REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL. GENERAL POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, Nov. 30, 1833. To the President of the United States: SIR; The following report of the transactions of this department with its progress and prospecis, is respectfully submitted Experience has demonstrated the fact, that such improvements as facilitate intercourse by travelhog, and at the same time increase the expedition and frequency of mails on the great leading routes, while they strengthen the bands of friendship, and promote both, the moral and pecuniary interests of the country, bring an increase of revenue to the department more than equiva lent to the increase of expenditure which hey occasion. But the expense for transportation must be incurred before the revenue can be realized. I have therefore, within the year ending the first of July last, given an increase to the transportation and celerity of the mails far beyond that of any forme year. Anticipating the law of the last session of Congress for the establishment of a greater number of new post routes than was ever before established in one year, it was deemed expedient, preparatory to meeting their expense, to make great improvements on such routes, and to confine them principally to such routes as would tend, in a still greater degree, to enhance the revenues of the department, and in time to render that increase available to the expenses of the new routes which might be established. The progress of mail transportation is as follows: The annual transportation of the mail was, On the 1st July, 1829, 66 1st July, 1830, 66 1st July, 1831, 66 1st July, 1832, 13,700,000 miles. 66 800,000 miles 968,692 " 8,156,329 The increase of the annual transportation of the mail was, From July 1, 1829, to July 1, 1830, "July 1, 1830, to July 1, 1831, The length of post roads in the United States was, on the first July last, exclusive of those established by the law of the last session of Congress, 104,467 miles, viz: New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland Michigan Ohio Kentucky 8,060 Indiana 4,445 5,629 Making together, as above, 104,7 *The Postmaster General in a letter to the Chairman of the Committee of the Post Office and Post Roads, in the Senate, dated January 19, 1833, state that it is an occurrence of almost every day, that more than a ton weigh o newspapers is carried in one male for hundreds of miles together, and at a rate of from eighty to upwards of a hundred miles a day; that the expense their transportation is very great, and their numbers are continually muciplying The postage returned on newspapers for the year ending on th 13th of June last, amounted to $254,796 64. Over these roads, the annual transportation of the mail was, on the 1st of July, 1932: The increase of transportation within the year ending July 1, 1832, has been In stages and steamboats On horseback and in sulkies, Making together, as above 5,993,696 miles. 8,156,329 miles. Equal to more than half of the whole annual transportation of the mail in the United States, in 1829. Among the improvements made in the transportation of the mail, from July 1, 1831, to June 30, 1832, are the following: The mail between the Atlantic States and New Orleans, till November last, was transported but three times a week New Orleans being the mart for all the western states, and the principal medium of mercantile intercourse between them and the commercial cities on the sea board, the increase of mail facilities on the great mail route to New Orleans was a subject of deep interest both to the agricultura land commercial communities of more than half the Union. The whole of this line was, therefore, from December last improved into a daily line of four horse coaches and steamboats, for the distance of 637 miles, between Macon, Georgia, (there the daily line formerly ended,) and the city of New Orleans; and, with such increased expedition, that the mail is now transported from New Orleans to Washington cry in eleven days and fourteen hours; to Baltimore in eleven days and twenty onhours; to 'hiladephia, during the steamboat navigation, in twelve days and nine hours; and to New York in thirteen days. The mails which were formerly transported but three times a week between Augusta, Georgia, and Savannah, 119 miles, and from Augusta o Charleston, South Carolina, 144 miles, have both been improved into daily routes, in four horse post coaches, extending the same advantages to those cities which were enjoyed by others in their intercourse with New Orleans, and with the flourishing mercantile towns through the centre of Georgia. The routes from Columbia and from Camden, South Carolina, to Charleston, have been increased from tri-weekly to daily lines of post coaches. A line of mail stages has been es ablished from the mouth of St. John's river, to St. Augustine, by means of which, the communication by stages is extended from the northern States along the borders of the ocean, to St Augustine. This is the first stage route established in East