The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-25
FOREIGN MAILS.

TN OBEDIENCE to the act Of Congress, approx
l. ed August 80, 1852, which is in the vords follow
ing, to wit: -
"An.act to provide for tri.monthIy mail from
New Orleans to Vcra Cruz via Tampico, and
back. in steam vessels. ~ :
"Be 1t enacted BY The Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatiues Of the United States ef'4nerica in Con-
gress assembled, That the Postmaster General be
and he is hereby authorized and directed to enter
into contract for term of five years, and for O
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, or the transportation Of the mails Of the
United States, upon the best terms for the United
States, three times month from New Orleans, via
Tampco, 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 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 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
cited:
From New Orleans, (La.,) by Tanpico, (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; lhe 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
supply, tri.monthly, by side vessel, in due con.
nexion, will be considered in the event of its being
shown to be impractcable to enter that port with
the steamships Of the line
Proposals. will also be considered for the extern
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 ncsco and backs
The time in passing from Vera Cruz to Acapulco
not to exceed one hundred twenty hours, Give
days,) and cice persd 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 Tampco, Vera
Cruz, and Acapulco, to San Francisco and back, in
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 connexion
with the semi-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
to San Francisco by steamships; the other two to
be run in eonnexion with the present Pacific mail
line, 30 as to give to California woekiy mail
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 Francieco should be bid for sepa-
rateiy.
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 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 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 In
ancorda with treatv etiDulatious.
In regard to the eamship 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 "a
enable the decision to be madeon the advice OF the
proper officers of the naval service, whether the
same is or is not convertible into ship Of war.
And special notice is hereby given that, agreed.
bly, to the provi ons of the act of Congress OF Sd
March, 1916, those proposals for tho last
section of the route (beng acceptable in other re-
| spects) will be preferred which shall stipulate &c
deliver the steamship or ships, to be- provided 10
carrying said mails to the United States, to theiI
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 two
| by the owner or owners, with umpire, in cast
Of disagreement, to be appointed by the Presiden
| Of the United States.
The laws on this subject the 7th section o.
the act of March 3, lS45, and the third section O
the act of June q, lS4S, to which bidders are re-
fcrred.
The bidder may embrace in bis offer stipula
ton to carry an agent Of the Post Office Depart
ment with the mails, or he may omit 1t, at his dis
| creten. Such stipulation may induce a preference
to be given in favor of bid equal in other respects
| over a bid not containing 1t.
BY the second section Of the act Of March 3, lS45
it ia required that contracts for the conveyance o.
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 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 lie not per
| formed and not more than three times the pay Of
the trip when the trip is not run, and no sufficient
excuse for the failure is furnished. and due pro-
| portion of it when grade Of service 10 rendered
inferior to that specified in the contract; and that
fines may be imposed, unless the delinquency be
sati factorily explained in due time; for failing 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 TO be wet, injured, lost or destroyed; for
conveying it in place or manner that exposes il
to depreciation, oss, injury; for refusing after
demand made, 10 convey mail BY any additional
steamship, vessel or VENICE run Dy the contractor
on the route, over and above the specified number
of trips in the contract, and for not arriving at the
| time set; also, for transmitting intelligence, 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 dsobeying the
instructions OF the Department; for refusing to
| discharge carrier when required by the Depart
nlent; for assigning the contract without the
cent of the Postmaster General, 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 compensation, within the restrictions
imposed by law for any increased service required
but the contractor may, in such case, relinquish
the contract, timely notice. " he prefer il to the
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 a company offers, should