The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-20
Post Office adrertisemenf--.Maiis TO Europe
the Gulf of .Merico, and the Pacific.


March 3, ls45, "to contract for the transportation
Of the United States mail between any Of the ports
of the United States and port or ports Of any for
eign power, whenever, in his opinion, the public in
terests will thereby be promoted" hereby invite
PROPOSALS for carrying the mails ofthe United States
as herein specified, to wit
l. From New York to Liverpool, in England, and
Or to Bristol, in England, and back;
Or TO Southampton do do
g. From New York, by Cowes, in England, to
Antwerp, in Belgium, and back;
Or to Bremen, in Germany, and back;
orto Hamburg in Germany, and back.
Or to Brest, in France, and back
4. From New York to Lisbon, in Portugal, and
back.
S. From New York, BY Havana, in Cuba, to New
Orleans, and back.
G. From New York, by Havana, or by King
ston in Jamaica, to Chagres, in Colon
bia, and back; with joint or separate
offers to extend the transportation to
Panama, and up the Pacific, to the mouth
ofthe Columbia, and thence TO the princi-
pal port in the Sandwich Islands;
Or from Charleston to the same, and back;
Or from Pensacola do do do.
Or from Mobile do do do.
Or from New Orleans do do do.
7. From New Orleans TO Havana, and back; with
and Of Jamaica;
Or from Mobile to the same, and back;
Or from Pensacola to the same, and backs
Or from Charleston TO the same, and back,
with an offer to supply Key West.
Proposals for commencing said routes at any 9th
er United States port the Atlantic, than az above
named will be considered.
1t is intended, out of the foregoing list ofroutes,
to make selection Of one to Europe, and one to the
Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific, as may best be de-
termined, after proposals for service on all the
routes are submitted--not reliIquishing, however,
the right to place greater number in operation, if
it shall be deemed expedient to do so.
The proposals should specify the number of trips
| to be performed during the year, and as near as
| may be- the day of the month on which the vessel
conveying the mail is to depart from the port at
each end Of the route The department contem-
plates on route No ], sem-monthly conveyance
for eight months Of the year, and monthly con-
veyance for the residue of the year; on No. like
frequent conveyance and on No. 3, the same; on
No. 4, monthly conveyance; on No. S, as frequent
transportation as two or three times a month; on
No. 6, a trip once in two months; and on No. Z,
twice or three times month,
The proposals should specify the mode of con-
veyance, whether by steamship or saing-packet;
and set forth the size, rate, and description of the
vessel with sufficient particularly to enable the de-
csion to be made on the advice Of the proper officers
of the naval service, whether the same is or is not
convertible into ship-of-war. And special notice
is hereby given, that agreeably to the provisions Of
(being acceptable in other respects) will be pre-
ferred which shall engage to carry the mail in
a Steam ship or ships, and shall stipulate to de-
liver said ship or ships to the United States, or
TO their proper officer, on demand made, for
the purpose of being converted into vessel
or vessels Of war; the United States being bound, on
their part to pay the fair full value thereof at the
time Of delivery to be ascertained by four apprais
ers, appointed two by the President of the United
States, and two by the owner or owners, with an
umpire, in case of disagreement, to be appointed by
the President of the United States.
1t should be shown, by the certificate of post
master, or other equivalent testimony that the bid
ders are American citizens, and that the mail is TO
be transported by them sin American vessels, by
American citizens"
The postage fixed by law upon mailable matter to
be transported by these lines, is as follows "Upon
all letters and packages not exceeding half ounce
in weight, between any of the ports of the United
States and the ports Of England, France, or any
other foreign port not less than three thousand miles
distant tCeniy.fo,u cents, with the inland postage Of
the United States added when sent through the Uni
ted States mail to or from the post Office at port Of
the United States Upon letters and packets over
half an ounce in weight, and not exceeding one
ounce forty eight cents; and for every additional half
ounce, or fraction of an ounce, fifteen cents Upon
all letters and packets not exceeding one half ounce,
sent through the United States mail, between
the ports Of the United States and any Of the West
India islands, or islands in the Gulf Of Mexico,
ten cenis; and hceniy cents upon letters and pack
cts not exceeding one ounce; and fire cents for
every additional half ounce or fraction Of an ounce
Upon each newspaper, pamphlet, or prce-current,
sent in the mail between the United States and any
of the ports and places above enumerated, three
cents with inland United States postage added when
the same is transported to from said port Of the
United States, in the United States mail" The
bidder may propose for an annual sum Of compen-
sation to be named nthe bid or in lieu thereof for
the whole or a certain proportion Ito be named in
the bid) Of the hostages accrung on the matchmaker
conveyed over the route,
He may embrace in his offer stipulation to carry
an agent of the Post Office Department with the
mails, or he may omit it, at his discretion Such
stipulation may induce preference to be given in
favor of bid equal in other respects, over bid
not containing it.
accepted bidder and by his sureties, by or before
the first day of May next. 1t is to provide, among
other things that the pay of the trip is to be forfeit
ed when the trip is not performed, and due pro-
portion when grade of service is rendered inferior
to that specified in the contract; and that fines may
be imposed, unless the delinquency be satisfactorily
explained in due time for failing to take from, or
to deliver into, the post Office at the port of landing,
the mail belonging thereto or any part of said mail;
for suffering the mail, or any part Of it, to be
wet, injured, lost, or destroyed; for convey
ing it in place or manner that exposes it 10
depreciation, loss, or injury; for refusing, after
demand made, to convey mail by any addi-
tional steam ship or vessel run by the contractor
the route, over and above the specified number OF
trips in the contract and for not arriving at the time
set; also for transmitting intelligence, or furnishing
the means Of transmitting intelligence, in advance Of
the mail. The Postmaster General may annul the con-
tract for repeated failures; for violating the post Of
fee laws; for dsobeying the instructions of the de-