Chapter XCVIII. *authorizing the Establishment of Ocean Mail Steamship Service between the United States and Brazil.*May 28, 1864. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Monthly mail communication between Brazil and the United States, by fir
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CHAP. XCVIII.— An Act *authorizing the Establishment of Ocean Mail Steamship Service between the United States and Brazil.*May 28, 1864. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Monthly mail communication between Brazil and the United States, by first-class sea-going steamships.That the Postmaster-General be, and he is hereby, authorized to unite with the general post-office department of the empire of Brazil, or such officer of the government of Brazil as shall be authorized to act for that government, in establishing direct mail communication between the two countries by means of a monthly line of first-class American sea-going steamships, to be of not less than two thousand tons burden each, and of sufficient number to perform twelve round trips or voyages per annum between a port of the United States,Route of voyage. north of the Potomac river, and Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, touching al Saint Thomas, in the West Indies, at Bahia, Pernambuco, and such other Brazilian and intermediate port or ports as shall be considered necessary and expedient;Expenses to be divided; share of the United States not to exceed, &c. *Provided,* That the expense of the service shall be divided between the two governments; and that the United States portion thereof shall not exceed the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the performance of twelve round trips per annum, to be paid out of any money appropriated for the service of the post-office department.
Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted,* Postmasters invite proposals, and contractThat the Postmaster-General be, and he is hereby, authorized to invite proposals for said mail steamship 94 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 98, 99. 1864.with lowest responsible bidder.service by public advertisement for the period of sixty days in one or more newspapers published in the cities of Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, respectively, and to contract with the lowest responsible bidder for the same for a term of ten years, to commence from the day the first steamship of the proposed line shall depart from Proviso.the United States with the mails for Brazil: *Provided,* That proposals for monthly trips—that is to say, for twelve round voyages per annum, out and back— are received and accepted by him within the limit as aforesaid, from a party or parties of undoubted responsibility, possessing ample ability to furnish the steamships required for the service, and offering good and sufficient sureties for the faithful performance of such Proposals to be accepted by Brazil, &c.contract: *And provided, further,* That such proposals shall be accepted by the government of Brazil, and that distinct and separate contracts with each government, containing similar provisions, shall be executed by such accepted bidder or bidders; each government to be responsible only for its proportion of the subsidy to be paid for the service.
Sec. 3. *And be it further enacted,* Contract to go into effect before Sept. 1, 1885.Stipulations of contract.That any contract which the Postmaster-General may execute under the authority of this act shall go into effect on or before the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five; and shall, in addition to the usual stipulations of ocean mail steamship contracts, provide that the steamships offered for the service shall be constructed of the best materials and after the most approved model, with all the modern improvements adapted for sea-going steamships of the first class; and shall, before their approval and acceptance by the Postmaster-General, be subject to inspection and survey by an experienced naval constructor, to be detailed for that purpose by the Secretary of the Navy, whose report shall be made to the Postmaster-General; that the two governments shall be entitled to have transported, free of expense, on each and every steamer, a mail-agent to take charge of and arrange the mail matter, to whom suitable accommodations for that purpose shall be assigned; that in case of failure from any cause to perform any of the regular monthly voyages stipulated for in the contract, a pro rata deduction shall be made from the compensation, on account of such omitted voyage or voyages; that suitable fines and penalties may be imposed for delays and irregularities in the regular performance of the service according to contract; and that the Postmaster-General shall have the power to determine the contract at any time, in case of its being underlet or assigned to any other party.
Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted,* These steamships to be exempt from certain port-charges, &c., if, &c.That the mail steamships employed in the service authorized by this act shall be exempt from all port-charges and custom-house dues at the port of departure and arrival in the United States: *Provided,* That a similar immunity from port-charges and custom-house dues is granted by the government of Brazil. Approved, May 28, 1864.