Postal Affairs

The PoBtmastor üenoral, in Lis amiual report, estimates the wholo expenso of tlie postal service at $30,571,900, the unouut appropriated for the currcut yoar being #83,366,878. The net revcuuo for the .■■' from tlio salo of postago-stanvps wa $1(1,■ttU,U0, against $15,88L,93ü list year. Ainouut of HtMiipH, stamped envelopes, etc., xold, $27,375,5ttf; agaiust $35,767,615 in 1877. Expended during the year for mail transportation, Sli),144,17$ agaiiist Sl'.i,:i."i;,i: the preyioua year. Froni tables showing the operation of the mnmv-order offices it appears that tho revenue trom tliis Bonree for the yoar was $309,047, tgainst 8109,148 the previona year. Tho Postmaster General devotos a considerable portion of bis report to tho subject of tho present and prospectivo deficioncieB in the amounts appropriaiod by Congresa for salaries of Postmasters and for railway transportation. In regard to Postmastera' Balarle, lie Baya tho defieioncios or prevention of them, so far as salarien and eompensation of Postmasters aro coueerued, are not and ramiot bo oontrolled by tho dopartmonl Ir tho anionut appropriated by Congress for the purposo bo not equal to the amount of compeiisation establishou by law, there must be a defioionoy. Aftor (lest'ribing tho ruten of compettsatíon preerild by law for railway mail servite, tlio Postmaster öeueralsaystheapprop'riati n made by CongresH at ita last Bession was not suflicient to pav for the existing service ou railroads, and, shpuld no additional appropriatiou be made for tïïia service, he sháOfeelit his dutyunderthe law so to curtail tho service a to' f all withiii the appropriition, howdvor ninchlioniightconsider tlie pnbic interesas injui-ed tliereby. He is Hatistied it would lead jnetly to mach complaint. The mails would be detained ai offices of separation hardly ever lesa than twelva hottra, aud generally twenty-four honra. Booka, papero, and packages passing ovor great cHstauces or circuitous routes would be detained at more than ouo such oiïico in very many cases, aud there would be delay in an immense mmilxr of trausactions wbioh are initiated. i-onducted, aud completed by cominuui.aiions through tho mails. In lus opinión, it would cau.se a shock to our postal system from wbioh it would not sooii recover. 'ího railway companica which have beeu at tho expenso of furaishing ]ost;il oars might be slow to fumisb us siich eouveniences a second time, aiid thore is do law to compel them to do bo. Iii relatiou to tho revonues of the Rervice, the report saya : "Timo and again it has been shown that matter of tho second and third class does uot pay its way through tho mails, and Congi-css has been iirged to iucreaso the ratos of postago thereon. Tlio question haw beea oonsidered time anti time again by appropriato eomniittees, and discussed lu both j branches of Congress, and the resulta have I sliown that it was not oxpeeted that the depart ment Bhould bo self-öustainiiig, hut that the driiciiiicii's in isa lévennos should lx) met by ! appropriations from tho general treasury. The amount of matter sent tbrongh the mails freo is very large, adding greatly to our expeudituro aud giving us no reveuue. " The franking privilege has been restored to mombers and t.ic chief officers of Congross, so as to allpw them to send fr(o almost overything I whieh they were ever allowed to transmit ihrough the mails freo, excopt letters. Tous upon tona of books, documenta, seeíls, shrubs and tlie liko are placod in our mails fn of charge on tbis scoro. Now, I most reapectfallT but earncstly sujigest that it would be the befter policy to reduce tho delieiencie of the revemies of tho department by curtailing or abolishing the list of free matter, and by increising the ratea of postage on merchanilise, than by appropriating eums inadequate to an cflioent, prompt and fast tranomiusiou of the mails." The Postmaster General rocommenrts that suitiiblo provisión be made by law for deüvcry to addressos in this country free of custoinn I duty of all newepapers and othor articles and i priñted matter roseived in tho mails from ! eign countnes, wheo dispatchod in accordanco with the conditions prescribed by iho I tional Postal Union.