Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1889 — WASHINGTON AFFAIRS. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON AFFAIRS.

Last year 6,560 complaints of losses of domestic registered mail wore received, »nd 10,671 of foreign; losses were located in 5,847 cases, and $14,511.75 recovered. Domestic money orders in the last fiscal year, 10,130,140, for $115,681,845; fees received, $933,007. Postal notes issued, 6,8(2,729, for $13,982,190; fees, 204,377. International money ordors, 824,427, for $12,280,516; paid, 26,079,f0r54,490,728; fees, $151,845. The money order system was $8,128 less than self-sustaining. Attorney Tyner, for the Postofflce Department, recommends that assistant postmasters in presidential offices be bondod to tho Government; that the Postmaster General be given power to immediately fill vacancies temporarily; that obscene scientific works be excluded from the mails. Last year there were scMit from this country by steamer 683,131 pounds of letters and 8,428,721 pounds of other mail matter; cost of service, $687,542. The Brazilian service is insufficient. □ Total postal revenues last year, $56,148,014: deficiency, $6,850,183; increase of revenue, $3,422,383; of expenses, $5,892,463; estimated expenses for year ending June 80, ’9l, $72,434,098—a deficiency of over $7,000,000. The annual report of Admiral Porter shows that most of the ships in tho navy are in good condition. The Antietam, Juniata, Pilgrim and Quinnebaug have been condemned and ordered sold. The Admiral says he has frequently found the reports of exercises on board ships unsatisfactory, and tho regulations imperfectly ootnplied : with, and thinks the reports should be made directly to the Bureau of Navigation, where they might come under the eye of the department. Many things which are Obsolete are still adhered to in these reports, forms for which were made twenty years ago, and the Admiral recommend* that as the system taotlos and exercises are entirely changed, new forms be made-