io act in that capacity in connection, their consular duties, this depa:tment to aul sed expenses tor clerk hire, &c., tnoarted te np the maila was requisite, as the currespondence erat te.ce4 hee port was required 10 pass turough ice, The establishment of the branch line to Shanghee makes that city she principal distributing point for tue correspondence between the United States and China, and the amount of service required to attend to the postal business there wili be moco Jarger than at any other port, Asour consuls in Cuina and Japan may Very weil act as postal agents in connection with their other duties, | recommend that aut ve wo esiablisi, ia connection with the mai! steamship service to Japan and China, a goneral posial avency for Gui at Sbangvae, with such branch agencies at oiher in China aod Japan as may, in the jaagmen: of the Postmaster General, be ; and 10 pay the postal Agents appointed au. employed at such ports reason- able compensation for their services, im addition to she mecessary expenses allowed for conducting thé postal business, MAIL STEAMSHIP LINK TO THE BAWAITAN ISLANDS, The contract for the mail steamship service vetween the United States and the Hawaiian IsJands, authorized by act of Marcy 2, 1967, was awarded to “The Californ: Oregon and Mexico Sieatusbip Company the only One received under the advertisement inviting Proposaia for the service, A contract was *xecuted b: the company op the 0th of July, 1867, a copy of wi is annexed, The service was commenced on the 16th fotth the soail serviow Dovwbes, Kokonama ana eee P the csiab- | be of great value to the respective govern: pedising she trassmission of mails berwoen gat peoating taperiact coansosions the ma! packets, it urge the Brazilian goverument to assent to % ificasion of the service as wiil relieve che througn jeaber of poet ‘offices in operation on the June, 1866, including suspended offices in tne Southern Stai 00S. +6 * nee Total number in opera:ion on the 30th of June, Number of Vifices subject to appotutment by the ‘Total number of appointments. Namber of cases acted upon... A large majority of offices discontinued are in Southern States, the service at wich was by order of the Postmaster General im Nay, 1861, Were not in operation thereafter, but continued, No. of route ayeats.... 493 No. of local mailagents No, of regular baggage WB seseecee cece mestic levers, emtimered; 443,786 unmaii letters, oniedis Dale. os nam-eah mens af, 3 179,468 ters mailed in a count and 64,198 letters maited in the Un States and returned as < dead" from the foreign countries to which they were addressed ; a all sources of 4, }—e decreas of 097 letters: the same ‘total as ious year. The whole letters, -of domest'e aad foreign ‘row Lhe iocal offices of the United ‘was 3,708,528; © decrease of 789,614 aa compared with tn ‘the previous year; the @tored to owners 18,677 letters, conta:ning $127,185, ‘The remaining letters have beon tiled, er are held for fature disposition. ey iakem from unclaimed letters to July 1, 1867, was $19,914, wuich, together Smountiag o $25,013, was deposited ia the ‘Treenury amounting $2 was a. exmury, The pee E, of letters enclosing bills checks, derds and other papers, clawed as ‘1 ‘The number of letters enclosing photographs, jewelry ‘and other articles, classed as “pro; letters, waa 40,386, of which 34,802 were to-owners. ‘The public eale o: property belonging to this class real- ized a net amount of $836. ‘The aumber of Congrossional and official letters re- turned to the proper departments was 17,304. The pumber of ietter, containing stamps and articles of small vaiae was 97,000; returned to owuers, $8,679. The aumber of fore:gu jetters returned unopened te the countries where they originated was 186,189, and the number received from foreign countries was 64,194. The number of ordinary letters rematied to writers was, 1,67, 875; of these 1,421,871, La gt ar sogd were deily- the policy sustaining the free retura dead letters to their writers, ‘It thus'appears that of the 6,306.608 letters @ispostt ion. 18,553, pi ee fore tion, aod returi ign countri 186,189—Jeaving a balance of 2,490 030 indvcative of ihe umber saat be gist pt A of unavoidably destroyed, O1 these avout 1,500,' were worthless, being moxtiy circulars and Pom or lottery advertisements; 256, were sent out, but not