Florida. The route from Norfolk, Virginia, by Edenton, North Carolina, Newbern, Wilmington, and Smithville, o Georgetown, South Carolina has been improved into a tri-weekly line of four horse post coaches, connecting with the steamboat mail between Baltimore and Norfolk, and such expedition given to the whole, that the mail on that line is carried to Charleston, South Carolina, in steamboats and post coaches, from Philadelphia to Norfolk, 300 miles, in twenty-eight hours; to Edenton, 3/8 n iles, in forty-two hours; to Newbern, 470 miles, in fifty-eight hours, to Wilmington, 568 miles, in eighty hours; and to Charleston, 766 miles, in five days and two hours. The route from Salem, North Carolina, to Shown's cross roads, Tennessee, and thence to Knoxville, 252 miles, has been increased from once to twice a week, in post coaches, perfecting a line of coaches from Norfolk, Virginia, and from Raleigh and Fayetteville, North Carolina, to Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee The route from Bean's station Tenn., to Lexington and Frankfort, Ky., has been improved from a semi to a tri-weekly line of post coaches; and a line of post coaches has been established from Salem, N C. to Wythe, c. h. Va. These two improvements together, perfect a tri-weekly line of post coaches from the southern part of Virginia, and from the Carolinas, to the seat of goverment in Kentucky, and into all the northwestern States The route from Fredericksburg and from Richmond, Va., by Charlottesville and Louisburgh to Guyando te, bave been improved from a tri-weekly to a daily line of post coaches, and, in connexion with it, a daily line of steamboat mails have been established from Guyandotte, in Va., by Cineinnati, Ohio, to Louisville, in Kentucky A tri-weekly line of post coaches has also been established from Guyandotte, Va, by Catlettsburg, Ky., and Mountsterling, to Lexington. The route between Louisville, Ky., and Nashville, Tenn., has been improved from a tri-weekly to a daily line of four-horse post coaches, and so expedited as to run t rough 174 miles, in less than two days; and the triweekly route between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Georgetown, Ky., has in like manner been changed into a daily route. These two improvements perfect the daily mail communication in post coaches between the seats of government in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, by way of the commercial towns ot Cincinnati and Louisville. A line of post coaches, three times a week, has been established between Columbia, Tenn., and Huntsville, Ala., which completes the intercourse in coaches from the seat of government in Alabama, to Nashville Tenn, and to the States north of Tennessee. Tri-weekly mail coaches have been established from Frankfort, Ky., and from Cincinnati and Columbus, in Ohio, to Indianopolis, the seat of government, in Indiana. The route from Lower Sandusky, in Ohio, to Detroit, in Michigan, 102 miles has been increased from three times a week to a daily line of four-horse post coaches, and so expedited as to run through in a little more than a day. The whole line from Washington city and from Baltimore, via Wheeling, Va., to Cincinnati, Ohio, and to Maysville, Frankfort, and Louisville, Ky., has been so expedited as to run from Washington and from Baltimore to Wheeling in two days; and to Frankfort in five days; making the time to Cincinnati and to Frankfort two days less than ever was occupied before. The mail may now be transported, during the summer arrangement, from Washington City and from Baltimore to Wheeling, 270 miles, in two days; to Cincinnati, 520 miles, in four days; to Louisville, Ky., in five days; and to Nashville, Tenn., in seven days. From Philadelphia to the same places, but twelve hours more are occupied. The winter arrangement will require two day more for the whole distance. The mails between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have been so expedited as to run through in fifty-six hours. The mail is now transported from Washington City and from Baltimore, via Pittsburgh, Pa., Cleaveland and Lower Sandusky, Ohio, to Detroit, in Michigan, by daily lines of four-horse post coaches, in six days and fourteen hours, and from Philadelphia in seven days; being three days less than the time formerly occupied. A line of four-horse post coaches have been established from Detroit, to run 3 times a week across the Territory of Michigan, 195 miles, to the town of viles, on the river St Joseph, and to run through to less than three days. The whole route has been improved into a daily line of post coaches from Washington city and Baltimore, by York Pa, Harrisburgh, Northumberland,| Williamsport, and Bath, N. Y., to Buffalo, on Lake Erie, and so expedited as to run through in five days. Many other improvements have been made, and in other sections of the country, of considerable magnitude; especially in expediting and perfecting the mail intercourse between the United States and the British provinces upon onr borders. These considerations which