POSTAL SERVICE STATISTICS
The Right Hon. H. C. Raikes, her Majesty's Postmaster-General, has issued the thirty-fourth annual report on the working of the postal services in the United Kingdom for the year ended March 31st last. The record starts with a table, the figures of which convey some notion of the magnitude of the task undertaken. It is estimated that during the year the number of letters entrusted to the department for delivery was 1,512,200,000, in addition to 188,800,000 post-cards, 389,500,000 book packets and circulars, 152,300,000 newspapers, and 36,732,000 parcels, making a gross total of 2,279,532,000. Compared with the previous year these figures show an increase of 3.6 per cent. in letters, 4.8 in post-cards, 5.6 in book packets and circulars, 0.8 in newspapers, and 11.8 in parcels, the increase in the total being 3.9. It is calculated that the average number of letters addressed to each person was 41, of postcards 5, of book packets and circulars 10, of newspapers 4, of parcels 1; or a grand average of 61. The distribution of these figures over given areas was marked by the usual disproportion. Of the total delivery about 85 per cent. was in England and Wales (28 per cent. being in the London postal district), 9.0 per cent. was in Scotland, and 6.0 per cent. in Ireland. The total number of letters registered was 10,814,722, being an increase of 0.3 per cent.
The constantly growing work of the department necessitates an increase in the numerical strength of the staff. The Postmaster-General shows that the permanent establishment consists of about 56,460 persons, being an increase of 1,609 over last year. Of the 3,872 females employed, 751 are engaged as clerks in the central offices in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh, and 3,121 as telegraphists, counter-women, sorters, &c., throughout the kingdom. In addition to this staff about 48,900 supernumeraries are employed in the country to assist in the general work of the Post Office. Of these 16,000 are females.
The Parcel Post continues to be much used for the transmission of flowers, game, &c. It is calculated that over 12,000 parcels, containing upwards of 45,000 grouse, were received in London last autumn, and in the month of March vegetables in considerable quantities arrived in parcels from Algiers, while it was also noticed that in one week 3,787 parcels containing hats were posted in London alone. As an illustration of the use made of this service by certain firms, it may be mentioned that two firms in London each posted 70,000 parcels at one time, while a third posted 5,000 parcels. The total postage paid on these parcels amounted to £1,875.
The "Dead Letter" department, as it is popularly known, has been called upon to deal with 13,436,600 letters, newspapers, postcards, packets, and parcels. These figures mark a decrease of 785,387, which is attributed firstly to the absence of a general election, and secondly to the progress of education, "which causes letter writers to exercise more care and accuracy in addressing letters." The report continues:—
"Of the total number received 412,122 were unreturnable; 175,408 were registered or contained enclosures of value, and 25,726 were wholly unaddressed. Of these unaddressed letters 1,553 contained money and cheques, &c., amounting to £7,111. The careless and insecure manner in which the public send articles through the post is shown by the facts that no less than 24,727 articles of all sorts, including 289 coins, were received, having escaped from their covers or wrappers, and that the addresses had become detached, through insufficient fastening, from 4,578 parcels, many of which contained matter of a perishable nature, which was thus lost to the owners.
"During the year ended December 31st, 1887, the deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank numbered 6,916,327; the amount being £16,535,932, as compared with 6,562,395 deposits, amounting to £15,696,852 the year before, being an increase of 353,932 in number and £839,080 in amount. The sum credited to depositors for interest was £1,244,074, an increase of £74,484 over the previous year. The total amount standing to the credit of depositors at the end of the year was £53,974,065, being an increase of £3,099,727 over last year. This total is exclusive of the sum of £3,345,106 Government Stock held by depositors. The number of new accounts opened during the year was 794,592 as compared with 758,270 in 1886; and the accounts closed were 574,252 as compared with 562,499."
Dealing with the Telegraph business, it is shown that the number of messages forwarded during the year was 53,403,425, being an increase of 3,159,786. A reminiscence of the Queen's Jubilee is fittingly recorded. The events connected with the celebration caused an immense increase in telegraph work in London, amounting to nearly 60 per cent. over the ordinary average, and on the day preceding the Jubilee ceremony no less than 30,597 local messages were transmitted through the central station, the total number of messages dealt with on that day in the Central Office being 124,291.
The most valuable, pure, useful, and durable of all metals, is tried gold; so is tried faith, among all the Christian virtues.—Jackson.
It is not enough in this world to "mean well." We ought to do well. Thoughtfulness, therefore, becomes a duty, and gratitude one of the graces.