The Greater Is The Distance, The Greater Is The
Difficulty In Securing The Proper Fitting Of Fast-Running Trains.
And
Moreover, it must be remembered that the American lines have
been got up on a very different footing from ours,
At an expense per
mile of probably less than a fifth of that laid out on our railways.
Single lines of rail are common, even between great towns with large
traffic. At the present moment, February, 1862, the only railway
running into Washington, that namely from Baltimore, is a single
line over the greater distance. The whole thing is necessarily
worked at a cheaper rate than with us; not because the people are
poorer, but because the distances are greater. As this is the case
throughout the whole railway system of the country, it cannot be
expected that such dispatch and punctuality should be achieved in
America as are achieved here in England, or in France. As
population and wealth increase it will come. In the mean time that
which has been already done over the extent of the vast North
American continent is very wonderful. I think, therefore, that
complaint should not be made against the Washington post-office,
either on account of the inconvenience of the hours or on the head
of occasional irregularity. So much has been done in reducing the
rate to three cents, and in giving a daily mail throughout the
States, that the department should be praised for energy, and not
blamed for apathy.
In the year ended June 30, 1861, the gross revenue of the post-
office of the States was, as I have stated, 1,700,000l. In the same
year its expenditure was in round figures 2,720,000l.; consequently
there was an actual loss, to be made up out of general taxation,
amounting to 1,020,000l. In the accounts of the American officers
this is lessened by 140,000l. That sum having been arbitrarily
fixed by the government as the amount earned by the post-office in
carrying free mail matter. We have a similar system in computing
the value of the service rendered by our post-office to the
government in carrying government dispatches; but with us the amount
named as the compensation depends on the actual weight carried. If
the matter so carried be carried solely on the government service,
as is, I believe, the case with us, any such claim on behalf of the
post-office is apparently unnecessary. The Crown works for the
Crown, as the right hand works for the left. The post-office pays
no rates or taxes, contributes nothing to the poor, runs its mails
on turnpike roads free of toll, and gives receipts on unstamped
paper. With us no payment is in truth made, though the post-office
in its accounts presumes itself to have received the money; but in
the States the sum named is handed over by the State Treasury to the
Post-office Treasury. Any such statement of credit does not in
effect alter the real fact that over a million sterling is required
as a subsidy by the American post-office, in order that it may be
enabled to pay its way.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 223 of 275
Words from 115139 to 115673
of 142339
