New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-08

PROPOSALS FOR MAIL STEAMSHIP
i SERVICE BETWEEN SAN FRANCIS
CO, JAPAN, AND CHINA.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WAsUiyGroS. June 3. 1877.

Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WAsHisGroS, juno 5, 1872.
In accordance with the provisions of sections
8 and of the act of Congress approved June
/, 1872, entitled Gan act making appropria
tons for the service of tho Post OlIice Depart
ment for the year ending Juno thirty, eighteen
hundred and seventy. three" which sections are
in the words and figures following, viz:
Sec. 3. = \ e g. 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 a
term 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 tho said route, at a compensation not
to exceed the rate per voyage now paid under
the existing contracts, and upon tho same con-
ditions and limitations prescribed by existing
acts of Congress in reference thereto, and the
respective contracts made in pursuance thereof !;
and the contractors upder tho provisions of this
section shall be required to carry the United
States mails during the existence Of their con.
tracts without additional charge. on s'l tae
steamers they may run upon said line, or any
part Of it, or any branch or extension thereof ::
Iroridcd, That all steamships hereafter accepted
for said service shall be OF not less than four
thousand tons register each, and shall bo built
ofiron, and with their engines and machinery
shall be wholly of American construction, and
shall be so constructed as to be readily adapted
to the armed naval service Of the United States
in case of war, aud before acceptance the officers
by whom they arc inspected shall report to the
Secretary of the Navy and the Postmaster Gen
eral whether this condition has been complied
with: Hrocidcd, 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 rs though they were citizens within the
meaning of this section, of any act or acts
specified in the act of June twenty eight, eigh-
teen hundred aud sixty four and the Govern
ment of the UNited States shall have the light
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: Troridei The price paid shall in no case
exceed the original COS: of tho vessel so taken,
and this provision shall extend to and be appl,
cable to the steamers Of the Brazilian line here
matter provided for.''
"Sec. 6. That if the contrac. for the increase
of the mail service between San Francisco and
China and Japan to semi monthly service
shall be made with the Pacific Nail Steamship
Company, or shall 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 tho said company or its
successors in interest shall maintain and run
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: Provided, 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 Company
PROPOSALS
will be received at the Post Office Department,
in the city of Washington, until o clock D. IN .
on MONDAY, the 18th day of August, 1872, for
conveying the mails Of the United States, by
means of an additional monthly line of first 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
annum, 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 a
contract term of ten years from rnd 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 stoppages 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
those Of the present monthly line during its CON
tinuance, forming a regularly semi monthly ser
vice in connection herewith such schedules
however, to be subject to to the approval Of tho
Postmaster General, and to adjustment or alter
alton by his order, from time to time, a, the in
terests of the postal service may require.
The steamships offered for the service must be
A m icoY, mil eta rrtt Of he frat al
all respects conforming to the requirement. OF
the laws authorizing the service, and before
ceptance 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, lSt5, and Febru
airy Is, 1867, and of sections and of the above
cited act of June |, 1872, and must be properly
guaranteed with satisfactory testimonials that
the bidder or bidders, and their guarantors, 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 a corporation the bid must be ac-
companed by daily authenticated 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 II 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
ditions 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 transfers are null and void and
the Postmaster General is required to determine
any contract in case of its being underlet or as.
signed.
Proposals should be sent under seal to "The
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 clock D. m
of Monday, the 18th day of Augu It next, which
will be the last day for receiving proposals under
this advertisement.
JNO. A. j. CRESWELL,
Jel3-9t Postmaster General.