The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-26
FOREIGN MAILS.

FOREIGN MAILS.
IN OBEDIENCE to the act of Congress, APPROX
L ed August 80, 1882 which is in the words follow
| ing, to wit:
can act to provide for tri- monthly mail from
New Orleans to Vera Cruz via Tampico, and
back, in steam vessels.
"Be IL enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
| sentatires of the United States Of america in Con-
gress assembled, That the Postmaster General be
and he ia 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
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 q month from New Orleans, via
| Tnmpico, 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 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 o'clock D. m. of Monday, the Sd day of Janu-
airy next, Go 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, 1853, in the manner and time herein spe-
CITED:
| From New Orleans, (La.,) 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
|
| to be proposed by the bidder.
Pro osals 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 its being
shown to be impracticable to enter that port with
| the steamships Of the line
Proposals will also be considered for the extcn.
| 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 backs
| The time in passing from Vera Cruz to Acapulco
| not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, Give
| DAYS. and DICE versa, and between Acapulco and
| San Francisco not to exceed eight days.
Proposals also invited for semi monthly trips
to be performed each way in not exceeding seven
teen days, from New Orleans, via Tatnpico, 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 connection
with the semi monthly trips of the mail eamshps
of the present line between Acapulco and San
| Francisco.
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 connection with the present Pacific mail
line, to give to California u weekly mail. The
time betw cen New Orleans and San Francisco not
to exceed seventeen days. In every instance each
of the three sections of the line between New Or
rately.
Under the act of March 8, 1851. the service be
tween San Francisco and Vera Cruz is to be 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-
CURED to satisfy the Department before enterin
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 in
accordance with treaty stpulatons
In regard to the stea mshiP 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 set forth descrip
ton of the vessel with sufficient particularly &c
enable the decision to be made the advice OF the
proper officers Of the naval SERVICE whether thu
same is or is not convertible into a 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 (being acceptable in other re-
spects) will be preferred which shall stiPulate t.
deliver the steamship ships, to be provided 10
carrying said mails to the United States or to the
proper officer, on demand made, for the purpose o
being converted into vessel or vessels of war; thu
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 tw
D of disagreement, to be appointed by the Presden
of the United States.
The laws on this subject are the 7th section o
:, the act of March g. 1915, and the third section O
the act of June p, s4s, to which bidders arc re
ferrcd.
:, The bidder may embrace in his offer atpua
ton to carry an agent of the Post Office Depart
mcnt with the mails, or he may omit it, at his dis
erection. Such stipulation may induce preierenc
to be given in favor of bid equal in other respect
v over a bid not containing it,
By the second section of the act of March B. lS4s
it is required that contracts for the conveyance
the mail from the United States to foreign port
shall be made with American citizens and tn
\ mail transported i'll American vessels by America
y | citizens.
Articles of contract are to be executed by tn
! accepted bidder and by his surcties, by or befor
the fifteenth day of February, 1853. The contrac
| is to provide, among other things, that the pay
the trip is to be forfeited when the trip Is not per
u | formed, and not more than three times the pay L
the trip when the trip Is not rum and no sufiiclen
excuse for the failure is furnished, and due pro
. | portion of it when grade Of service Ia rendere
inferior to that specified in the contract; and tina
fines may be imposed, unless the delinquency b
10 sati factory explained in due time; for falling
. take from, to deliver into, the post office at tn
: port Of landing the mail belonging thereto, or an
r | part Of said MALL for suffering the mail, or an
part Of it, to be wet injured, lost, or destroyed; 10
conveying il in place or manner that exposes
to depreciation, loss, injury; for refusing, ate
. demand made, to convey q mail by any additions
steamship, vessel or vehicle run by the contracto
e on the route, over and above the specined numoe
of trips in the contract and tor not arriving at tn
/. time set; niso, for transmitting intelligence, @
furnishing the means of transmitting intelligence
in adve nee of the mail. The Postmaster Genera
!, NAV annul the contract for repeated failures; fl
violating the post office lave; for disobeying tn
!, instructions OF the Department; for refusing
discharge q 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 as aforesaid.
The Postmaster General may alter the contract
/, and alter the schedule, he allowing pro rata IN
crease of commentator, within the restriction
imposed by law for any increased service required
but the contractor may, in such cnse, reiinquis
the contract timely notice, il he prefer u 10 th
change. The Postmaster General may also die
: continue or curtail the service, he allowing on
J; months extrn pay ON the amount dispense
with.
). The route, the service the yearly pay, the tid
der's name and residence, and the name OF eac
i Itera. shGnl