The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1858-08-28
Rights and Privileges Of /
aMtic rele-
THE ACT OF coNGFEss.
fApn,nved March z 1S57A

An ACb TO expedite leieSrdpHlG GpHlHNlHlChbion ~
the uses Of the Government in its Foreign In
terc6urse.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatiyes of the United States Of America, ia Con
gress assembled, That the Secretary OF State in the
discretion, and under the direetionof the President
of the United States, may contract With any compe-
tent person, persons or association, for the aid of
the United States, by furnishing not exceeding two
ships in laying down a submarine cable, to connect
existing telegsaphs between the coast Of Newfound-
land and the coast Of ireland, and for the use Of such
submarine communication when established by the
Government of the United States, on sach terms and
conditions as shall seem to the President just and
reasonable, not exceeding seventy thousand dollars
per annurE, until the net profits of such person or
persons, or association, shall be equal to d dividend
Of six per cent per annnm, and then not exceeding
fifty Thousand dollars per annum for twenty-five
years: Provided, That the Government of Great
Britain shall, before or at the same time, enter into
a like contract for those purposes with the same
person, persons, or association, and upon terms Of
exact equality with those stipulated by the United
States And provided, That the tariff of prices for
the use OF such submarine communication by the
public shall be fixed by the Secretary Of the Treasu-
ry of the United States andthe Government Of Great
Britain, or its authorized agent Provided further,
That the United States and the cltizeats thereof,
shall enj " the use Of the said submarine telegraph
communication for all time on the same terms and
conditions which shall be stipulated in fpvor of the
Government of Greet Britain. and the subjects
thereof, recognizing equality Of rights among the
citizens of the United States ju the use Of said sub
marine communication, and the lines of telegraph
which may at any time connect with the same at
its terminus on the coast Of Newfoundland and in
the United States, in any contract SO to be entered
into by such person, persons. or Association, with
that Government Provided further. That the con
tract to he made by the British Government to the
New York, newfoundland and London Telegraph
Company. except such provisions as may be neees-
sary to secure to each Government the transmission
Of its own messages by its own agents: And pro-
Vided further, That it shall be in the power OF Con-
gress, after ten years, to terminate said contract
upon giving one years notice to the parties to such
contract.
THE ACT OF PARLIAMENT.
Received royal assent July ~, 1863
Section 5s--All messages and signalssent or for
Warded for transmission and delivery for her Ma
jesty or on her Maiesty's service shall have priority
over all other messages whatsoever, and II. shall be
imperative on the company, their officers and SER
wants, tn transmit and deliver such messages and
signals accordingly, and to suspend the transmission
of all or any other messages until the said messages
and signals shall first have been transmitted Pro-
vided always, That the company may, in Gonsdera-
ton of a guarantee or subsidy granted or secured
by the Government OF the United States, equal in
rate or amount to that granted by or on behalf Of
her Majesty's government, the like priority for in
telligence, on and for their service, over all other
messages and signals whatsoever, except those for
her Majesty or on her Majesty's service: and after
Lacy Sudll HAVE 10 N'lHt, ana SlHil nave nDLiIlGu GlSlf
having 30 done to the Lords Commissioners or her
Majesty's treasury, the messages and signals On the
service of the Government of the United Statesshall
thenceforward be entitled to, and shall have, during
continuance in force of any such guarantee or sub
sidy, the like priority as messages and Signals fnr
her Majesty or on her Maiesty's service, over those
of all other persons whatsoever. and thenceforward
messages and signals for her Majesty, or on her Ma
tjesty's service, and those on the service of the gov
%ernineit of the United States shall as between them
selves, have no right OF priority, but be transmit,
ted and delivered respectively in the order Of time
in which they may be respectively rendered for
transmission and delivery. n
Section 62-At all times from and after the period
of twenty-five years from the opening of the said
lines of telegfaphic communication for the trans.
mission of messages, whenever one of her Mniesty's
principal Secretaries of State for THE time being
shall be of opinion that circumstances render it ex-
pedient to vest in her Majesty'S government the con.
troll Of the operations of the company, it shall he
lawful for such Secretary of State, by warrant under
his hand, to Gauss possession to he taken Of all the
telegraphs apparatus of the various stations of the
company, their licences or assigns, for the space Of
one week from the date OF such warrant, for the
purpose OF preventing any communication being
made or signals given, save such aa shall he directed
and authorized by any such Secretary Of State, and
also by further successive warrants to cause poses
sion of the said telegraphsan aud Geographic apparatus
to be retained from week to week, so long AS any
such Secretary Of State shall deem such possession
eXpedient for the public service Provided always
That for every week during which possession shall
be 50 retained, the company, their licences or as
signs shall receive from and be paid by the Lord
Commissioners of her Majesty's treasury Tho SAINT
amount of profits as the company would have mad
in case they had continued the working Of tile sale
telegraphs, such profits to be computed upon al
average of the weekly profits of the company fnl
three mouths Immediately preceding the issuing o
the said warrants.