delivered, leaving about 1,000,000 without signatures, of so written ag to be unintelligible Further details of disposition and comparative siate- ‘ments of results for the tiscal years of 1866 and 1867 are iucluded in the Appeodix. During the year 5,469 written es peed for lost let- ters were received. ‘Tne number found and forwarded to applicaots was 1,110, or about twenty percent, The registered letters found reaciied the proportion of nearly ninety per cent, while the proportiun for ordinary letters vegueaion eae ‘These resalis Hong cd value of on the one part, and on the other that appii- cations | + baving no euclosures are Uuseloss. © By a resolution of the United States Senate, introduced by the Hon. Jacub Collamer, of Vermont, and adopted March 9, 1650, the Postmaster General was requested to | inciude in his next aunuel report ‘tne number of letters consigned to the dead letter office during the next fiscal year, and what furtver legisiation is necessary to dimin- ish the vember of such letters, or to provide for their re- turn to the writers thereof,” Attention was thus drawn to & most interesting branch of th iblic service, pre viously almost entirely |, while a cor naing interest in the Post Office Department develo, ma the dead lotier system of beneit to all classes of | the people scarcely su: or at best but poorly ap- # prectated, The resultshave been eminently eatistactory. The details of postal service have been revised and care- fully amalyzed in ail their upon the transmis- eir addrens, and alse Vestigativu aud oupetment suggested are too numerous #98 eaioaes ie ener =p te as Like improvements have been mado in the arrange- ‘Went and labors of the dead letter ‘lice. Statistical ified, e0@ now cover ail impor- received, and their miscel- Land constant attention has been given to the paeios, of the number x4 dead letters. In large cities iy y ricta modes of de- Saupenaeaeummedepaneennel results; but im jhe Sneries, oe. mee ft reduction, fre , joned im thé am eye. fact that fully three. voune aracad becoms so throughs ively assomuted with the parties mediately concerned. ‘Mistaken address," ““ilegi- bie,” “removed,” “dead,” are reasons tound on three. fourths of the ietters, tesved im this respect by It is evident that ao efforis of De- rennet ean reach such diiliculties; and hence it fol- iows toat the dead letters, trom year to year, will retain a somewhat uniform proportion to the whole number to an amount of representative of up ‘wards of 33,000 letters uae ’ It may be observed that the four years covered by the con testa of the iate rebellion present smaller proportions of dead letters compared with the postage revenues than either the previous or subsequent years of peace. This _ js doabtiess attributable, not to an actual decroase of dead letters, but to the large mumber of such addressed ‘hese wided jo the augmentation of tho revenues, but ‘ i inthe eaummeration of dead lev? ters; thus materiatly affecting proportions baced upon fue date, Bar for these the proportions above shown ‘World bave been still more uni 462,279,710 for 1867, the proportions of dead = there agarecates being about one per cent for 18 four-fitcne of one per com for 1867—a gain of one- of one copt—which is also one-fith of oie oa for i! On the supposition that the ratio of 1866 wae also that of 167, the letier correspoodence of the iatter yexr would have produced 4,669,024 dead leviers—aa ‘excess of $70,496 over the actual returns, ‘Those resurts show the presence and elects of agencies ting in 1867 which were not operaring in 1860, Uninistakadly (hese aveucies are “request envelopes, introduced in'o muro general use duriog the past focal Year and bearing directly upou dead letter returns. It te estimated tha: folly fifty mi lions wore used during the year, the Department supplying about one-third of thas namber, a9 before stated. A Comparative view of the returns of dexdj foreigs and domestic letters for the same periods sustains this eonclasion:— ‘et tana, nen tetrere to she 1866 the proportion umber received for detivery in whe United States , Ras three and six-tenths Ca To cont. po aw A, cons Hot was two and seven-tenths per cen', © Ein) 0) eat pear eit domestic element bas ‘of tte retio for the previous year, foreign clement: aly one-ninth art ot ita ratio for the adhe maton that vast