316 FORTY-SECOND CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 335. 1872. country, &¤. the mail through any foreign country, between any two points in the United States, and such l31‘21.I1S]_)O1’C£LClO1'1 shall be by the speediest, safest, and most economical route; and all contracts thereflwr may be revoked whenever any new road or canal shall be opened affording a speedier, more economical, and equally safe transportation between the some points; but in case of the revocation of uny such contract, at fair indemnity shall be awarded to the contractor. Gamma with Sec. 264. That the Postmaster-General may contract with the owner {>)*i¤;<i¤€>¥` $2%***1- or master of any steamboat plying upon the waters of the United Smeg, c§Q&g,Q,,°{{m§Q;; or of any stenmship or other vessel plying between ports of the United ¤ States, for carrying the mail for any length of time less than four years, and without advertising for proposals therefor, whenever the public in— price; terest and convenience will thereby be promoted; but the price paid for such service shall in no case be greater than the average price paid under the lust preceding or then existing regular contract on the same mute. with gmroad S20. 265. That the Postmaster-General may enter into contracts for °°‘i}l’;*“éS;din carrying the muil, with railway c0mpz1nics,with0ut advertising for bids m, p therefor; and the POSlm&SL€1`·G€H€1`&l may allow any railroad company gee PM P- 558-] with whom he may contract for the carrying of the United States mail, ond who furnish railway post-office cars for the transportation of the ¤d<U¥i<>¤¤I¢<>¤r1nni1, such additional compensation beyond that now allowed by law as p°“S“°°"‘ he may think fit, not exceeding, however, fifty per centum of the said rates. Deductions Sec. 266. That the Postmaster-General may make deductions from
the pay of COIlU’L10ilO1`S,fOI‘ fltilures to perform service according to conugs, mul {gm my tract, and impose fines upon them for other delinquencies. Ile may dedelinqueneius. duct the price of the trip in all cases where the trip is not performed; and
not exceeding three times the price if the failure be occasioned by the fhult of the contractor or carrier. 'fnnmpormion Sscc. 267. That the Postmustcr—Genera1 muy, after advertising for pro- &'~"""l.b‘“"C“"" posuls, enter into contracts for the transportation of the mail between the 1cUn1led bmtcs . . . . . and {0W5g1w0a,,- United States and any fO1`G1g`1] country whenever the public mterests will MES; thereby be promote . $0 Min Stem- Sec. 268. That the mail between the United States and any foreign Shlpsl port, or between ports of the United States touching at a foreign port, Wl*°¤_i¤ Sailing` shall be transported in stemnships; but the Postmaster-General may have v°B°°1S’ such transportation performed by sailing-vessels when the service czm be fitcilituted thereby. corupcnsatiou Sncc. 269. That for transporting the mail between the United States “*°”°*°'i and any foreign port, or between ports of the United States touching nt sm foreign port, the P0st1n:xste1··Generz,l may allow as compensation, if by si United States steumship, any sum not exceeding the sea and United States inland postage, and if by v. foreign stemnship or by a. sailingvesseli any sum not exceeding the sea. postage, on the mail so transporte . fines upon con- Sncc. 270. That the Postmaster-General may impose fines on contrac- °’“°°°"* tors for transporting the mail between the United States and any foreign country, for any unreasonable or unnecessary delay in the departure of such mail, or the performance of the trip; but the fine for any one default shall not exceed one-half the contract price for the trip. common, not Sec. 271. That no contractor for transporting the mail within or bc— W b¤ ¤¤¤it;¤¢ds tween the United States and any foreign country shell assign or transfer _ his contract, and all such assignments or transfers shall be null and void. n;;=5>’bl;°é;gj>¤· $100. 2\72. That every contract for transporting the mail between the gms, &c_ United htotes and any foreign country shall contain, besides the usual stipulation for the right of the Postmaster-G-erieral to discontinue the same, the further stipulation that it may be terminated by Congress. ` MW °YC¤¤~ SHG. 273. That the P0stmaste1*-General may, by and with the advice
