New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-01
PROPOSALS.
PROPOSALS FOR MAIL STEAMSHIP
Il SERVICE BETWEEN SAN FRANCIS
CO, JAPAN, AND CHINA.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, June 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 the Post Office Depart
ment for the year ending June thirty, eighteen
hundred and seventy. three" which sections are
in the words and figures following, viz:
Sec 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 the said route, at a compensation not
to exceed the rate per voyage now paid under
the existing contracts, and upon the same con-
dtions and limitations as prescribed by existing
acts of Congress in reference thereto, and the
respective contracts made in pursuance thereof;
and the contractors under 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, or any branch or extension thereof:
Prorided, That all steamships hereafter accepted
for said service shall be of not less than four
thousand tons register each, and shall be built
OF iron, 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, 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 Propided, 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-
Al 7 I
ployed as 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 reasonable compensation there
for: Prorided, The price paid shall in no case
exceed the original cost of the vessel so taken,
and this provision shall extend to and be appli,
cable to the steamers of the Brazilian line here
matter provided for.''
Sec. E. That if the contract for the increase
of the mail service between San Francisco and
China and Japan to a semi-monthly service
shall be made with the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company, CT 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 the said company or its
the line of steamships for the transportation O
freight and passengers at present run between
New York and San Francisco, via the Isthtnu!
of Panama, by the said Pacific Mail Steamship
Company, and no longer: Prorided, That sale
requirement shall in all respects apply to AM
party contracting for the mail service between
San Francisco and China and Japan, as we'll a
to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company"
PROPOSALS
will be received at the Post Office Department
in the city of Washington until 3 0 clock D. NJ
on MONDAY, the 18th day of August, 1872, TO
conveying the mails of the United States, b,
means of an additional monthly line of first elias
American sea going steamships of not less thai
four thousand tons register. each, and of sufii
cent number to perform twelve round trips pc
annum, between the port of San Francisco ant
the port of Hong Kong, (China) touching a
Yokohama, (Japan,) with regular branch lin,
running in connection with the main line be
tween Yokohama and Shanghai, (China,) for
contract term of ten years from and after thu
first day of October, eighteen hundred and sew
enty- three.
Each bid should name the time proposed t.
be occupied in performing the passages each way
including stoppages at intermediate ports; ant
also the length of the stoppages at each of the
intermediate ports. Schedules of sailing days
stating the proposed days and hours of departur,
from each port, as well as the proposed days ant
hours of arrival, should also accompany eacl
bid. The departures must be so arranged as t.
alternate at equal and regular intervals witt
those of the present monthly line during its con
tinuance, forming regularly semi monthly ser
vice in connection Herewith; such schedules
however, to be subject to to the approval of tn
Postmaster General, and to adjustment or alter
alton by his order, from time to time, as the in
terests of the postal service may require.
.{n f. tl,,e,
American built steamships of the first class, il
| all respects conforming to the requirements o
| the laws authorizing the service, and before &C
ceptance they will be subject to inspection an,
survey by an experienced naval constructor to b.
detailed for that purpose by the Secretary of tn
Navy.
Proposals must conform in all particulars t.
| the provisions and requirements of the acts O
Congress approved February II, 1865, and Febru
airy Is, 1867, and of sections 3 and of the abov
cited act of June l, 1872, and must be properl,
guaranteed with satisfactory testimonials tina
the bidder or bidders, and their guaranto.s, ar
men of property and abundanty able to max
good their tender and guarantee.
The bidder or bidders must be an American
citizen, or citizens.
The bidders name and residence, and tn
| name of each member of the firm, when part
nership offers, should be distinctly stated.
made by corporation the bid must be &C
companied by duly authenticated copy of thu
| charter or articles of incorporation and list o
| officers and directors.
All bids exceeding the sum of five thousan,
dollars must be accompanied by q certified checl
or draft, payable to the order of the Postmaste
| General, upon some solvent national bank. 0
not less than five per centam of the amount o
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 respec
| to forfeiture.
AIRY assignment or transfer of an ocean mai
| contract is expressly forbidden by law. Sucl
assignments or transfers are null and void, ant
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 9Th
Superintendent of Foreign Nails" with tn,
wordo Nail propocolo ~ Jopap opd Ch;n,