The bags containing the letter mail for distribution in San Francisco, are rapidly selected from the others, and passed to the "examining table," where they are opened, and the contents compared with the "post bill" which accompanies them; after which they are deposited in "alphabetical cases" in the following manner: A letter, for instance, addressed "John Adams," is placed under the division A; those addressed "Timothy Brown," under division B; and so forth, to the end of the alphabet. From thence they are taken to the different alcoves, to which they belong alphabetically, and where each delivery clerk has cards placed, upon which is written the name of every box-holder, commencing with letters belonging to his alcove, with the number of the box; and, as each letter is examined, it is marked with the box number to which it belongs; it is then sent out to be placed in a case, and distributed according to number, thus: Letters from 1 to 100 are placed in one division; from 100 to 200 in another; and so on, to the highest corresponding number of the box; and from this case they are taken by clerks to the boxes of the parties to whom they are addressed. If it is not a box letter, it is put up in its proper place in the alcove for general delivery, which is generally opened immediately the whole of the letters are assorted and arranged. The following Table will give the name, day of arrival, and number of days out from New York to San Francisco, of each Steamer, from August 31st, 1854, to December 16th, 1857; also, the number of bags of mail matter brought to the San Francisco Post Office: Sonora, March 2, 286 Golden Age,... Oct. 14, 24 299 June 16, Oct. 29, Sonora, Dec. 15, 306 242 268 303 29 326 26 294 314 26 26 234 279 323 24 291 316 322 37 289 25 274 J. L. Stephens, March 17, Golden Age,... March 28, Golden Gate,... April 12, Sonora, May.1, J. L. Stephens, May 16, Golden Gate,... May 30, Sonora, Golden Age,... June 30, J. L. Stephens, July 13, Golden Gate,... July 28, Sonora, Aug. 18, J. L. Stephens, Sept. 1, Panama, J. L. Stephens, Nov. 14, 66 J. L. Stephens, Jan. 1, 1856 27 Oregon, Sonora, Golden Gate,... Feb. 14. Golden Age,... March 14, " 23 278 J. L. Stephens, Nov. 2, Golden Age,... Nov. 17, *Only from Panama. Now, hoping that the reader has received very interesting correspondence from his friends, and digested the contents, let us see what is done with those large piles of bags that are as yet unopened. Some we see are marked "Sacramento Dis.," others "Stockton Dis.," others Marysville, Placerville, Nevada, Sonora, or some other "Dis." in the interior; and are placed upon the mail wagons, conveyed to the steamboats plying nearest to those places, and sent away as speedily as it is possible for them to be. No unnecessary delay is allowed to detain them, nor are they in the general bustle, by any means lost sight of. One J. L. Stephens, Feb. 14, J. L. Stephens, March 29, 66 25 267 25 342 March 17, 66 25 295 66 24 282 66 23 327 66 23 357 ALCOVE OF THE GENERAL DELIVERY. would suppose that Argus, with his hundred eyes, would find opportunity fully to employ them all, were he post-master at such a time as this. Every part is worked by system which experience has so far perfected; and this is the secret why so much is accomplished in so short a time. Those who ever feel desirous of complaining of delay, might do well to remember how matters went some four or six years ago. Supposing that the mail which has arrived is all distributed, we should like the reader's company to see how the letter and newspaper mails are made up for Eastern conveyance and distribution. Of course we take it for granted that you have written your letter; and which, being prepaid in stamps if it is for any portion of our Union, and in money if for foreign distribution, has found its way into the "drop basket" within the office. From this they are first taken to the "facing up table," that they may all be "faced" with the address before you: they are then conveyed to the "sorting case," for the purpose of weighing and ascertaining that the full amount of postage due on each letter is paid: after this is satisfac torily settled, they are passed to the "stamping-block," that the office-stamp, with the date of mailing, may be imprinted upon them: they are then placed in the "distributing case," that they may receive proper distribution according to their address. The letters are now ready to be entered upon the "post-bill”—similar to the one received with the lettermail on the arrival of the steamer at this port-which is done in this wise: say, for instance, the mail is now made up for "New York Distribution," which includes all letters addressed to the following places: New York State, Rhode Island, Connecticut, eastern and northern counties of New Jersey, northern counties of Pennsylvania and Ohio, Michigan, and Lower Canada. Letters thus addressed are laid upon the "mailing table," when all letters of the same rate of postage are placed together, and their number and rate of postage is entered on the "postbill." After this is done, they are put up in convenient-sized packages (gener patched over their route of destination. | the Union; and all this is done with the view of securing dispatch, and avoiding unnecessary labor and consequent delay. The same process is adopted in the making up of all the mails to every portion of Register of Departure of the Mails for the Atlantic States, via Panama, &c.; names of the Steamers, date of sailing, and number of bags of mail matter: RATES OF FOREIGN POSTAGE ON | cents; West Indies (not British), Cuba LETTERS. SOUTH PACIFIC.-Eucador, Bolivia, and Chili, 34 cents; Peru, 22; Panama, 20 cents; and Mexico, 10 cents. Spain, 78 excepted, 44 cents; Cuba, 20 cents; West Indies (British), 20 cents. Payment required for all the above. Great Britain, 29 cents; Canada and Provinces, 15 cents; France, 15 cents per "RATING" THE LETTERS. quarter oz.; Germany, 30 cents; Russia, 37 cents; Norway, 46 cents; Sweden, 42 cents; Italy, 33 cents; Switzerland, 35 cents; Holland, 26 cents; Aus tria 30 cents; and Prussia, 30 cents. For the above, prepayment is optional. All ship letters, prepaid, are one cent. The number of stamps and envelops sold monthly at the San Francisco Post Office will about average of one cent stamps, 45,000; three cents, 27,000; ten cents, 32,000; twelve cents, 500. Of stamped envelops, three cents, 120,000, (of which Wells, Fargo & Co. use nearly 100,000 per month); six cents, 500; ten cents, 12,000. This statement, it should be remembered, is principally for the city of San Francisco alone; inasmuch as the principal interior offices obtain their supplies of stamps and envelops direct from the General Post Office, Washington. The U. S. postage on letters for each half ounce is, if under three thousand miles, three cents; over three thousand miles, ten cents. For newspapers the postage is one cent to any part of the U. S. Magazines not exceeding one and a half ounces one half cent; not exceeding |