Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-06
6Gbfrnment A0bfrtissment.
FOREIGN MAILS.
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT, Sept. /. 1853.

Vie following is a copy of section 3 of the
i act OF Congress, entitled san act making APP
preparations Tor the transportation of the United
states mail by ocean steamers, and otherwise,
during the nscal year ending the Both of June one
thousand eight hundred and lfty-fourr approved
March 3, 1853 viz:
"SEc. 3. And Be a further enacted That the
Postmaster General shall cause the facts 10 be in
vesligated In relation TO the contract of A. c. Sloo
Tor the transportation of the mail in ocean steam
ers from New York TO New Orleans Charleston
Savannah, Havana and Chagres, and back, per
act OF March third, eighteen hundred and forty
seven Tor the purpose of ascertaining how far the
contract corresponds with the original bids and
shall report TO Congress at the next session the
| facts and circumstances connected with the said
contract; and also for what amount the said mail
service could be performed if new contract
should be made, and whether the ships furnished
under said contract are built according its terms
Tho Postmaster General is further directed bv this
act TO ascertain, and report to Congress al It's next
session, for what amount the service, now per-
formed under the several contracts with the Navy
and Post Office Departments for carrying the mail
IN ocean steamers can be hereafter performed
upon the supposition that the United States shall
take the steamers according TO contract and sell
or transfer them.n
Except in respect 10 the New Orleans and Vera
Cruz route, which may be discontinued by the Post
master General on the allowance of one months
extra pay, the clause in all the contracts giving TO
the ships, is, In substance, as follows:
"And the said Secretary of the United States
Navy, for the time being, shall at all times exer-
else control over said steamships, and shall at any
time have the right to take them for the exclusive
use and service of the United States and to direct
such changes In their machinery and internal ar
engagements as the said Secretary may require: the
cost OF such changes TO be ascertaned bv the bills
actually pad therefor, and the proper compensa-
ton of the value of the ships when so taken as
a IN he b,r l.
mutually chosen by the parties aforesaid
NOW, NOTICE Is HEREBY GIVEN, that
with view of reporting to Congress- in as COM
plete manner as possible, the information called
for by Congress in section third above quoted from
the act of Sd March last
PROPOSALS
Will be received at the Post Office Department in
the city Of Washington, until o'clock D. M, of
Monday, 3lst day of October next, for conveying
the mails Of the United Suites for six wears from
the first day of October, 1854 in the manner and
time herein specified
No. |. From New York TO Cowes in England
and thence TO Bremen Haven, in Germany, and
from said Bremen Haven, by Cowes, to New York,
once month
Proposals for one additional trip a wear each
way, will be considered
No. 2 From Charleston, South Carolina by Sa-
vannah, Georgia, and Key West, Florida, to Ha-
vana, in Cuba, and from said Havana by Key
West and Savannah to Charleston, twice a
month
No. 3. From New York to New Orleans twice
month, and back, touching at Charleston Gf
practcableD Savannah, and Havana and from
Havana to Chagres (AspinwalD and back, twice
month
Proposals to omit Charleston and Savannah
will be considered.
In lieu of above proposals will also be received
for service from New York 10 Aspinwall direct
1000 miles, and back semi-monthly in not ex-
ceeding nine days to the trip each way; from New
Nnry hxrI I,xyn ~ npsn
back, semi-monthly in not exceeding ten days 10
the trip each way; and from New Orleans 10 As
plnwall, direct. 400 miles and back, semi-month-
~ in not exceeding seven days TO the trip each
way.
No. 4. From Panama, New Grenada. TO San
Diego California, Monterey, San Francisco, and
Astoria, IN Oregon, twice month each way
touching, If practicable, at Port Oxford in Oregon
and at such other intermediate ports on the coast
OF Oregon or California, as in the opinion of the
postmaster General the public interest may re-
quire.
The schedules of Nos. 3 and must be SO ar
ranged as to make due connection at the isthmus
OF Panama, thus forming continuous route from
New York. &c, to Astoria and back, twice
month.
No. 5. From New York to Liverpool, in Eng
land, and back, twenty-sx trips per annum at
such times as the Postmaster General shall direct
Proposals to touch at Holyhead, in England,
will be considered.
W. ". L iom iNcW lOTk by loves, IN England,
to Havre in France and back once a month
Proposals for changing the terminus of this
line from Havre TO Antwerp, in Belgium and for
one additional trip year, each way, will be con-
sidered.
No. 7. From New Orleans, Louisiana, to Vera
Cruz, Mexico and back, three times month,
supplying Tampico, Mexico, by side mail going
and returning.
Leave New Orleans on the first fourteenth and
twenty-ffh days.
Arrive at Vera Cruz same month by the fourth,
seventeenth, and twenty-eighth days.
Leave Vera Cruz every month on the first sixth.
and twenty-frst days.
Arrive at New Orleans same month by the
fourth, ninth, and twenty-fourth days
The proposals in each instance should specify
the number of days TO be taken for the trip each
way, and the mode Of conveyance, which must be
by steamships in all respects suitable for the SER
vice.
If contracts should be entered into contractors
will be required to conform in all respects TO the
laws and regulations applicable TO the ordinary
contracts of the Post Office Department
The bids should be sent duly guaranteed, under
seal, TO the Postmaster General, and the words
"Mal roposals-Foreign Mails'-written on the
face of the letter. JAMES CAMPBELL,
sep 2l-laW3w Postmaster General.