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MARii iME MAIL EX THE WEST INDIES, PRE 1842
THE FALMOUTH PACKET

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An entire from Westmoreland, Jamaica consisting of a duplicate latter of 5th May and an
original of 2nd June 1828. It was carried by the naval brig “Myrtle” employed as a packet and
landed at Falmouth. It was charged l/3d packet plus l//2d inland to Edinburgh at the 1805 rate, plus
the Scottish wheel tax of Vi d - an unusually vivid strike of the green Falmouth mark. It was
delivered in Edinburgh on 22nd July, a transit of 50 days

An entire that originated in Havana on 24th January 1840 addressed to Frederick Huth in
London. It was nominated to go on the “Lapwing”, but she was forced off course and landed the
mails somewhere in Ireland, the evidence being the Dublin back stamp on 10th March. At least two
other voyages made their landfall in Ireland that year. “Skylark” out of Rio at Valencia in March
and the same vessel out of Cuba in November at Cove.
On 1st August 1837 the packet rate from Cuba was established as 2/1 d single, plus full
inland from whatever port the mail was landed. In 1840 this was changed to 2/1 d plus 2d inland
from any port. This was a double letter and was charged 4/6d. It was back stamped in London on
12th March, possibly before “Lapwing” arrived in Falmouth.