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Auction: 17025 - Bermuda, Crossroads of the Atlantic: A Postal History from 1617 to 1877 - The David Pitts Collection
Lot: 159

(x) Packet Letters
The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, 1842-1850
The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company was formed to take advantage of faster communications offered by steam power, initially for the West Indies though including a few Mexican ports. In 1847, as trade with Mexico increased, additional routes to the western Caribbean and east coast of Mexico were added. There were two contracts with the RMSP involving stops at Bermuda between 1854 and 1850. After 1 August 1850, RMSP ceased stopping at Bermuda, and Cunard's Halifax route became the principal one from Bermuda. There were four routed during the first contract and three during the second
First Contract
Route 4, 8 August 1844-1 November 1847
Mail continued to be carried once a month to Bermuda only by the West Indies packet via St. Thomas. At St. Thomas the route split to go to Mexico as well. During the previous period, Bermuda had two homeward bound services, by the West Indies and Mexican packets. Now her homeward bound mail was carried only by the Mexican packet
The routes were
Outbound: Southampton-Barbados-Grenada-St. Thomas-Bermuda-Caribbean. Return was direct to Southampton
Homeward: from the Mexican ports-Havana-Nassau-Bermuda-Southampton
1845 (20 Jan.) double rate entire (small imperfections) from Bermuda per Trent to Vice Admiral Sir Charles Adams, K.C.B. on H.M.S. Illustrious at Antigua, rated "8" and showing, on reverse clear of tear on opening, fine "hamilton/bermuda" PM4 datestamp. Photo

Note: Admiral Sir Charles Adam joined the Navy in 1790 and served under his uncle, Admiral Lord Keith, in the Mediterranean fleet and during the capture of Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch. Adam was given command of the frigate "Sybille" and while commanding her captured the French "Chiffonne" at Mahé in the Seychelles. He later served in the Napoleonic Wars and after the war he twice commanded the royal yacht "Royal Sovereign". From 1841-44 he was commander-in-chief of the North America and West Indies Station aboard H.M.S. "Illustrious". In 1846 he became First Naval Lord for the third and last time

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