[Illustration: Photo by Courtesy of Powers Accounting Machine Company _Money order accounting machines in use at the New York General Post Office._ ] The employees engaged in handling these millions of orders are held strictly accountable for the accuracy of their work, and if error occurs resulting in loss, it must be borne by the person at fault. The most modern methods of accounting are in use, mechanical labor-aiding equipment being utilized wherever it is practicable. The method followed is to perforate a card by means of a small electric machine, so that the perforations show the various data upon the paid money-order that are required to record the payment, the amount, etc. These machines are operated by skilled women employees, trained in methods of accuracy and speed, and whose rating and advancement depend on their efficiency. The cards are then fed into electrically-driven adding- and printing-machines, known as tabulators, which automatically print upon sheets, in columns, all the data shown by the perforations in the card. From this machine the cards are transferred to sorting machines, which operate at great speed and automatically set the cards up numerically according to the numbers of the offices which issued them. Thereupon other sheets are printed by the tabulators showing the orders in their new and correct numerical sequence, these sheets being used for searching purposes in the event of applications being made for duplicates, etc. Various other mechanical devices are employed in other branches of the work, and the equipment is in all respects up to date, and minimizes clerical work to the greatest extent. _The Country's Foreign Exchange Clearing-House_ In addition to the work which is usually done in a post-office in the issue and payment of money-orders, the New York post-office is the International Exchange Office for the United States, handling all money-orders passing between this country and Europe, South America, Africa, etc. The volume of this business has been materially reduced since the war, and is affected by the unsettled condition of the old world finances, but it is nevertheless large, as shown by the figures given below for the last fiscal year. Number Amount International money-orders certified to foreign countries 722,321 $ 9,583,425.62 International money-orders certified from foreign countries 112,292 1,802,902.66 The duty of purchasing foreign exchange also falls upon the New York post-office, and the transactions in this are at times very heavy. The total financial transactions of the Division of Money-orders, exclusive of the postal savings, amounted last year to $235,133,669.03. _The Postal Savings_