The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-05
FOREIGN MAILS.

| ing, TO wit: r.a Nh. ..s r...
can act to provide for a tri-monthly mail from
New Orleans to Vera Cruz vim Tampico, anc
back. in steam vessels. ~. -ss. o.sl r...,a..
| "Be Il enacted by the Senate and House of Repre
sentotiues Of the United States of america in Con
gress assembled, That the Postmaster General bt
and he 10 hereby authorized and directed to enter
into contract for a term of five years, and for a
sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars
| year, with such person or persons may Offer
sufficient and satisfactory security, after due pub
United States, upon the best terms for the United
States, three times month from New Orleans via
| Tampico, to Vera Cruz and back, in steam vessels
Of not less than eight hundred tons burden of the
best form of construction adapted to the navigation
OF the southern waters the to be ready in the
shortest possible time
PROPOSALS
Will be received at the Contract Office of the Post
Office Department, in the city of Washing ton I'M
| til o'clock D. m. of Monday the Sd day of Janu-
! airy next, Ito be decided by the 9th of the same
monthly for conveying the mails of the United
States, for five years from the fifteenth of Feb
r r1sry' 1885, in the manner and time herein spe-
From New Orleans, (La,) by Tampico. (Mexi.
COZ to Vera Cruz about 900 miles, and back, three
times month, in steamships Time allowed
from port to port to be three days; the schedule
(subiect to approval of the Postmaster GENERALLY
to be proposed by the bidder. .. ~.
Proposals to carry in four days, each way, will
also be considered: ..... ...
| TEOposals W OMIT 1dInplCO Dy mail line, ana
supply, tri.monthly, by side vessel, in due con.
nexion, will be considered, in the event of its being
shown to be impracticable to enter that port with
| the steamships Of the line. .... ...'
Proposals will also be considered for the extern.
! sion of two of the above trips from Vera Cruz to
| Acapulco, by suitable and safe land conveyance,
thence by steam vessels to San Francisco and bacc
The time in passing from Vera Cruz to Acapulco
not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, five
days,) and uice persa, and between Acapulco and
San Francisco not to exceed eight days.
Proposals are also invited for semi monthly trps,
to be performed each way in not exceeding seven
teen days, from New Orleans, via Tampico, Vera
Cruz, and Acapulco to San Francisco and back, in
| steamships, &C., above. Also, for two additional
trips from New Orleans via Tampico and Vera
Cruz to Acapulco and back, to run in not exceed
| ing eight days each way, and in due connexion
with the semi-monthly trips of the mail steamships
| Of the present line between Acapulco and San
Francisco. ~. .... -. ....s
Proposal. will also be considered for four trips
month from New Orleans, via Tampico, Vera
Cruz, and the city OF Mexico, to Acapulco and
back and for the extension of two of those trips
| to San Francisco by steamships; the other two to
| be run in connection with the present Pacific mail
| line, as to give to California weekly mail. The
| time between New Orleans and San Francisco not
| to exceed seventeen days. In every instance each
OF the three sections of the line between New Or
| leans and San Francisco should be bid for sepa-
| ratey. ..r.t.'..
/ Under the act of March 3, 1851, the service be-
| tween San Francisco and Vera Cruz is to- be for
| four years. But the Postmaster General reserves
the right of continuing it one year longer at same
terms.
In regard tot hat part of the service between
Vera Cruz and Acapulco, the bidder will be
CURED to satisfy the Department before entering
| into contract that he has full privilege and autho
rty to execute in the terms OF the contract the
vice herein called for without interference and in
| accordance with treaty stipulations.
In regard 10 the steamship part of the service
the route between New Orleans and Vera Cruz,
the proposals. should set forth the size, rate and
description of the vessel. (Which must be of not
less than eight hundred tons burden,) and in
gard to the service between San Francisco and
Acapulco, the proposals should set forth descrip
| ton of the vessel with sufficient particularly to
endbe the decision to be made the advice Of the
proper officers of the naval service, whether the
same is or ia not convertible into q ship of war.
And special notice is hereby given that, agreea-
bly, to the provisions of the act of Congress of Sd
March, 1885, those proposals for the last described
section OF the route (being acceptable in other re-
spects) will be preferred which shall stpulate to
deliver the steamship or chips, to be provided fol
carrying said mails to the United States, to their
proper officer, on demand made, for the purpose of
being converted into vessel or vessels Of war; the
United States being bound, their part, to pay
the fair full value thereof at the time of delivery,
to be ascertained by four appraisers, appointed,
two by the President Of the United States, and two
by the owner or owners. with umpire, in case
of disagreement, to be appointed by the President
of the United States.
The laws on this subject are the 7th section of
the act of March 3, 1885, and the third section of
the act of June 81, lS4S, to which bidders are
ferred.
The bidder may embrace in his offer a stipula-
ton to carry an agent OF the Post Office Depart
erection. Such stipulation may induce preference
to be given in favor of bid equal in other respects
over bid not containing it.
BY the second section of the act of March 3, 1885,
1t is required that contracts for the conveyance of
the mail from the United States to foreign ports
shall be made with American citizens, and the
mail transported in American vessels by American
citizens.
Articles of contract are to be executed by the
accepted bidder and by his suretes by or before
the fifteenth day of February, 1858. The contract
is to provide among other things, that the pay of
the trip is to be forfeited when the trip ia per-
formed, and not more than three times the pay of
the trip when the trip is not run, and sufficient
excuse for the failure is urnished, and due pro-
portion OF 1t when grade of service is rendered
inferior to that specified in the contract; and that
fines may be imposed unless the delinquency be
sati. factorily explained in due time; for falling to
take FROM to deliver into the post office at the
port OF landing the mail beon ging thereto, any
part Of said mail; for suffering the mail, or any
part OF it, to be wet, injured lost, destroyed; for
conveying it in place manner that exposes it
to depreciation, loss or injury; for refusing, after
demand made, to convey a mail by any additional
steamship, vessel, vehicle run by the contractor
on 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 contract for repeated failures; for
violating the post Office lave; for dsobeying the
instructions OF the Department; for refusing TO
discharge carrier when required by the Depart
ment; for assigning the contract without the con.
sent Of the Postmaster General, for setting up
running express as Aforesaid.
The Postmaster General may alter the contract,
and Tier the schedule, he allowing pro rata in.
crease Of compensation, within the restrictions
imposed by law for any increased service required;
but the contractor may, in such case, relinquish
the contract timely notice, if he prefer it to the
change. The Postmaster General may also dis
continue or curtail the service, he allowing one
months extra pay on the amount dispensed
with.
The route, the service, the yearly pay, the bid
der's name and residence, and the name OF each
member OF the firm, where company ofers, should
edstinctly stated in the proposals.