a larger discrepancy than usual between the post-office receipts and
expenditures is the expected and unavoidable result of the distressing
stringency which has prevailed throughout the country during much of the
time covered by the Postmaster-General's report. At a date when better
times were anticipated it was estimated by his predecessor that the
deficiency on the 30th day of June, 1893, would be but a little over
a million and a half dollars. It amounted, however, to more than five
millions. At the same time and under the influence of like anticipations
estimates were made for the current fiscal year, ending June 30, 1894,
which exhibited a surplus of revenue over expenditures of $872,245.71;
but now, in view of the actual receipts and expenditures during that
part of the current fiscal year already expired, the present
Postmaster-General estimates that at its close instead of a surplus
there will be a deficiency of nearly $8,000,000.

The post-office receipts for the last fiscal year amounted to
$75,896,933.16 and its expenditures to $81,074,104.90. This post-office
deficiency would disappear or be immensely decreased if less matter were
carried free through the mails, an item of which is upward of 300 tons
of seeds and grain from the Agricultural Department.

The total number of post-offices in the United States on the 30th day of
June, 1893, was 68,403, an increase of 1,284 over the preceding year. Of
these, 3,360 were Presidential, an increase in that class of 204 over
the preceding year.

Forty-two free-delivery offices were added during the year to those
already existing, making a total of 610 cities and towns provided with
free delivery on June 30, 1893. Ninety-three other cities and towns are
now entitled to this service under the law, but it has not been accorded