The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-11-20
rOREIGN MAILS.

An act to provide Tor q tii.nontbiy mail from
New Orleans 10 Vera Cruz via Tanpico, and
back. in steam sesssls.
BE IL enacted BY he Ssnais and House Of Repre-
senfatiues o( The Unitsd States Of america ia Con-
sSess assembled, That the Postmaster General be
and he is hereby authorized and directed TO enter
into a contract for term Of five years, and for
| sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars
year. with such person or persons may offer
sufficient and satisfactory ecuriiy, after due pub
lie notice, for the transportation VI the male o the
United States, upon the beet terms for the United
States, three times q month from New Orleans, via
Tampco, to Vera Cruz aud back, In steam vessels
of not less than eight hundred tons burden. Of the
best form OF construction ad pied to the navga lion
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 Depa rtment, in the city of Washington,
til O'Clock p IN. of Monday. the Sd day OF Janu-
airy next, 90 hc decided by the 9th Of the
| monthly for conveying the mail, Of the United
States, for five years from the fifteenth Of Feb
eiaed H ''''' IL ''' ''''A"'' A"' ''' 'e 'p'
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
| (suhject 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 impractcable to enter that port with
the steamships OF the line
Proposals will q so be considered for the extern
| sion of two Of the above trips from Vera Cruz to
Acapulco, by suitable and safe land conve vance,
thence by steam vessels TO San Francisco and back.
The time in passing from Vera Cruz to Acapulco
| not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, (hve
days) and vice rersa. and betw cen Acapulco and
| San Francisco not TO exceed eight days.
Proposals also tied for semi monthly trips,
teen days, from New Orleans, via Tampico, Vera
Cruz, and Acapulco to San Francisco and back, In
steamships, &C., as above. Also for two additiona
| 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 COMMISSION
| with the seIni-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 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 come xion with the present Pacific mail
line 30 to give to California weekly mail. The
time bet~ cen New Orleans and San Francieco not
to exceed seventeen days. In every instance each
leans and San Francieco 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
four years. But the Postmaster General reserves
the right Of continuing it one year longer at samc
| terms.
| In regard to hat part of the service between
Vera Cruz and Acapulco the bidder will be re.
quired to satisfy the Department before enterin G
into contract that he has full privilege and autho.
rty to execure in the terms OF the contract the ser
vice herein called for without Interference and in
| accordance with treaty stipulations.
In regard the sten mship part Of the service on
the route between New Orleans aud 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 TO
cnnbc tho decision to be made on the advice OF the
proper officers Of the naval service, whether tho
| same 10 or is not convertible into ship of war.
And special notice is hereby given that, agreea
bly, the prov ,ions of the act OF Congress OF 3D.
March, ls45, those proposals for the last
section Of the route (beng acceptable in other re-
spects) will be preferred which shall stPulate to
deliver the steamship ships, to be provided for
carrying said mails to the United States or to their
proper officer, on 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 q,
two by the President of the United States, and two
by the owner 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 8, 1916, and the third section OF
the act of June u, lS4S, to which bidders are re-
ferred
The bidder may embrace in his offer stipula-
ton to carry an agent OF the Post omoe pepatt'
ment with the mails, be may omit II, at hiS die
cretien. Such stipulation may induce preference
be given in favor of bid equal in other respects
over bid not containing 1t.
BY the second section of the act OF March 8, 1919,
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
citizeps.
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 ia be forfeited when the trip is not per.
formed, and not more than three times the pay OF
the trip hen the trip is not run, and no sufficient
excuse for the failure IL furnished, and due pro,
portion of it when grade of service 10 render ed
inferior that specified in the contract; and that
fines may be imposed, unless the delinquency be
sati factorily explained in due time; for falling to
take from or deliver into, the post office ut 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 lost or destroyed Tor
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, 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; alec, 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; Tor
violating the post office laws; for disobeying the
instructions OF the Department; for refusing to
discharge n carrier when required by the Depart
mept; for assigning the contract without the con
sent of the Postmaster General for setting up or
I running an express aforesaid.
The Postmaster General may alter the contract,
and alter the schedule, nc 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, u he prefer II to tho
change. The Postmaster General may also dis
continue or curtail the 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 q company offers, should
distinctly stated in the proposals