The World's Yearly Budget of Letters.

Evening Star, Issue 7195, 25 April 1887, Page 4

The World's Yearly Budget of Letters.

An inquiry has been instituted by the the superintendent of the foreign mail division of the American I’ost Office into the quantity of mail matter transported by post throughout the entire globe every year. It was estimated by a German statistician that in 1865 the inhabitants of the Globe exchanced about 2,300,000,000 letters. In 1873~it was estimated that the number of letters so exchanged had risen to 3.300.000. letters. Eight years later an estimate was made which included postcards as well as lecters, and the total number of letters and cards was estimated at 0,258,000,000. The table now prepared by the American official above referred to is much more elaborate and comprehensive than any hitherto compiled. It shows that the total number of letters transported last year in all quarters of the globe was 5.849.000. to which may be added about 1,077,000,000 postcards, 4,610,000,000 articles of printed matter, and about 104.000. samples, making in all 11.640.000. pieces of mail matter handled by the 489,000 officers and employes in the 154,000 post offices of the world. To every human being there were thus about five letters and post cards yearly. Australians receive more letters and postcards than any other people, the average being twenty-four for each person. Europeans come next with about fourteen each, an Asiatic gets only 40-100ths of a letter or post card, and an African only 9-107ths. In Europe there were mailed last year 3.894.100.000 letters and 597,500,000 post cards; in America, 1,596,800,000 letters and 398,000,000 post cards; in Asia, 246.000. letters and 80,000,000 post cards ; in Australia, 93,400,000 letters and 1.200.000 post cards ; and in Africa, 18.700.000 letters and 300,000 post cards. The total number of pieces of matter mailed in Europe last year was 7,249,300,000; in America, 3,819,000,000 ; Asia, 389,600,000 in Australia, 151,400,000; and in Africa, 30.700.000.