The History of the Postmarks of the British Isles from 1840 to 1876 - John Hendy (1909)

SHIP LETTERS. 67
The Ship-Letter Office in London, which had been in existence as a separate department
for nearly fifty years, was aboHshed in May, 1847, and the duties transferred to the
Inland Office. It was also decided that all ship-letter mails for the Western Hemisphere
should be dealt with and made up in the Liverpool office. By this arrangement Liverpool
became practically the principal Ship-Letter port of the United Kingdom, and
evidently to commemorate the event a handsome Ship-Letter stamp was introduced at
that office (Fig. 402). This postmark was in use until about the year 1867, but in the
,^ m ^
( FE 22
/
Fig. 402.
meantime other stamps were introduced (Figs. 403, 404). Under an Act (i Vict. c. 34)
PAID
LIVERPOOL!
SHIP
JA 6
1864
C
Fig. 403. Fig. 404.
consignees of vessels, and of goods on board vessels, inward bound, resident in the
United Kingdom, were permitted to receive letters not exceeding six ounces in weight
collectively, free of sea postage ; if such letters exceeded the weight limit, the officers
of Customs were authorized to seize all above weight and send the same to the nearest
post office. Consignees' letters were impressed with an exemption mark (Figs. 405, 406).
The penalty for falsely superscribing letters as "Consignees'" was ^10.
LIVERPOOL
E-XEMPTSHIP
EXEMPTSHIPO
Fig. 405. Fig. 406. Used in red on Letters addressed to Consignees
of Vessel by which they are brought.
In 1854 arrangements were made with most of our Colonies by which a uniform rate
of sixpence per half-ounce was chargeable upon all letters, whether conveyed by packet
or private ship. The arrangement was, on the ist January, 1858, extended to all our
Colonies and to foreign countries generally, with the exception of France, Belgium, and
Holland, with whom special rates were agreed upon under conventions. In consequence
of these great reductions in the rates of postage it was decided to reduce the gratuities
payable to masters of vessels carrying Ship-Letter Mails to one penny for each letter and