Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-05-14
SEC 5. Ind BE- ii further enacted, That the

l y
Collins and his associates in the Transportation
| OF the United States mail between New York
and Liverpool shall be constructed under the
inspection of naval constructor IN the en-
| ploy of the Navy Department, and shall be SO
constructed as 10 render them convertible, at
| the least possible cost, into war steamers OF
the first class and that each of said steamers
shall receive on board four passed midshlpmen
| of the United States navy, who shall serve as
watch officers, ard be suitably accommodated
without charge to the government; and the
said steamers shall also receive on board and
accommodate, without charge to the govern
ment, one agent, to be appointed by the Post
master General, who shall have charge of the
mails to be transported in said steamships.
SEC. 4. And be 1t further enacted, That
from and Immediately after the passage of this
act it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the
Navy to contract, on the part of the govern
ment of the United States, with A. G. Sloo,
of Cincinnati, for the transportation of the
United States mail from New York to New
Orleans, twice a month and back, touching at
Charleston, Gf practcable,) Savannah, and
Havana; and from Havana to Chagres and
back, twice a month. The said mail to be
transported in at least five steamships Of not
less than fifteen hundred tons burthen, and
propelled by engines of not less than one
thousand horse power each, to be constructed
under the superintendent and direction of a
naval constructor in the employ of the Navy
Department, and to be so constructed as to rem
der them convertible, al the least possible ex-
pence into war steamers Of the first class
and thatthe said steamships shall be comman-
ded by officers of the United States navy not
below the grade of lieutenant, who shall be
Al !
and consent of the Secretary of the Navy,
and who shall be suitably accommodated with
out charge to the government. Each of said
steamers shall receive on board four passed
midshipmen of the United States navy, who
shall serve as watch officers and be suitably
accommodated without charge to the govern
ment; and each of the said steamers shall al
t so receive on board and accommodate
without charge to the government, one agent,
to be appointed by the Postmaster General
who shall have charge of the mails to be trans
ported in said steamer: Prouided, The Sec
rotary OF the Navy may, at his discretion, per-
: nit steamer of not less than six hundred
tons burden, and engines in proportion, to be
5 employed in the mail service herein provi-
? ded for between Havana and Chagres Pro-
t Uided, further, That the compensation fol-
said service shall not exceed the sum of two
hundred and ninety thousand dollars, an(
t that good and sufficient security be required
7 for the faithful fuIflment of the stipuIations
G of the contract
SEC. 5. Ard be it further enacted That i
shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy
t to- contract, on behalf of the government O
the United States, for the transportation of thu
: mail from Panama to such port as he may Sc
t lect in the Territory of Oregon, once month
= each way, so as to connect with the mail from
e Havana to Chagres across the isthmus; sale
: mail to be trans ported in either steam or sail
S ing vessels, as shall be deemed most practica
/ Bile and eXpedient
SEC. 6. And be 1t further enacted, That i
t shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy
to provide, in the contracts authorized by this
: act, that the Navy Department shall at al
: times exercise control over said steamships
X and at any time have the right to take then
: for the exclusive use and service of the United
S States, and to direct such changes in their ma
3 chinery and internal arrangements as the Sec
e rotary of the Navy may require; due provision
being made in the said contracts for the mode
t OF ascertaining the proper compensation to the
= contractors therefor.
1 Approved, March 3, 1917.
= OUR SAILORS ON SHORE.
: Extract of letter from midshipman OF
: board the U. S. steamer Mississippi:--
On Tuesday I accompanied Capt Mayo OF
e shore in his gig and by his direction raise,
0 flag staff in front of the tent of Gen. Scott
The old hero complimented me by saying
was done in a seamanlIke manner, and treated
: me with great politeness. In the meantime
= norther arose, and neither Capt. Mayo no
d myself could return to the ship; so on shor
o we remained, much to my discomfort Tn
# first part of the night threw myself upon tn
boat cushions, and afterwards crept in betw eel
IS me part of their blanket The next mornin.
n we returned to the ship just in time to join m,
It division, and to repair again on shore to re
n DeCamp, Midshipman Shubrick, and mysel
Il were the officers, under the command of tn
a gallant Capt. Mayo We reached the batter
/ at D. M, and relieved Capt Auick. Moth
III ing was done by us that night, although w
II were kept on the gu UiUe by steady strear
'e3 of shot, necessarily poured into us One G
~ our men had his leg broken; and while lvin
III on the sand very near where | was standing
y was hit again on the same limb, and had
> again fractured, So you may Judge how the
=. peppered US. In the evening the army eng
h' neers repaired our breastworks. The enemy
y supposing we were silenced, did not annoy u
/: after dark. Mdshipmen Shubrck, McGav
/ and myself, threw ourselves down in the ope
air until daylight, when we found we coul
d. hardly stand, so completely were we benumt
Ct ed by the heavy dew. Our blood was 500
III set in circulation, however, by exercise at tn
guns Each ship sent a gun, making six
all, with their crews, ammunition, provision:
l" &c. Ours was an 8-inch Paixhan, and W
l0 had forty men to work it. Our battery was
= splendid piece of work, made of bags of sane
1t with regular embrasures, and bomb proof
Had it not been SO, many of us must haze 10
VI the number Of our mess.
Is We fired away briskly for two hours befol
u breakfast; and Immediately after we went
g. it again, while the city poured one continue
IL shower Of eighteen pound shot and shells int
VI US. We were careful to take deliberate ain
i and always did execution. 1t so happene
u that fired ouE gun the principal part of tt
50 time. Poor Shubrick discharged seventee
nc rounds, while was looking at the enemy
ee battery through the glass, the better to dire
:, the fire. then came down and told Shubric
Ill would take spell, when he handed me Il
% match. The gun was run out and prime
De when Mr.. DeCamp told me to take the glas
\ and see exactly where to aim. AS was
u beying this order, poor Tom Shubrick, stan
W ing by my side, near the right truck, q beir
u opposite the breach of the gum said, &c Ho
IT, on, Joe, let's see what you are pointing at :;
know Just where to fire. putting his left hal