The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-08
Post Office adpertisement--JMails to Europe
the Gulf of .Merico, and the Pacific.

Post Office advertisements to Europe,
the Gulf Of Merico, and the Pacific.
Under authority given to the Postmaster General
of the United States, by act Of Congress- approved
March 3, l845, "to contract for the transportation
of the United States mail between any of the ports
Of the United States and port ports Of any for
egn power, whenever in his opinion, the public in
terests will thereby be promoted,ol hereby invite
PROPOSALS for carrying the mails of the United States
as herein specified, to wit:
/. From New York to Liverpool, in England, and
back;
or,o; Bristol, in England, and back;
Or 10 Southampton do do.
2. 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.
3. From New York to Havre, in France, 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 Colom-
bja, 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.
Z. From New Orleans to Havana, and back; with
an offer to extend to Kingston, in the isl.
and of jamaica;
Or from Mobile TO the same, and back;
Or from Pensacola to the same, and back;
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 on the Atlantic, than as above
named will be considered.
II ID intended, out of the foregoing list ofroutes
to make sci lection of 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 relinquishing, however,
the right to place greater number in operation, il
it shall be deemed expedient to do 30.
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 al
each end Of the route. The department contem-
plates on route No. !, semi-monthly conveyance
for eight months Of the year, and monthly con-
frequent conveyance; and on No. 3, the same; on
No. 4, monthly conveyance; on No. S, as frequent
transportation as two or three times month; on
No. g. 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 sailing-packet
and set forth the size, rate and description of the
vessel with sufficient particularly to enable the de-
cison to be made the advice Of the proper officers
of the naval service whether the is or is not
convertible into ship-of-war. And special notice
is hereby given that agreeably to the provisions Of
the act Of Congress aforesaid, those proposals
(being acceptable in other respects) will be pre-
60 IL I.v stS
steam ship or ships, and shall stpulate to de-
liver said ship or ships to the United States, OF
to their proper officer, on demand made, for
the purpose of being converted into vessel
vessels of war; the United States being bound, on
their part to pay the fair full value thereof at the
| 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 a post
master, other equivalent testimony, that the bid
ders are American citizens, and that the mail is to
be transported by them Gin American vessels, by
American citizens"
The postage fixed by law upon mailable matter to
be transported by these lines, follows: "Upon
all letters and packages not exceeding one half ounce
in weight, between any of the ports of the United
States and the ports Of England, or France, or any
other foreign port not less than three thousand miles
distant, toentyour cents, with the inland postage Of
the United States added when sent through the Uni
ted States mail to 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 Joreght cents; and for every additional half
ounce, or fraction of an ounce, fifteen cents. Upon
all letters and packets not exceeding 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 cents; and hcenty cents upon letters and pack
cts not exceeding one ounce; and fire cents for
every additional half ounce fraction of an ounce.
Upon each newspaper, pamphlet, or price-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 10 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 inhe bid; or, in lieu thereof for
the whole or a certain proportion TO 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 a bid
not containing 1t.
Indentures Of contract are to be executed by the
accepted bidder and by his sureties, by or before
the first day of May next. II is to provide, among
other things, that the pay of the trip is to be forfeit
ed when the trip is not performed, and a 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 DO satisfactorily
explained in due time, for failing TO take from, or
to deliver nto the post Office at the port Of landing
the mail belonging thereto, any part of said mail;
for suffering the mail, or any part Of it, to be
wet, injured, lost, or destroyed; for convey
ing il in place or manner that exposes it to
depreciation, loss, or injury for refusing, after
demand made, to convey a mail by any addi-
tional steam ship or vessel 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, furnishing
tract for repeated failures; for violating the post Of