15

F.—3

other mails which, may be conveyed under this contract from, to, and at all or any of the ports aforesaid, or otherwise, and shall be payable at the respective Treasuries in the places appointed for payment to an agent to be appointed by the Contractors at each of those places to receive the same respectively immediately after the due delivery of each mail in each colony, or the advice by cablegram from San Francisco, or by the return mail from thence, of the duo delivery of the mail there shall be received, as the case may be : Provided always that the provisions hereinbefore contained for payment for the conveyance of mails otherwise than within the time stipulated for in clause 9 of these presents shall not be deemed or construed to relieve the Contractors from liability for default in the due performance of the stipulations contained in the same clause, or to disentitle the Postmasters-General to determine this contract under clause 25 of these presents on account of any such default, it being hereby expressly agreed that the performance of the service hcraby contracted to be performed within the times mentioned in clause 9 of these presents shall be deemed and held to be the essence of this contract. 15. The Colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand, or either of them, shall be entitled to retain to their or its own use respectively any subsidy or payment allowed to them or either of them by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and to retain and divide between them equally any subsidy or payment which may be agreed to be paid by any other Australasian Colony or dependency, or any of the Polynesian Islands, for the conveyance of mails over the aforesaid routes, after deducting any payments made or expenses (if any) incurred by the PostmastersGeneral or either of them for the conveying mails to or from any or either of the ports or places hereinbefore appointed for the receipt or delivery of mails. The Contractors shall be entitled to the benefit of and to receive any subsidies or payments which the Contractors maybe able to induce any Government other than as aforesaid to agree to pay for the conveyance of mails over the aforesaid routes, after deducting any payments made or expenses (if any) incurred by the PostmastersGeneral or either of them for the conveying mails to and from any and either of the ports or places aforesaid, provided the arrangements for the services in respect of any such subsidy shall be approved by the Postmasters-General: Provided that nothing in this clause contained shall be deemed to affect the payments which may be made by the United States under clause 10. 16. The Contractors shall provide, to the satisfaction of the Postmasters-General, or either of them, on board all steam-vessels employed under this contract, proper, safe, and convenient places of deposit for the mails, with locks, keys, and secure fastenings; and every such place of deposit shall be rendered and kept vermin-proof. 17. The Contractors shall also provide, to the satisfaction of the Postmasters-General or either of them, all necessary and suitable accommodation, including lights, for the purpose of sorting and making up the mails on board the several vessels employed under this contract, and, on being required to do so by the Postmasters-General or either of them, shall at their own cost erect or set apart in each of the said vessels on the spar deck a separate and convenient room for such purposes; and all such furniture, lamps, fittings, and other conveniences shall be from time to time cleansed and kept in repair, and the oil for the lamps supplied, by the servants of and at the cost of the Contractors. The master or commander of each of the said vessels shall also, if required, provide assistance for conveying the mails between the mail-room and the sorting-room, and also render such other assistance as may from time to time be needed, without charge. 18. If the Postmasters-General, or either of them, shall think fit to intrust the charge and custody of the mails, or his respective mail, to the master or commander of any vessel to be employed under this contract, and in all cases where the officer or other person appointed to have charge of the mail shall be absent to the knowledge of the master or commander of such vessel, such master or commander shall, without any charge, take due care of, and the Contractors shall be responsible for, the receipt, safe custody, and delivery of the said mail at the several appointed places on the shore in the respective ports, as part of the services hereby contracted to bo rendered. The master or commander shall also make the usual Post Office declaration, and furnish such journal returns and other information, and perform such other services, as the Postmasters-General or either of them, or their or either of their officers, shall from time to time reasonably require. 19. The Contractors and all commanding and other officers in charge of tne vessels employed under this contract shall at all .times punctually attend to the orders and directions of the Post-masters-General or either of them, their or either of their officers or agents, as to the mode, time, and place of landing, transhipping, delivering, and receiving the mails, subject to the special provisions herein contained, and so far as such orders and directions are reasonable and consistent with the safety of the vessels. 20. The Contractors shall have no claim to any postage nor to any sum on account thereof for mails carried in any vessel employed in the service under this contract, or on account of any services rendered, except as herein specially provided to be paid ; and excepting such payments as the United States may make for carriage of mails in excess of the four thousand pounds mentioned in clause 10. 21. The Contractors shall provide suitable first-class accommodation, including a cabin or stateroom, for the exclusive use of a mail officer or agent for each of the Postmasters-General and for one assistant for such Postmasters-General or either of them on board each of the vessels employed under this contract, who shall be at liberty to use such accommodation as may be required for the performance of their duties ; and such officers or agents and assistant shall be victualled by the Contractors as chief-cabin passengers without charge either for their passages or victualling; and whilst the vessel stays at any port excepting the ports of Sydney and San Francisco, to or from which the mails are conveyed, such officers, agents, and assistant shall be allowed to remain on board and shall be victualled as aforesaid. 22. Every such mail officer or agent and assistant shall be recognized and treated by the Contractors, their officers and agents, as the agents of the Postmasters-General respectively, or Post-master-General, by whom he may have been appointed, as the case may be, and as having full