The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-24
FOREIGN MAILS.


... Postmaster General.
FOREIGN MAILS.
TN OBEDIENCE to the act of Congress, approx
l. ed August 80, 1852, which is in the words follow
| ing, TO wit:
4" AN act to provide for tri- monthly mail frsn,
New Orleans to Vera Cruz via Tampico and
back, in steam vessels.
"Bs IL enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sstatatiUes Of the United STATES Of America in Con-
gress assembled, That the Postmaster General be
and he 10 hereby authorized and directed to enter
into q contract for term Of five years, and for
sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars
| year, with such person or persons as may offer
eufcieht 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 a month from New Orleans, via
Tampico, to Vern Cruz and back, in steam veseels
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,
til O'Clock p. m. OF Monday, the Sd day of Janu-
airy next, Ito be decided by the 9th of the same
month"; for conveying the mails of the United
States, for five years from the fifteenth Of Feb
r!assry' 1853, in the manner and time herein ape
90 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
(subject to approval of the Postmaster GENERALLY
to be proposed by the bidder.
,Proposale 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 impracticnble to enter that port with
the steamships Of the line
Proposals will also be considered for the extcr.
Zion of two OF the above trips from Vera Cruz 10
Acapulco, by suitable and safe land conveyance,
thence by steam vessels to San Francisco and backs
The time in passing from Vera Cruz to Acapulco
not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, Give
days,) and uice ve,sa, 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, rs above, Aloo, 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 copnexion
with the semimonhly trips of the mail stea mships
Of the present line between Acapulco and San
Francisco.
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 Tor 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 30 as 10 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 SAG Francisco and Vera Cruz is to DC for
four years. But the Postmaster General reserves
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 re.
quircd to safety the Department before entering
into tract hat he hna FIJI nriv nd hp
rity to execute in The terms OF the contract the ser
vice herein called for without interference, and in
accordance with treaty stipulations.
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 burdep,) and in re-
gard to the service between San Francisco and
Acapulco, the proposals should set forth dcscrip-
ton Of the vessel with sufficient particularly to
enable the decision to be made on the advice of thr
proper officers Of the naval service, whether the
same is or ia not convertible into ship of
And special notice is hereby given that, agreea
bly, to tho provi sons of the act of Congress of Sd
March, 1885, those proposals for the last described
section of the route (being acceptable in other re-
specs) will be preferred which shall stipulate to
deliver the steamship or Ships to be provided 70 r
carrying said mails to the United States, to their
proper officer 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 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 arc the 7th section of
the act Of March 3, 1915, and The third section of
the act of June 81, lS4S, to which bidders
ferred.
The bidder may embrace in his offer stipula-
ton to carry agent of the Post Office Depart
ment with the mails, or nc may omit it, at his dis
cretien. 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,
it 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 surcties, 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 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 ia furnished, and due pro-
portion of it when grade Of service is rendered
inferior to that specified in the contract; and that
fines may be imposed, unless the delinquency be
sati factory explained in due time; for failing to
take from, or 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 IL in place or manner that exposes it
to depreciation loss injury; for refusing, after
demand made, to convey n mail by my additional
steamship, vessel, vehicle run by the contractor
on the route, over and above the specified number
of trips in the contract and Tor not arriving at the
time set; also for transmitting intelligence
furnishing the means OF transmitting intelligence,
in advance of the mail. The Postmaster Gene raj
may annul the contract for repeated failures; for
violating the post office laws; for dsobeying the
| instructions OF the Department.; for refusing to
discharge n 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, rclinquish
the contract timely notice, if he prefer il TO the
change. The Postmaster General may also dis
| continue curtaii the service, he allowing one
months extra pay the amount dispenscd
| with. ..I.s.....
| 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
| distinctly stated in tho proposals.,