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WEST INDIES MARITIME MAIL - PRE 1842
SHIP LETTERS

An entire addressed to the South Sea Coffee House in London written in Nevis on 6th May 1753.
The cover was endorsed to go on the Friendship, Capt Payne and was back stamped with a Bishop
Mark in London on 4th November, a long transit of almost 6 months. It was charged 4d (Id Ship Letter
and 3d inland for less than 80 miles). The introduction of Ship Letter marks to facilitate the calculation
of the inland mileage charge did not happen in England until the 1760’s. Ex Borromeo.

Between 1713 and 1745 after the closure of the Dummer service there were no packet sailings to
the West Indies. This letter written in Kingston, Jamaica on 29th July 1741 had no choice but to be sent
on a merchant ship, the “Antelope”. There is no ship letter mark so all that can be said is that it was
treated as a loz letter from a port more than 80 miles from Bristol, was charged 4 x 4d inland plus Id
ship letter and was back stamped with a Bishop Mark in London on 9th October.