682 THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 199. 1855. for each ship ; and in two steamships from New York, by Cowes, to Havre, and back, at seventy-five thousand dollars for each ship, under the contract with the Ocean Steam Navigation Company of New York, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For transportation of the mails between Charleston and Havana, under the contract with M. C. Mordecai, fifty thousand dollars. Isthmusofh.- For the transportation of the mails across the Isthmus of Panama, mma- one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. APPROVED, March 3, 1855. Merch 8, 1855. CHAP. CXCIX.-An Act to organize an Znstitutionjbr the Insane of the Army andM1vy, -———————; and cy" the Dishict of Cblumbia, in the said District. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Mzited States of America in Congress asscmZ>Zed,'1`lmt the title of the institution h Gq::{¤i{¤¢¤:I shall be the Government Hospital for the Insane, and its objects shell be ,;);,5; °r '° the most humane core and enlightened curative treatment of the insane Its object. of the army and navy of the United States, and of the District of Columbia. Src. 2. And be it further enacted, That nine citizens of the District B°=**d °f Vi$l'°· of Columbia, to be appointed by the President of the United States, shall °"' constitute n Board of Visitors of the said hospital. The term of office of three of the nine visitors shallexpirc [the]thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, and biennielly thereafter on the same day of the year, when they shall be reappointed, or three other citizens appointed in their stead. The order in which the terms of office of the first nine appointees shall expire shall be determined by lot; and should any vacancy occur by death, resignation, or otherwise, such vacancy shall be iilled by appointment for the unexpired term of such visitor. The Board -1-hm pom, of Visitors, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, may and duties. make any needful by-lows for the government of themselves and of the superintendent, and his employees, and of the patients, not inconsistent with this act, nor with the Constitution and laws of the United States; they shall visit the hospital at stated periods, and exercise so careful :1. supervision over its expenditures and general operations, that the government and community may have confidence in the correctness of its runnagement ; they shall make annually to the Secretary of the Interior u. report for the preceding year ending June thirtieth, setting forth the condition and wants of the institution. The Board shall elect one of their number president, who shall preside at their meetings for one year, or till s. successor is elected. The office of visitor shall be honorary and without compensation. g,_,p8,·;,m,ndm_ Sec. 3. And be ·itfm·t/ter enacted, That the chief executive officer of the institution shall be at superintendent, to be appointed by the Secretary SMMY- of the Interior, and to receive 21 salary of two thousand five hundred dollars per annum. The superintendent shall be a welheduceted physician, _ possessing competent experience in the care and treutment of the insane; D“l‘°“‘ he shall reside on the premises, and devote his whole time to the welhire of the institution ; he shall, subject to the approval of the visitors, engage and discharge all needful and usual employees in the care of the insane, and all laborers on the farm, and determine their wages and duties; he shall be the responsible disbursing agent of the institution, and shall be ex officio secretary of the Board of Visitors; and he shall give bond for the f°nithfulperform:1ncc of his duties, in such sum and with such securities us may be required by the Secretary of the Interior. in£§;°£g<:: _ SEC- 4. Ami be it further enacted, That the order of the Secretary ‘ of War, and that of the Secretary of the Navy, shall authorize the superintendent to receive insane persons belonging to the army and navy, respectively, and keep them in custody till they are cured, or removed by the same authority which ordered their reception.
