The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-23
FOREIGN MAILS.

| ing, 10 WI:
can act to provide for a til monthly mail fl, m
| New Orleans to Vera Cruz via Tampico, and
back in steam vessels.
| "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiues Of the United States Of America in Con-
| gress assembled, That the Postmaster General be
and he is hereby authorized and directed to enter
into contract for term of five years, and for a
sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars
| year, with such person or persons as may offer
sufficient and satisfactory security after due pub.
lie notice. for the ransportat Of the mails Of the
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 same 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 Washington, un
til 3 O'Clock D. m. of Monday the Sd day of Janu-
| airy next, Ito be decided by the 9th of the salne
month"; for conveying the mails of the United
States, for five years from the fifteenth Of Feb
cifed
From New Orleans, (La.,) by Tampico, (Mexi.
co., 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
(subject to approval of the Postmaster GENERALLY
| to be proposed by the bidder.
Proposals to carry in four days, each way, will
also be considered.
Proposals to omit Tampico by mail line, and
supply, tr-monthly, by side vessel, in due
nexion will be considered, in the event of it's being
shown to be impractcable to enter that port with
the steamships of the line
Proposals will also be considered for the exten.
sion of two of the above trips from Vera Cruz to
Acapulco by suitable and safe land conveyance,
thence by steam vessels to San Fra ncisco and backe
The time in passing from Vera Cruz to Acapulco
not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, Give
days,) and pice versa. and between Acapulco and
San Francisco not to exceed eight days.
Proposals are ALEC invited for semi monthly trips,
| 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., as 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 connexon
with the semi monthly trips Of the mail steamships
OF the present line between Acapulco and San
Francisco.
Proposals 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 connexion with the present Pacific mail
| line, to give to California a 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-
rately.
| Under the act Of March 3, 1851, the service be.
tween San Francisco and Vera Cruz is to be for
| lOur years. Dut the fO3tmaetcr General reserves
the right of continuing it one year longer at same
terms.
In regard to that 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
rity 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 on
| the route between New Orleans and Vera Cruz
he la ohpnl forth he aizo RITA and
description of the vessel. (Which must be Of not
less than eight hundred tons burden - and in re-
| gard to the service between San Francisco and
Acapulco the proposals should set forth descrip
| ton of the vessel with sufficient particularly to
enable the decision 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 ia hereby given that, agreea.
bly, to the provisions of the act of Congress of Sd
March, S45, those proposals for the last described
| section Of the route (beng acceptable in other re-
spects) will be preferred which shall stiPulatc to
deliver the steamship ships, to be provided for
carrying said mails to the United States, to their
proper officer, 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 an umpire, in Gaze
OF disagreement, to be appointed by the President
of the United States.
The laws on this subject the It'll section of
the act of March 3, lS45, and the third section Of
the act of June q, lS4S to which bidders are re-
ferred.
The bidder may embrace in hs offer stipula-
ton to carry an agent of the Post Office Depart
ment with the mails, or he may omit it, at his dis
| 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, 1916,
1t 10 required that contracts for the conveyance of
the mail from the United States to forei gn porte
shoI hn aIo uyith Annnr rttt ntl
mail transported in American vessels by American
citizens.
Articles of contract to be executed by the
accepted bidder and by his sureties 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 is not 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 furnished, and a due pro-
portion of it when grade of service ia rendered
inferior to that specified in the contract; and that
fines may be imposed, unless the delinquency be
sat factorily explained in due time; for failing to
take FROM or to deliver into, the post office at the
port Of landing the mail belong thereto, any
| part of said mail; for suffering the mail, any
part OF it, to be wet, Injured lost destroyed for
conveying it in place or manner that exposes it
to depreciation, loss or injury; for refusing, after
demand made, to convey 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 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 laws; for dsobeying the
| instructions OF the Department.; for refusing 10
discharge a 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 alter 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, on timely notice, il he prefer it to the
change. The Postmaster General may also dis
continue or curta the service, he allowing one
months extra pay on the amount dispensed
| with.
The route, the service, the yearly pay, the hid
| der's name and residence, and the name OF each
member OF the firm, where company otiers should