have considerably enhanced the expenses of the department, have already produced an increase of revenue that begins to be sensibly felt; and promise, within a short time, more than a remuneration for all their cost Though improvements always incur an expense be fore the revenues which they yield can be realized, yet with all the increased mail facilities during the year ending the 30th June, 1832, the revenues of the department have, within a very inconsiderable sum equalled its expenses. The revenue of the department, comprising the whole amount of postages accruing within the year commencing July 1, 1831, and ending June 30, 1832, amounts to $2,258,570 17. The expenditures of the department within the same period, were, for compensation to postmasters, $715,481 68, for transportation of the mail, $1,482,507 22, for incidental expenses, $68,111 45, amounting to $2,266,100 35; making an excess of expenditure beyond the revenue for the year, of $7,530 18 Within the same period there was paid into the Treasury of the United States, by irregular deposi's, the sum of $71 31; making, together. a reduction of the funds of the department of $7,601 49. The surplus fund available to the department on the 1st of July, 1831, assuming that the whole amount of postage accruing from July 1, 1823, had been collected, was estimated to be $210,412 89; from which deduct the above sum of 7,601 40. And the surplus available fund was, on the 1st July 1832, $202,811 40. The revenue of the department was, for the year ending June 30, 1829, $1,707,318 42; June 30, 1830, $1,850,583 10; June 30, 1831, $1.997,811 54; June 30, 1832, $2.258.570 17 The increase of postage over that of the preceding year was, for the year ending June 30, 1829, $108,540 47; June 30, 1830, $143,164 68; June 30, 1331. $147.228 44; June 30. 1832. $260,758 63. Being a greater increase for the year ending June 30, 1832, by $113,530 19, than accrued during any preceding year. This may be attributed, principally, to the improvements in mail facilities and the increase tor the current year may be safely estimated at a still greater amount. The contracts for the eastern section of the United States, comprising New-York and the New England States, all expire on the 31st of December next, and have just been renewed, together with new contracts for transporting the mais on the routes established by law of the last session of Congress. The annual amount paid for transporting the mail in that sec- Requiring together an annual increase of expenditure of $328,915 92 421.156 19 92,210 27 71,945 75 164,156 02 These contracts will go into operation on the 1st of January next; and within the year which will terminate on the 30th June, 1833, one half of the above increase will be incurred, amounting to $82,078 01. At a reasonable estimate of the progressive increase of revenue from postage, there will be more than a sufficiency to meet this sum, The increase of postages for the year ending the 30th June 1832, was, as above stated, $260,758 63 above those of the preceding year; but, in an increase of postages, there is a corresponding increase of commissions for compensation to postmasters After deducting these commissions, the remainder, constituting the nett proceeds of postages, is applicable to the payments for transportation of the mails, and for the incidental expenses of the department. The nett proceeds of postages for the year ending June 30, 1832, exceeded those of the preceding year $180,305 43 If the ratio of increase in the nett proceeds of postages for the year which will end on the 30th June, 1833, shall only equal| that of the year ending June 30, 1832, i will amount to the sum of $196,823 06 above that of the last year, which will exceed the additional amount required for transportation by more than a hundred thousand dollars, provided no farther improvements shall be made, without estimating any thing for postages that may arise on the new routes. But a greater ratio of increase of the nett amount of revenue may be fairly calculated upon from the very extensive improvements which have been made; and the accounts of postmasters for the quarter ending on the 1st of October last. so far as they have been examined, exhibit an increase of nett proceeds of postages at the rate of $260,000 a year above those of the year ending on the 30th of June, 1832. There were in the United States on the 1st of July, 1831, 8.686 post offic s. The number on the 30th June, 1832, was increased to 9 205. The Constant supervision of that number of postmasters, correcting abuses, enforcing the strict observance of the laws and instructions, and, above all equiring of each to account faithfully and promptly for all the postages received, are essentially necessary to all the other operations of the department; and while the present system is strictly adhered to in the order of the ransactions of the department, it is confidently believed that its operation: will be attended with harmony and success I have the bonor to be, with high regard, your obedient servant, |