New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-15
PROPOSAL
PROPOSALS FOR MAIL STEAMSHIP
Il SERVICE BETWEEN SAN FRANCES
co, JAPAN, AND CHINA.
II Posi- OFFICs DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, June 5, 1872

49, Posi- OFFICs DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, June 5, 1872
In accordance with the provisions Of sections
s and c of the act OF Congress approved June
|, 1872, entitled " An act making appropria-
tons for the servc. Of the Post Otfcs Depart
ment for the year ending June thirty, eighteen
huntlred and seventy three which sections are
| in the words and figures following, viz:
| Sec. 8. = y - And the Postmaster General
is hereby authorized to contract with the lowest
| bidder within three months after the passage OF
this act after sixty days public notice. for =
ter? of ten years from and after the first day OF
| October, eighteen hundred and seventy three,
| for the conveyance Of an additional monthly
mail on the said route, at a improvisation not
| to exceed the rate per voyage now paid under
| tho existing contracts, and upon the same con
ditons and limitations as prescribed by existing
acts of Congress in reference thereto, and the
| respective contracts made in paxsuancs thereof;
| and the contractors III der the provisions of this
| section shall be required to carry the United
states mails during the existence Of their con
| tracts, without additional charge, on all the
| steamers they may run upon said line, or any
| part of it. any branch extension thereof:
| ProUidsd, That all steamships hereafter accepted
| for said service shall be of not less than four
| thousand tons reg lister esch, and shall be built
| of iron, and with their engines and machinery
| shall be wholly of American construction, and
| shall be so constructed "a to be readily adapted
| to the armed naval service Of the United States
in case of war; and before acceptance the officers
| by whom they are inspected shall report to the
Secretary of the Navy and the Postmaster Gen
eral whether this condition has been complied
with ProUided, That in all cases the officers
of the ships employed in the service herein pro-
vided for shall be citizens of the United States,
and that persons of foreign birth, who have ac-
cording to law declared their intention TO be
come citizens of the United States, may be en-
| ployed though they were citizens within the
| meaning of this section, or Of any act or acts
| specified in the act of June twenty eight, eigh-
teen hundred and sixty four; and the Govern.
ment of the United States shall have the right
| in case Of war to take for the use of the United
States any OF the steamers of said line, and in
| such case pay a reasonable compensation there
for: Providei, The price paid shall in no case
| exceed the original COS. OF the vessel so taken,
and this provision shall extend to and he appli
cable to the steamers Of the Brazilian line here,
matter provided for"
'Sec. &. That If the contract for the increase
| Of the mail service between San Francisco and
| China and Japan to q semi monthly service
| shall he made with the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company, or shalt be performed in the said
| company S ships. or the ships OF its successors
| in interest, the moneys payable under such con
| tract shall be paid while the said company or its
successors in interest shall maintain and run
| the line of steamships for the transportation of
| freight and passengers at present run between
| New York and San Francisco, via the IsthmUs
of Panama, by the said Pacific Mail Steamship
| Company, and no longer: EroyiGed, That said
requirement shall in all respects apply to any
party contracting for the mail service between
| San Francisco and China and Japan, as we'll as
to the Pacific Mail Steamship CoInp
PROPOSALS
will be received at the Post Office Department,
| in tho city of Washington, until o o'clock p III q,
| on MONDAY, the 18th day of August, 1872 for
1 al, Il. al,
means Of an additional monthly line of frs: class
American sea-going steamships OF not less than
| four thousand tons register each, and of sufli-
| cient number to perform twelve round trips per
annun, between the port Of San Francisco and
the port Of Hong Kong. China, touching at
Yokohama, (Japan,) with regular branch line
running in connection with the main line be-
tween Yokohama and Shanghai China,) for q
contract term of ten years from and after the
| first day OF October, eighteen hundred and sew.
enty.three.
Each bid should name the time proposed to
| be occupied in performing the passages each way,
including s.Oppages at intermediate ports; and
also the length Of the stoppages at each Of the
intermediate ports Schedules of sailing days,
stating the proposed days and hours of departure
| from each port, as well as the proposed days and
! hours of arrival, should also accompany each
| bid. The departures must be so arranged as to
alternate at equal and regular intervals with
| tlOSc OF lie present monthly iluS during us con
tinuance, forming regularly semi monthly ser.
| vice in connection herewith such schedules.
however. TO be sub ject 10 to the approval Of the
| Postmaster General, and to adjustment or alter
alton by his order, from lime to time, as the n
terssts Of the postal service may require.
| The steamships offered for the service must be
| American built steamships of the first class, in
all respects conforming to the requirements OF
the laws authorizing the service, and before
| ceptaDce they will be subject to inspection and
| survey by an experienced naval constructor to be
detailed for that purpose by the Secretary of the
Navy.
Proposals must conform in all particulars to
the provisions and requirements Of the acts Of
Congress approved February II, 1865, and Febru
airy l8. 1867, and of sections and of the above
cited act of June l, 1872. and must be properly
guaranteed with satisfactory testimonials that
the bidder or bidders, and their euaran:ors, are
! men Of property and abundantly able to make
good their tender and guarantee.
! The bidder or bidders must be an American
citizen or citizens.
| The bidders name and resid nee, and the
! name of each member Of the firm. when part
! nership offers, should be distinctly stated. If
made by corporation the bid must be &C.
companied by duly authenticate! copy Of the
charter or articles Of incorporation and list of
| officers and directors.
! All bids exceeding the sum of five thousand
dollars must be accompanied by a certified check
Or draft payable to the order of the Postmaster
General, upon some solvent national bank. Of
not less than five per centum of the amount Of
one years pay proposed in such bid Or bids;
such check or draft to be subject to all the con
ditons and provisions of existing laws in respect
to forfeiture.
AIRY assignment or transfer Of an ocean mail
contract is expressly forbidden by law. Such
assignments or transfers aIc null and void, and
the Postmaster General is required to determine
| ,l.-iC
signed.
Proposals should be sent under seal to "rhe
Superintendent Of Foreign Mails" with the
words Mail Proposals. Japan and China
route" written on the face Of the address, and
they should be dispatched in time to be received
at this Department on or before 0 clock p. m
of Monday, the 12lh day Of August next, which
will be the last day for receiving proposals under
this advertisement.
JNO. A. j. ESWELL,
iel39t Postmaster General.
a. vT IT "a r< -