e shall
leave New Orleans every three months; one shall leave Baltimore
every three months, touching at Norfolk and Charleston; and one
shall leave New York every three months, touching at Savannah;
all having liberty to touch at any of the West India Islands; and
to proceed thence to Liberia, touching at any of the islands or
ports on the coast of Africa; thence to Gibraltar, carrying the
Mediterranean mails; thence to Cadiz, or some other Spanish port
to be designated by the Secretary of the Navy; thence to Lisbon;
thence to Brest, or some other French port to be designated as
above; thence, to London, and back to the place of departure,
bringing and carrying the mails to and from said ports.
"The said contractors shall further agree to carry to Liberia so
many emigrants being free persons of color, and not exceeding
twenty-five hundred for each voyage, as the American Colonization
Society may require, upon the payment by said Society of ten
dollars for each emigrant over twelve years of age, and five
dollars for each one under that age, these sums, respectively, to
include all charges for baggage of emigrants and the daily supply
of sailors' rations. The contractors, also, to carry, bring back,
and accommodate, free from charge, all necessary agents of the
said Society.
"The Secretary of the Navy shall further stipulate to advance to
said contractors, as the building of said ships shall progress,
two thirds of the amount expended thereon; such advances to be
made in the bonds of the United States, payable thirty years
after date, and bearing five per cent. interest, and not to
exceed six hundred thousand dollars for each ship. And the said
contractors shall stipulate to repay the said advances in equal
annual instalments, with interest from the date of the completion
of said ships until the termination of the contract, which shall
continue fifteen years from the commencement of the service. The
Secretary of the Navy to require ample security for the faithful
performance of the contract, and to reserve a lien upon the ships
for the sum advanced. The Government to pay said contractors
forty thousand dollars for each trip, or four hundred and eighty
thousand dollars per annum.
"SEC. 2. _And be it further enacted_, That the President
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