The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-03
FOREIGN MAILS.

| ing, to wit:
An act to provide for tri monthly mail frcm
| New Orleans to Vera Cruz via Tampico, and
| back in steam vessels
| "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
serlatipes Of the United States Of america in Con-
gress assembled, That the Postmaster General be
and he "a hereby authorized and directed to enter
| into contract for term of five years. and for a
| cum 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 transportation 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
beat form of adapted to the gation
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, I'M
til O'Clock p. 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
ruary, 1853, in the manner and time herein spe-
| cited:
From New Orleans, (La., by Tampico, (Mexi
co., to Vera Cruz about 900 miles, and back, three
times a 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, tri- monthly, by side vessel, in due con
nexion, will be considered, in the event of it's 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 Fra ncsco and back
| 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 also 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., 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 connection
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 Tampco, 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 10
| be run in connexioh with the present Pacific mail
line, as 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
|
the right of continuing it one year longer at same
| terms
| In regard TO hat part of the service between
Vera Cruz and Acapulco, the bidder will be
| quired to satisfy the Department before entering
into contract that he has full privilege and autho
rity to in the terms OF the contract the
vice herein called for without interference, and in
| accordance with treaty stpulations.
In regard to the steamship part of the service on
| 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 re-
| gard to the service between San Francisco and
| Acapulco, the proposals should sct forth descrip
ton of the vessel with sufficient particularly to
enable the decision to be made the advice OF the
| proper officers Of the naval service, whether the
| same is or is not convertible into a ship Of war.
| And special notice ia hereby given that, agreea.
bly, to the provi ons of the act of Congress of Sd
March, 1885, those proposals for the last described
section Of the route (being acceptable in other re-
deliver the steamship or ships, to be provided for
carrying said mails to the United States, to their
proper officer, on demand made, for the purpose of
being converted into a 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 appraisers, 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.
The laws on this subject are the 7th section of
the act of March 3, 1916, and the third section Of
the act of June p, ls4s, to which bidders are re-
| ferred.
| The bidder may embrace In his offer stipula
ton to carry an agent of the Post Office Depart
ment with the malls, or he may omit it, at his dis
| cretion Such stipulation may induce preference
to be given in favor OF a bid equal in other respects
| over a bid not containing it.
By the second section of the act of March g. 1915,
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 sureties, by or before
the fifteenth day of February, 1883 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 no sufficient
excuse for the failure is furnished, and due pro-
portion of it when n 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 umei for failing TO
take from, 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, 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 III 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 faurcsi for
| violating the post office lawsi for disobeying the
instructions OF the Department. for refusing to
| dschar &c a carrier when required by the Depart
| ment for assigning the contract without the con.
sent of the Postmaster General or for setting up
| running an express az aforesaid
The Postmaster General may alter the contract,
| and alter the schedule, no 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 II to the
change. The Postmaster General may also dis
| continue or curtail the service, he allowing one
months extra pay the amount dispensed
with. "'' .'.ta.
The route, the service, the yearly pay, the bid,
der's name and residence, and the name of each
member OF the firm where a company offers, should
be distinctly stated in the proposals.