United States Postal System.
THE following figures and statistics are from the summary of operations of the Post-office Department of the United States for the fiscal year ending 30th June last:— The stamps and stamped envelopes and wrappers sold during the year by postmasters amounted to $18,581,000, being an increase over the previous year of $1,409,000. There were in the service of the Department on the 30th of June, 7,295 contractors for the transportation of mails; of mail-routes in operation, there are 8,861, aggregating in length, 231,232 miles; in annual transportation, 97,924,996 miles; and in annual cost, $10,884,653. Adding the compensation of railway post-office clerks, route agents, mail passengers, mail-route messengers, and baggage-masters in charge of registered packages, amounting to $1,470,890, the annual aggregate cost was $12,355,543, being an increase over the preceding year in length of routes, 7,501 miles; on annual transportation, 6,301,593; and in cost, of $478,152. Adding the increased cost for railway post-office clerks and agents, $195,663, making a total increase of cost of $672,815. Two thousand and seventy-six Money Order Offices are in operation. The orders issued represented $34,054,000, being more than $9,000,000 over the previous year. The number of orders paid represented $34,000,000, being an increase over last year of $9,500,000. After paying expenses, there was a net profit of $90,000. The number of post-offices in the United States, June 30, 1870, was 28,492; number of post-offices established during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1870, 2,359; number of post-offices discontinued during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1870, 962; increase of post-offices, 1,397. Whole number of domestic letters originating in the United States received, 3,932,045; increase over previous year, 4.58 per cent. Letters originating in foreign countries and addressed to places in the United States, 220,415; increase over previous year, 18.09 per cent.