New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-06-13
PROPOSALS.
PROPOSALS FOR MAIL STEAMSHIP
i SERVICE BETWEEN SAN FRANCIS
co, JAPAN, AND CHINA.
Posr OFFlcE DEPARTMENT,

CO, JAPAN, AND CHINA.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, June 8, 1872.
In accordance with the provisions of sections
8 and of the act Of Congress approved June
1, 1872, entitled can 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. 3. ~ 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 o
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-
ditions and limitations as prescribed by existing
acts of Congress in reference thereto, and the
respective contracts made in pursuance thereof;
and the contractors ur 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, or any branch or extension thereof:
Proridcd 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, aud
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 Propidcd, 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 &C.
Il. Al
come citizens of the United States, may be en-
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
i'll 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: Provided, 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.
inafter,provided for"
"Sec. 6. 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, 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 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: 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 8 O'Clock p. m
on MONDAY, the 18th day of August, 1872, for
conveying the mails Of the United States, by
means of an additional monthly line of frst.c
American Sea going steamships of not less than
four thousand tons register each, and of suili
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 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 stoppages at intermediate ports and
also the length of the stoppages Mt 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 regularly semi monthly ser
vice in connection Herewith such schedules,
however, to be subject to to the approval of the
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.
ha of off fnr fbo Of ho
American built steamships of the first class, in
all respects conforming to the requirements of
the laws authorizing the service, and before ac-
ceptance they will be subject to inspection and
survey by an experienced naval constructor to be
detailed for that purpose 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 IT, 1867, and of sections 3 and 6 of the above
cited act of June l, 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 residence, and the
name of each member of the firm, when a part
nership offers, should be distinctly stated. If
made by corporation the bid must be &C.
cOmpanleo Dy duly authenticated copy OF the
charter or articles of incorporation and list of
officers and directors.
All bids exceeding the sum of five thousan
dollars must be accompanied by 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
me years pay proposed in such bid or bids !;
such check or draft to be subject to all the con.
dtions and provisions of existing laws in respect
to forfeiture.
Any assignment or transfer Of an ocean mail
contract is expressly forbidden by law. Such
assignments or transfers are null and void, and
the Postmaster General is required to determine
any contract in case of its being underet 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 o'clock D. M A.,
of Monday, the 18th day of August next, which
will be the last day for receiving proposals under
this advertisement.
JNO. A. j. CRESWELL,
je13-9t Postmaster General.
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