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Auction: 17025 - Bermuda, Crossroads of the Atlantic: A Postal History from 1617 to 1877 - The David Pitts Collection
Lot: 178

(x) Packet Letters
RMSP Second Contract, 2 November 1847-1 August 1850
There were three routes involving Bermuda. The Mexico and West Indies packets alternated every two weeks on the 16th. and 2nd. After 7 May 1848 the West Indies route was extended to New York
Bermuda was the first stop on all three routes, where the route split, south west to Mexico (Route 5), south to St. Thomas (Route 6), and northwest to New York (Route 7). Homeward bound mail on all three routes passed through Bermuda. After August 1850, RMSP stopped all service to concentrate on the more lucrative Mexican routes
Route 7, New York Direct
Route: St. Thomas-Bermuda-New York-Bermuda-St. Thomas
1848 (21 May) entire letter from Trinidad "Per Mail Steamer" to New York, per Eagle to Barbados, St. Thomas and Bermuda and thence per Great Western to New York, rated "1/-" and improperly rated with circular-framed "6" as a ship letter, the reverse with despatch double-arc datestamp and light "st. georges/bermuda" PM5 datestamp (25.5). A difficult to find cover routed to New York via Bermuda instead of directly, and the confusion of the clerk on receipt. Photo

Note: Letters from the British Caribbean had to be fully prepaid at the port of entry as this cover was. It was improperly rated "6" as a ship letter (addressed to the port of entry), the correct rating being 5c.

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