The preindustrial period of the development of cities in the United States
began with the establishment of the colonies in the late 1600's and lasted until
about 1850. During this period, urban residents made up a small percent of 【M1】______
the total population and cities were small on size. The leading cities were East 【M2】______
Coast seaports. The importance of water transportation in the preindustrial
period is reflected in building of many canals to expand the area in which trade 【M3】______
could be conducted. Water power was also the chief source. Most city
residents worked in commerce and trade, administration, service, the small-
scale hand production of goods. Mechanic production in the United Sates had 【M4】______
its beginnings only in the 1820s, when the first textile mills were set up in
New England using the spinning and weaving machines that had been invented
somehow earlier in England. Most people were farmers, but even city 【M5】______
residents were overwhelming rural in background and experience. The 【M6】______
internal structure of cities in the preindustrial period was relatively
differentiated into separate areas for separate activities, for they were small 【M7】______
enough such that people could easily work or ride, by horseback or by horse
and wagon, to the variation of available facilities. Thus, houses, shops, and 【M8】______
public buildings were typically interspersed; often the shopkeepers or artisans
lived above or behind their stores.
In the preindustrial cities in the United States, which we now regard as 【M9】______
municipal services did not exist. Generally, residents and businesses were
responsible for providing their own water supplies, disposal of sewage and
garbage, and health services. In a time, firefighting and police protection 【M10】______
were also provided on a volunteer basis.
【M1】
甲保健品公司(以下称甲公司)与乙医疗器械经销公司(以下称乙公司)达成协议:由甲公司委托乙公司代销甲公司的保健品;乙公司每售出一批保健品,应要求买方将货款直接支付给甲公司,甲公司按销售数额给乙公司提取10%的佣金;合同有效期一年。合同签订后,甲公司将价值600万元的保健品发送给乙公司,乙公司开始展开促销活动,推销该保健品。合同履行情况如下。
(1)在一年的合同期限内乙公司共推销出保健品440万元,应得佣金44万元,但只得到25万元,尚欠19万元的佣金没有得到偿付。
(2)有价值10万元的保健品在此期间因意外而遭受损失。
(3)合同结束时,因甲公司尚欠乙公司19万元的佣金,乙公司扣留了甲公司价值20万元的保健品作为担保,要求甲公司支付佣金后再归还甲,并通知甲公司:自扣留之日起扣押一个月内,如果甲公司不偿付所欠佣金,乙公司将处理该批货物用于抵偿。
(4)甲公司提出:乙公司推销出的440万元保健品中,只有350万元收回了货款,尚有90万元货款没有收回,因此乙公司只应得35万元的佣金,甲公司实际拖欠乙公司佣金是10万元,不应是19万元;乙公司有义务追回没有收回的90万元货款后才有权要求相应的佣金;此外,在此期间因意外而遭受损失的价值10万元的保健品,应由乙公司承担责任。因此,甲公司主张:损失的价值10万元的保健品应与甲公司实际拖欠乙公司的10万元佣金抵消。
(5)乙公司不同意甲公司的抵消意见,并认为:合同并未要求追偿欠款,也并没有说明以收回的实际货款计算佣金,甲公司应当自己向买方追偿货款。而且,乙公司的行为属于代销,货物的所有权仍属甲所有,风险也应由甲公司承担,在此期间因意外而遭受损失的价值
10万元的保健品应由甲公司负责。经查,乙公司经营范围中并无保健品销售一项内容。根据上述条件,回答以下问题:
(1)该代销合同是否有效?请说明理由。
(2)说明乙公司扣留甲公司价值20万元的保健品的行为性质,及是否符合《中华人民共和国合同法》的规定。
(3)甲公司主张抵消的要求是否符合《中华人民共和国合同法》的规定?
(4)在此期间因意外而遭受损失的价值10万元的保健品,应由谁负责?请说明理由。
(5)你认为甲公司可否以自己的名义向拖欠货款的买方主张权利?请说明理由。