Chapter LXII. *providing for the Building and Equipment of four naval Steamships.* March 3, 1847. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That the President Four first-class steamships to be built and equipped.of the United States be, and h
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Chap. LXII.— An Act *providing for the Building and Equipment of four naval Steamships.* March 3, 1847. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That the President Four first-class steamships to be built and equipped.of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to cause to be built and equipped four first-class sea-going steamships, to be attached to the navy of the United States, and that one million of dollars be, and is hereby, appropriated for that purpose, to be paid out of any Appropriation.money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted,* That from and immediately Secretary of Navy to accept the proposals of E. K. Collins & Co. for transportation of mail between New York and Liverpool.after the passage of this act, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to accept, on the part of the government of the United States, the proposals of E. K. Collins and his associates, of the city of New York, submitted to the Postmaster-General, and dated Washington, March sixth, eighteen hundred and forty-six, for the transportation of the United States mail between New York and Liverpool, and to contract with the said E.
K. Collins and his associates for the faithful fulfilment of the stipulations therein contained, and in accordance with the provisions of this act. Sec. 3. *And be it further enacted,* That the steamships to be employed Steamships—how to be constructed, &c.by the said E. K. Collins and his associates in the transportation of the United States mail between New York and Liverpool shall be constructed under the inspection of a naval constructor in the employ of the Navy Department, and shall be so constructed as to render them convertible, at the least possible cost, into war steamers of the first class; and that each of said steamers shall receive on board Each steamship shall receive on board four passed midshipmen and a mail agent.four passed midshipmen of the United States navy, who shall serve as watch officers, and be suitably accommodated without charge to the government; and the said steamers shall also receive on board and accommodate, without charge to the government, one agent, to be appointed by the Postmaster-General, who shall have charge of the mails to be transported in said steamships.
Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted,* That from and immediately after Secretary of Navy to contract with A. G. Sloo for transportation of mail between New York and N. Orleans, &c.the passage of this act, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to contract, on the part of the government of the United States, with A. G. Sloo, of Cincinnati, for the transportation of the United States mail from New York to New Orleans, twice a month and back, touching at Charleston, (if practicable,) Savannah, and Havana; and from Havana to Chagres and back, twice a month.
The said mail to From Havana to Chagres. What description of steamships shall be employed, and how commanded.be transported in at least five steamships of not less than fifteen hundred tons burden, and propelled by engines of not less than one thousand horse power each, to be constructed under the superintendence and direction of a naval constructor in the employ of the Navy Department, and to be so constructed as to render them convertible, at the least possible expense, into war steamers of the first class; and that the said steamships shall be commanded by officers of the United States navy not below the grade of lieutenant, who shall be selected by the contractor, with the approval and consent of the Secretary of the Navy, and who shall be suitably accommodated without charge to the government.
Each of said steamers shall receive on board four Each of said steamers to receive on board four passed midshipmen and a mad agent.passed midshipmen of the United States navy, who shall serve as watch officers, and be suitably accommodated without charge to the government; and each of the said steamers shall also receive on board and accommodate, without charge to the government, one agent, to be appointed by the Postmaster-General, who shall have charge of the mails to be transported in said steamers: *Provided,* The Secretary of Proviso.the Navy may, at his discretion, permit a steamer of not less than six hundred tons burden, and engines in proportion, to be employed in 188TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 63. 1847.the mail service herein provided for between Havana and Chagres: Compensation.*Provided, further,* That the compensation for said service shall not exceed the sum of two hundred and ninety thousand dollars, and that Security to be given.good and sufficient security be required for the faithful fulfilment of the stipulations of the contract. Secretary of Navy to contract for transportation of mail from Panama to Oregon. Sec. 5. *And be it further enacted,* That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to contract, on behalf of the government of the United States, for the transportation of the mail from Panama to such port as he may select in the Territory of Oregon, once a month each way, so as to connect with the mail from Havana to Chagres across the isthmus; said mail to be transported in either steam or sailing vessels, as shall be deemed most practicable and expedient.
Secretary to provide in the contracts that the Navy Department shall have control over said steamships. Sec. 6. *And be it further enacted,* That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to provide, in the contracts authorized by this act, that the Navy Department shall at all times exercise control over said steamships, and at any time have the right to take them for the exclusive use and service of the United States, and to direct such changes in their machinery and internal arrangements as the 1851, ch. 34, §2.Secretary of the Navy may require; due provision being made in the said contracts for the mode of ascertaining the proper compensation to the contractors therefor.
Approved, March 3, 1847.