balance in favor of Great Britain was 14.62 per
cent. It is believed that the increase for the current year will be at
least 11 per cent. over the receipts of last year: and this will give an
aggregate revenue of $6,166,616, an excess of $146,807 over the
estimated expenditures. The conveyance of foreign correspondence has
become an important branch of the service. The means provided are 16
large steamships in actual service, with four more to be added under
existing contracts. Efforts are in progress to arrange with foreign
countries for the interchange of mails and for the uninterrupted transit
of our correspondence in the mails of those countries to the countries
beyond. The mail service in California and Oregon is still in an
unsettled state: some suggestions are made for improving its details.
The Postmaster General recommends a considerable reduction in the rates
of postage: he advises that the inland letter postage be reduced to
three cents, the single letter, when pre-paid, and be fixed at the
uniform rate of five cents when not pre-paid; and also, that the
Postmaster General be required to reduce this pre-paid rate to two cents
the single letter, whenever it shall be ascertained that the revenues of
the Department, after the reductions now recommended, shall have
exceeded its expenditures by more than five per cent. for two
consecutive fiscal years. He also recommends that twenty cents the
single letter, be charged on all correspondence to and from the Pacific
coast, South America, the Eastern Continent and its islands, and points
beyond either, and ten cents the single letter on all other sea-going
letters, without the superaddition of inland postage; and that the
provision which imposes an additional half cent postage upon newspapers,
sent more than one hundred miles, and out of the State where they are
mailed, be repealed, so as to leave the uniform inland postage on
newspapers, sent to subscribers, from the office of publication, at one
cent each. The postage upon pamphlets, periodicals, and other printed
matter (except newspapers), Mr. HALL thinks, may be simplified and
somewhat reduced, with advantage to the Department. Two cents for the
pamphlet or periodical of the weight of two ounces or less, and one cent
for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce, is recommended as
the inland rate upon all pamphlets, periodicals, and other printed
matter; instead of the present rate of two and a half cents for