The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-18
FOREIGN MAILS.

ing, to wit: ~.
can act TO provide for tri.monthly mail rom
| New Orleans to Vera Cruz via Tampioo, and
back, in steam vesses. fyf .1 a.. ....
"Be 1t enacted by the Ssnate and House Of Repre-
ssnf0fiues 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 a term of five years, md for q
| 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 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 Vera Cruz and back, in steam vessels
Of not lees 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
." '''s 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-
month"; for conveying the mails of the United
States, for five years from the fifteenth of Feb.
Gifted: ..
From New orleans, LA, ) by Tampico. (NIe,i
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.
! Proposals to carry in four days, each way, will
| also be considered. ....
| Proposals to omit Tampico by mail line, and
nexion, will be considered in the event Of it's being
shown to be impracticnbic to enter that port with
the steamships of the line .y..'
Proposals. will also be considered for the exien.
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 back
| The time in passing from Vera Cruz 10 Acapulco
| not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, Give
days.) and vice re'sa, and between Acapulco and
! Sun 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 xceed
| ing eight days each way, and in due conneIion
with the Semi -monthly trps Of the mail steamships
of the present line between Acapulco and San
| Francisco. '
Proposals. will also be considered for four trips
month from New Creahs, via Tampico. Vera
Cruz, and the city OF Mexico, to Acapulco and
back and for the extension Of two Of ihose trips
to San Francisco by steamships; the other two 10
be run in connection with the present Pacific mail
line, 90 as to give to California weekly mail The
time between New Orleans ard San Francisco not
to exceed seventeen days. In every instance eao h
| OF the three sections Of the line between New Or
| leans and San Francisco should be bid for aepa-
| rately. .'. .'.. '
Under the act Of March 8, 1851. the service be
tween San Francisco and Vera Cruz ia to be for
the right Of continuing il ono year longer at same
| terms.
In regard to hat part Of the service between
Vera Cruz and Acapulco, the bidder will he re.
qurcd to satisfy the Department before enterin G
into contract that he has full privilege and autho
rity 10 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,
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 Get forth dcscrp
ton of the vessel with sufficient particularly 10
enable the decision to be made the advice of the
| proper officers of the naval service, whether the
| same ID or s not convertible into a ship of war.
And special notice is hereby given that, agreea.
bly, to the prov lions of the act of Congress OF Sd
March, lS45, those proposals. for the last describcd
section of tho route (being acceptable in other re-
specs) will be preferred which shall stipulatc to
deliver the steamship o. ships, to be provided 10
carrying said mails to the United States or to their
proper officer, on demand made, for the purpose OF
being converted into 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 PRECEDENT 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 lave on this subject the It'll section OF
the act Of March 3, 1S45. and The third section OF
the act Of June 81, iS48, to which bidders re-
| ferred- ... ....r..
The bidder may embrace in bis 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 q bid hot containing ii.
By the second section Of the act of March 3, lS45
il 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. L. ...I
Articles Of contract are to be executed by the
accepted bidder and by his sureties, by or before
| the fifteenth day of February, 1853 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 oi
the trip when the trip lie not rum and no sufficient
| excuse for the failure is furnished and due pro-
portion of il when n grade Of service IL rendered
inferior to that specified in the contracts and that
| fines may be imposed, uplees the delinquency be
sati factoriiy explained in due time 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 mall or any
part Of it, to be wet injured lost or destroyed; for
| conveying it in place or manner that exposes II
to depreciation. loss 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 no, arriving at the
time set; aso, 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 poet Office laws; for Jisobeying the
instructions OF the Department; for refusing to
discharge a carrier when required by tue Depart
ment; for assigning the contract without the con
sent of the Postmaster General, for setting up or
running an express as aforesaid. ...I
The Postmaster General may alter the contract
and alter the schcdue, he allowing pro rata in
crease of compensation, within the restrictions
imposed by law for any increased service rcquirod
A.,
the contract on timely notice, If he prefer 10 tb
change The Postmaster General may ALSO dis
continoe or curtail the service, he allowing one
mon'h's extra pay on tho amount diepepse'
with. y th'. E''H'|1
The routc, the service, the yearly pay, die lid
drr's name and rcsidence, and The name Of cacI
member of tho firm, where company oners, shoulC
distinctly statcd in the proposals