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WEST INDIES MARITIME MAIL - PRE-1842

SPANISH MAIL

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Maritime mail in the Spanish Empire was subject to very strict rules. After 1764 only Cadiz and
Corunna could dispatch mail to the Colonies. After 1779, the Americas were divided into eight different
areas, each with a matching postmark to indicate the point of origin e.g. “Santa Fe” meant Columbia and
Panama; “Caracas”, Venezuela and part of Guyana. In the West Indies Cuba, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and
Santo Domingo were the “Islas de Barlovento”
An entire written in Spanish in Kingston, Jamaica on 11th June 1822 addressed to Madrid. It made
its way to Havana to be forwarded to Cadiz by a Spanish vessel, where it was struck with an “Islas de
Barlovento” hand stamp. In Spain, it was disinfected with two chisel cuts and charged 9 reales for 8-9
adarmes of weight. One of very few letters with an “Islas De Barlovento” postmark that originated in
Jamaica. Ex “Nuevo Mundo”.