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« on: December 15, 2018, 09:11:42 PM »
A friend has posted the following question regarding the attached cover on another site but has not received a definitive answer regarding the 3 marking --
I have a cover to Vera Cruz by ship (which was probably also the port of entry) in 1849. It bears a single marking, a Mexican "3". Could anyone enllighten me on the rate involved?
[added later] As to the 3 rate I am asking about, I assume there is a small chance it went overland -- could this be the Mexican charge from the US-Mexico exchange point to Vera Cruz?
The following is his discussion regarding the "25" marking - I include it here only in case it bears on the question regarding the "3".
The letter is postmarked at Montgomery on Feb 25 (1849) for British Packet, by way of Mobile Point. My current theory is that the rate: 25(!) is a form of freight(like) money. The question is, since anotther related cover in Van's collection, which fits the steamer schedule does not have any Mexican (neither have British markings) markings, why the difference. One thing that needs exploration is that the Feb. 25 date is well in advance of the departure of the Great Western for Vera Cruz sometime shortly after March 8 leaving a bit of a gap. I was trying to figure out if the Mobile P.O. was trying to accelerate delivery by sending the letter overland or by private ship. The US PMG indicates there was some special out of the (British) mail arrangement in existance.
(One cover to UK, which could stay in Imperial postal hands the whole way, does not show this wierdness. The two or three wierdness covers are to Hargous, the U.S. consul and a high muckity-muck. In one case, the address is to Hargous but the content to others.)
It is reasonably clear at this point that covers were travelling on the British packet and not necessarily getting British markings.Major correction -- that is September 25 -- and the letter is dated at Mobile September 20. (Possibly per Teviot, October 4). This may not be the only one with strange dateline.