The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-12
FOREIGN MAILS.

An act 10 provide for q tri- monthly mail frcIn
New Orleans to Vera Cruz via Tampico, and
hack, In steam vees~le "a ~
NJ 4 snsctsu BY the Senate aud Hoiise If Rspre-
slststsas - ~ gsited lSsuss 9f AmArica IN Con-
sysss asseablsd, That the Postmaster General be
and be 10 hereby authorized and directed to enter
into contract for . term Of live years, and for
year, with such person or persons as may offer
sufficient and Satisfactory security after due pub
lie notice, for the transportation Of the malls 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 10 the
shortest possible time ~, ,...
PROPOSALS
Will be received at the Contract Office of the Post
Office Department, in the city Of Washington, un-
til O'Clock p. m of Monday. the Sd day of Janu-
ary 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
ruary, 1868, in the manner and time herein spc-
CITED:
! From New Orleans, dab by Tampico, (Mexi-
COZ 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 @ 5s@ A.. Ii. d,
Proposals to omit Tampico by mail line, and
supply, tri.monthly, by side vessel, in due con
nexon, will be consdered 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 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 back
The time in passing from Vera Cruz to Acapulco
not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, Give
days.) and vice persa. and between Acapulco and
San Francisco not to exceed eight days.
Proposals are also invited for semi monthly tripa,
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-monthy 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. 10 give to California weekly mail The
time between New Oreans 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 scpa-
rately. f-
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 atsame
terms.
In regard to hat part of the service between
Vera Cruz and Acapulco, the bidder will be re.
quired to safety the Department before entering
into contract that he has full privilege and autho
ry to execute in the terms OF the contract the SER
vice herein called for without interference and
accordance with treaty stipulations.
In regard to the steamship part of the service on
the route between New Orleans and Vera Cruz,
- Mould cct firth he to nd
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
sanie is or is not convertible into ship of war
And special notice is hereby given that, agreea
March, 1Sl5, those proposals for the last described
section Of the route being acceptable in other re-
spects) will be preferred which shall stipulate to
deliver the steamship ships TO be provided for
carrying said MALE to the United States or their
proper officer, on demand made, for the purpose OF
being converted into vessel or vcssels 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. s...rs g.s
the act Of March 3, 1915, and the third section OF
the act Of June q, ls4s, 10 which bidders are re-
ferred. 4F ,a taE
The bidder may embrace in bis offer stipula-
ton TO carry an agent Of the Post Office Drpart-
mcnt with the mails, Or he may omit 1t, at his die
cretion. Such stipulation may induce preference
to be given in favor of bid equal in other respects
over bid not containing it. 81.
BY the second section of the act Of March 8, lS45,
it 10 required that contracts for the conveyance OF
the mail from the United States to foreign ports
shall be made with American citizens, npd 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, 1858. The contract
il to provide, among other things that the pay OF
the trip lie to be forfeited when the trip is per-
formed, and not more than three times the pay OF
the trip when the trip IL not run, and no sufficient
excuse for the failure is furnished and due pro-
portion of IL 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 faing to
take FROM to deliver into, the poet Office at the
port OF landing the mail belonging thereto, or any
part of said mail; for suffering the mail, or any
part of it, to be wet, injured ost, destroyed; for
conveying II in place or manner that exposes 1t
to depreciation, loss, or injury; for refusing after
demand made, TO convey mail by any additional
steamship vessel, or 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 aet, 0IeO, IOT transmitting IntClugcnCc, OF
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 disobeying the
instructions OF the Department.; for refusing TO
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 an express as aforesaid. gl
The Postmaster General may alter the contract
and nlter the schedule, he allowing pro rata in.
crease of Compensation, within the restrictions
imposed by law Tor any increased service reqnired
but the contractor may in such case, relinquish
the contract, timely notice, II he prefer II to the
change. The Postmaster General may also dis
continue curtail tho 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 offers, should
{ edistinctly stated in the proposals,