Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-26
(CONTINUED.)

.a... r. CONTINUED
Sec 267. That the Postmaster General may,
after advertising for proposals, enter into con-
tracts for the contracts for the transportation OF
the mail between the United States and any
foreign country whenever the public interests
will thereby be promoted.
Sec 268. That the mail between the United
States and any foreign port or between ports
os the United States touching at foreign port,
shall be transported in steamships; but the
Postmaster General may have such transpor
tation performed by sailing vessels when the
service can be facilitated thereby.
Sec 269. That for transporting the mail be-
tween the United States and any foreign port,
or between ports Of the United States touching
at foreign port, the PostmastersGene may
allow as compensation, if by United States
steamship, any sum not exceeding the sea and
United States inland postage, and if by for
eign steamship or by sail ing vessel, any sum
not exceeding the sea poNage, on the mail so
transported.
Sec. 30 That the Postmaster General may
impose fines on contractors for transporting the
mail between the United States and any foreign
country, for any unreasonable or unnecessary
delay in the departure of such mai, or the
performance of the trip but the fine for any
one default shall not exceed one-half the con-
tract price for the trip.
Sec. 27l. That no contractor for transporting
the mail within or between the United States
and any foreign country shall assign or transfer
fers shall be null and void.
Sec. 272. That every contract for transporting
the mail between the United States and any
foreign country shall contain, besides the usual
stipulation for the right of the Postmaster Cen
eral to discontinue the same, the further stipu-
lation that it may be terminated by Congress.
Sec. 273. That the Postmaster General may,
by and with the advice and consent of the Pres
ident, make any arrangements which may be
deemed just and cxpedient for allowing the
ing the United States, to DC transported over
the territory of the Unted States from one point
in such country to any other point in the same
at the expense of the country to which the mail
belongs, upon obtaining like privilege for the
TRANSPORTATION of the United States mail through
the country to which the privilege is granted !;
but such privilege may at any time be annulled
by the President or Congress from and after
one month succeeding the day on which notice
of the act of the President or Congress is given
to the chief executive or head of the post office
department of the country whose privilege is to
be annulled.
l Sec. 274. That every foreign mail SHALL while
being transported across the territory OF the
United States under the provisions of the pre-
ceding section, be deemed and taken to be q
mail of the United States, SO far as to make any
violation thereof. or depreciation thereon or
offense in respect thereto, or any part thereof
an ofense of the same grade, and punishable in
the same manner and to the same extent as
though the said mail was mail Of the United
| State;; and in any indictment for any such of
| fense the said mail, or any part thereof, may
be alleged to be, and on the trial of any such
indictment it shall be deemed and held to be, O
| mail or part of mail of the United States.
Sec. 275. That the Postmaster General or the
Secretary of State is hereby authorized to en-
power the consuls of the United States to pay
the foreign postage of such letters destined for
| theUnited States as may be detained at the ports
| of foreign countries for the non-payment of
postage, which postage shall lie by the consul
| marked as paid by him, and the amount there
of shall be collected in the United States as
other postage, on the delivery of the letters, and
repaid to said consul, or credited on his account
at the State Department.
! Sec. 276. That the Postmaster General, under
| the direction of the President of the United
States, is hereby authorized and empowered
to charge upon, and collect from, all letters and
l other mailable matter carried to or from any
port ofthe United States, in any foreign packet
| ship or other vessel!1he same rate or rates OF
| charge for American postage which the gov
eminent to which such foreign packet or other
vessel belongs imposes upon letters and other
| mailable matter conveyed to or from such for
| eign country in American packets or other
vessels as the postage of such government, and
| at any time to revoke the same and it shall be
the duty of all custom house officers and other
i United States agents designated or appointed
for that purpose to enforce or carry into effect
the foregoing provision, and to aid or assist in
the collection OF such postage; and to that end
it shall be lawful for such officers and agents,
on suspicion of fraud, to open and examine, in
the presence of two or more respectable per-
sons, being citizens of the United States, any
package or packages supposed to contain mail
able matter found on board such packets or
other vessels or elsewhere, and to prevent, il
necessary, such .pack ets or other vessels from
entering. breaking bulk, or making clearance
until such letters or other mailable matter are
duly delivered into the United States post
office
Sec. 277. That all letters or other mailable