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..,.s, !. et,n et h,ss...ss ... he Executive offices, which tends, in some measure, 10 increase their correspon- dence; and in addition 10 this, law pass ed in March 1883, extending to members of Congress the privilege of franking du- ring the whole recess. Every other year the session of Congress is protraeted to much greater length than in the alternate year ;slse;. 8 Congress terminates. The expenses fer the delivery of free letters, at two cents each, have always amounted to much greater sum during lhe year when the session Is protracted, than during the alternate year. To make fair com parison between the amount of free letters before and after the extension of the frank l ing privilege, it Is necessary to take two entire years. Thus the allowance to post 1 masters for the delivery of free letters for the two years, ending July 30, 1882, (be- fore the extension). was $40,556 s9.--- !. For the two years, ending July l, 1884. I (after the extenslon, 1t was $54, ,15S SS; making, since the extension, an increase of $l3,6oI 99, or payment for the delivery of 60S,099 free letters more than were delivered during the two preceding years but no allowance IS made for the delivery of free letters at post offices where the postmaster's commission exceeds $500 a quarter. If the same proportion of free letters Is delivered at offices where no al- lowances for them are made to postmas- ters, as at the smaller offices, then the in-. crease, since the iranking privilege was ex- tended, IS equal to 960,000 free letters more than what were delivered within tho same period of time prior to that extension. The postage on each of these letters, if not free, would be from six cents to two dollars. The average, it is believed, would not be less than twenty-five cents each, ex- elusive of the postmaster's commission. l If estimated at this average. they would amount to $240,00o. To this, add the al-

 lowance actually made for their delivery, l $l3,601 99. And the increase of free

 letters within the last two years has actu- ally cost the department $253,60l 99, which IS more than equal to the balance

 of debt at this time existing against the

 department. I Estimates have been obtained from sey-

 eral of the executive offices, of the amount

 of their official correspondence carried on

 through the Post Office establishment un-

 der the iranking privilege of ,he officers

 by whom it Is conducted and 1t appears that, from tho departments of State, Treas- ury, War, and Navy, including the sub- officers of the Treasury and Navy, the off, hcial correspondence by mail, on winch no f postage IS paid. IS estimated to be equal to f 2,6s5,235 single free letters in year, and

 that by far the greater proportion of them are sent the full distance for which the high est rate of postage would be chargeable.

 The average postage on those letters, if

 not free, it is believed, would not be less { than IS 3-4 cents each, which would

 amount to $503,4Sl 56. II This estimate is exclusive of the offices of the Attorney General, Commissary Gen.

 eral, Inspectors General, Quarterlnaster

 General, Paymaster General, and Superin-

 tendent of the Patent Office, all of whom

 have the privilege of franking. It is also

 estimated, that the number of free letters

 passing under frank of members of Con-

 gross, amount to 5000 a day during the

 session. 1.-the correspondence of the off,

 ces above mentioned, which are not em-

 braced III the estimate, and the postages 4 fairly estimated which would be charoeable

 on the correspondence of members. of Congress, if not free, should be added to

 the statement, it is believed that he aunu-

 al amount of free letters would not fall

 short of million of dollars, exclusive of the correspondence of the Post Office de- partment itself This is an annual contri-

 button by this department of the govern 1 ment.

 Though the amount of revenue arising l from posiages for the year ending June 1 30, 1884, did not equal the estimate, yet

 there was considerable increase above

 the amount of the preceding year.

 l The gross amount of postages for the 1 year ending 30,h June, 1853. was S2,6l6, b3s 27. For the year ending 3Cth June, l 1884, il was $2,S13,7o6 97; making an | increase m the gross amount, of $207,-

 l6S TO. The nett amount of postages. after deducting commissions to postnas- ters, and the contingent expenses of their

 offices, was for the year ending June 30,

 1853, $l,790,254 65. For the year end- l ing June 30, 1884, 1t was $l,927s644 A; making an increase, in the nett proceeds,

 of $l37,369 79.

 l The finances of the department contin-

 ue to be in an improving condition; and the solicitude which has been shown 10 obtain

 mail contracts, inc reduced rates at which they have been taken for the southern sec- l ton, and the zeal with which contractors il,yr tbn.. xt