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Auction: 17025 - Bermuda, Crossroads of the Atlantic: A Postal History from 1617 to 1877 - The David Pitts Collection
Lot: 25

(x) Military Mail
The strategic importance of Bermuda had been apparent from the 18th. Century. In 1795, after the Revolutionary War, the British restored bases its bases on the American continent though it wasn't until the War of 1812 that there was a significant increase in the British naval presence on Bermuda. She became the winter home of the Atlantic fleet and the principal naval port between Halifax and the B.W.I. Halifax was the fleet's summer home
The War of 1812
During the War of 1812 the packets were transferred to military duty. Mail from Bermuda was then carried either by regular ships or by a convenient non-scheduled packet. This continued to March 1815 when notice of the end of the war reached the Admiralty in Halifax
1814 large part entire from England per neutral Swedish ship Prince Carl Johan via Bermuda on 9 April and thence through the British blockade to Newport, Rhode Island and then to Baltimore, rated "62" cents (30c. x 2 internal + 2c. ship fee) and showing superb "ship." handstamp (probably Newport) and "newport/r.i." datestamp for 14 April. The sole recorded War of 1812 Blockade cover through Bermuda. Photo

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Sold for
£650