STAMPLESS COVERS OF GREAT BRITAIN

1854 VERY EARLY 8 PENNY RATE TO CANADA WITH "GLASGOW PAID H" CANCEL
 AND SCARCE RED CANADIAN "1d" HANDSTAMP

A Nice Steamer "Niagara" cover from May 1854 just shortly after the 8d rate was initiated to Canada. Letter has scarce content filled with Atlantic sailing information concerning an art shipment aboard the "Cleopatra" and "Sarah Sands", both Canadian Steam Navigation Company Steamers which only ran during 1853 and 1854.

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Glasgow Merchant Letter with boxed "PAID H" Glasgow cancel and manuscript "8" pence in red showing paid in full to Canada and "1d" red handstamp applied in Canada showing amount due Canada for inland delivery.


Reverse of Cover

NOTES: — In March of 1853 with the establishment of Canadian Packets (in addition to British and US Mail Packets) both the Canadian and British Packets were given the same rate structure. On March 23, 1854 they were both permitted a new uniform rate of 6d per ½ ounce, which included both inland postage rates as well as the sea carriage. This was then clarified to note that this rate applied to Canadian and British packets landing at Canadian Ports (Quebec and Halifax). In the case of letters addressed to Canada, they needed to have the notation "via Halifax" to get the 6d rate. If they did not go via Halifax, but through the US, then the rate was 8d to allow 2d for US transit (see Tabeart). As a result of these rates there were handstamps that indicated what credit was to go to Canada or Britain. There were therefore 7d and 1d stamps for the 8d rate, and, 5d and 1d stamps for the 6d rate, as each country then had a uniform 1d inland rate. Cover a bit soiled and creased. This cover shows the Canadian applied 1d in red accountancy mark showing the 1d due the Canadian Post for inland delivery.

A note on the very interesting contents of this sheet folded letter. While we cannot decipher the merchants name, the company is writing to Mr. John Auld of Montreal to advise him of a shipment of artwork which is being consigned to him for auction. The writer states that the artwork is being shipped on the "Cleopatra" which was a Canadian Steam Navigation Company Steamer. This line only operated from April of 1853 to December of 1854 (later succeeded by the Allan Line in 1856). The Cleopatra had sailed on April 11th and was to make the first direct Quebec call of the spring season (winter calls were made at Portland, Maine). However, late ice prevented it from reaching Quebec until May 24th (see Arnell). As a result it missed its scheduled return to Liverpool, hence this writer's original assumption that the artwork would ship on the "Cleopatra". In a postscript the writer notes: "Since the above was written we learn the "Sarah Sands" is going in place of the "Cleopatra". The "Sarah Sands" in fact sailed on May 25th and arrived at Quebec on June 14th, 1854. Interestingly, this letter dated the 25th of May was posted on the Cunard Line's "Niagara" which left Liverpool on May 27th and arrived at Boston on June 8th. Clearly the British packets were faster than the Canadian packets, which apparently also carried freight. Since it was not marked "via Halifax" the letter continued on to Boston where it was forwarded to Montreal at the 8d rate.

As a final comment it is interesting to also note that the writer seeks to give advice to his colonial auctioneer (which begs a number of questions, not the least of which is why a Glasgow MacDonald Estate holding of Art is being shipped to Montreal for auction). Yet the writer offer his sanguine assessment:  "As the sale of such Articles depends not a little on the manner in which they are brought under the notice of those likely to become purchasers we would recommend that you have the sale well advertised. The pictures are all of a good class by artists of high standing." A lovely letter with important insights into the Trans-Atlantic steamer trade in 1854.

Red Manuscript "8" rate

Glasgow Boxed "PAID H" cancel
 dated May 26 1854

Liverpool PO split circle cds
dated May 27, 1854 and
Liverpool May 27th Oval Packet
 Receiving Mark

Red 1d Canadian Accountancy Stamp
Arnell Type F.6

Arnell Type F.6 Exemplar

 Please note that stampless cover catalogue numbers come from the following reference works: R. M. Willcocks, England's Postal History to 1840 with Notes on Scotland, Wales and Ireland (1975); R. M. Willcocks & Barrie Jay, The Postal History of Great Britain and Ireland 1981; Willcocks & Jay, The British County Catalogue of Postal History - Volumes 1 & 2, 2nd Ed. (1996); Barrie Jay, The British County Catalogue of Postal History Volume 3 London, 2nd Ed.(2005); Willcocks & Jay, The British County Catalogue of Postal History - Vol 4 (1988), Willcocks & Jay, The British County Catalogue of Postal History - Volume 5 (1990); American Stampless Cover Catalogue 2nd Ed. (1997); J.C. Arnell, Atlantic Mails - A History of the Mail Service between Great Britain and Canada to 1889 (1980); F. Jarrett, Stamps of British North America; W. S. Boggs, The Postage Stamps and Postal History of Canada; Hargest, History of Letter Communications between US and Europe 1845-1874, Starnes, US Letter Rates to Foreign Destination 1847-GPU; Tabeart, United Kingdom Letter Rates 1657-1900; Moubray, British Letter Mail to Overseas Destinations 1840-1875, J.J. MacDonald, The Nova Scotia Post, Its Offices, Masters and Marks (1985)

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