Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-28
@abtrnmtnt gabsrtistmtnt.
FOREIGN MAILS.

Posr OFFIcE DEPARTMENT., Ss,t. /, 1853.
Nhe following Is copy Of section of the
Il act of Congress, entitled IAN act making APP
preparations for the transportation Of the United
States mail by ocean steamers, and otherwise,
during the fiscal year ending the Both of June, one
thousand eight hundred and ffiy-four,' approved
March 8, 1853 viz: ~ n
"SEc. B. And BE- IL further enacted That the
Postmaster General shall cause the facts TO be in
vesfigaed in relation TO the contract of A. G.. Soo,
for the transportation of the mail in ocean steam
ers from New York 10 New Orleans Charleston
Savannah, Havana and Chagres, and back per
act OF March third, eighteen hundred and forty
seven for the purpose of ascertaining how far the
contract corresponds with the original bids. and
shall report TO Congress al 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 u new contract
should be made, and whether the ships furnished
under said contract are built according to its terms
Tho Postmaster General is further directed by this
act 10 ascertain and report TO Congress 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 supposilion that the United States shall
take the steamers according 10 contract, and sell
or transfer them.p gsssf II .l3s
Except in respect to 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 United States the right 10 take possession Of
the ships, is, in substance, as follows; ~ !d
s'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
rangements the said Secretary may require; the
cost of such changes TO be ascertaned by the bills
actually paid therefor, and the proper compensa-
A. ~r.L ~ -. n
aforesaid, to be ascertained by appraisers to be
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, eJ,ntl 3 O'clock p. M, of
Monday, 31st day of October next for conveying
the mails of the United Suites for six years from
the first day of October, 1854, in the manner and
time herein specified.
No. l. From New York to Cowes, in England
and thence to Bremen Haven, in Germany, and
from said Bremen Haven, by Cowes, 10 New York,
once month.
Proposals for one additional trip year, each
way, will be considered.
No. q 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, 10 Charleston, twice
month ,.1.r ..
No. 3. From New York to New Orleans, twice
a month"; and back, touching ut Charleston, (if
practicableD Savannah, and Havana, and from
Havana to Chagres (AspinwaD and back, twice
month t f
Proposals to omit Charleston and Savannah
will be considered. ,s3
In lieu Of above, proposals will also be received
for service from New York to Aspinwall direct.
1000 miles, and back scm-monthly, in not ex-
ceeding nine days to the trip each way; from New
York by Havana TO New Orleans, 1900 miles, and
back, semi-monthly in not exceeding ten days TO
the trip each way; and from New Orleans to As
pinwall, direct, 400 miles and back, semi-month-
~ in pot 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 a month each way
touching, il practicable at Port Oxford i'm 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-
quirc. ,l yt .g.-
The schedules of Nos, 8 and 4 must be SO ar
ranged as 10 make due connection at the sthmus
OF Panama, thus forming continuous route from
New York, &c., to Astoria and back, twice a
month. 4@s3
No. 5. From New York TO Liverpool, in Eng
land and back, tweniy-six trips per annam, at
such times as the Postmaster General shall direct.
Proposals TO touch at Holyh i'm England
will be considered. l&g Sssasl,f. $500
No. g. From New York, by Cowes, in England,
to Havre, in France, and back, once a month.
Proposals for changing the terminus of this
line from Ilavre to Antwerp, in Belgium, and for
one additional trip year, each way will be con-
sidcred. ,a
No 7. From New Orleans, Louisiana, to Vera
Cruz, Mexico, and back, three times month,
supplying Tampico, Mexico, by side mail going
and returning. Il, sF .rG.
Leave New Orleans on tho first, fourteenth and
twenty-fifh days. .@,s ss
Arrive at Vera Cruz same month by the fourth.
seventeenth, and twenty-eighth days t
Leave Vera Cruz every month on the first, sixth
and twenty-irst days. n,
Arrive at New Orleans same month by the
fourth, ninth, and twenty-iourih days. fa
The proposals in each instance should specify
the number of days 10 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 10 conform in all respects to the
laws and regulations applicable to tie ordinary
contracts ofthe Post Office Department. sFss
The bids should be sent duly guaranteed, under
seal, to the Postmaster General, and The words
"Mail Proposals--Foreign Mails'--written on the
face of the letter. JAMES CAMPBELL,
Sep 2l-law3w Postmaster General.