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WEST INDIES MARITIME MAIL - PRE 1842

SHIP LETTERS

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An entire written in St Mary’s Jamaica on 22nd November 1810 which was nominated to
go on HMS Crane. The letter was landed in Plymouth and as the ship had not been nominated by
the Post Office as a replacement packet was treated as a Ship Letter. It was struck with a Plymouth
Dock crown mark and rated l/2d in total as a single sheet - 4d Ship and lOd inland to London
for 215 miles. Here it was back stamped on 16th February 1811. A file note then records receipt
in Madeira on 11th April - a transit of almost 5 months. 2/7d is the packet rate to Madeira.

An entire containing the manifest of sugar, cotton and coffee shipped on the “Caledonia”
from Demerara dated 18th May 1818. On arrival at Eastbourne the cover was struck with
Robertson S2 in blue green. This is very late use of a crown mark and one of only three known in
the colour. It was charged as a 1 oz letter - 2 x 8d Ship Letter and 2 x 8d inland to London.
Here in the Ship Letter Office on 1st July the rate was changed to 3/4d, charging the total
mileage of 270 to Liverpool as 2 x 1/-.