Letter Mail from Portugal to USA

Study on Postal Agreements, Rates and Routes 1853-75

von Luis Rocha

RPSL Study Papers Study Papers are produced by The Royal Philatelie Society London for pieces of work that are too long to be an article in The London Philatelist but are shorter than a regulär full-size book. Previously, the RPSL has published numerous Supplements to The London Philatelist, but for specialised studies it seems appropriate to produce such works äs A4 softback booklets which will be available at a low cost to all interested philatelists. There is no fixed publication schedule for this series.

Preface

The study of transatlantic mail between Portugal and the United States, mediated by the British postal System between 1853 and 1875 (when the General Postal Union was established), reveals a complex web of international relations. While the North Atlantic routes and conventions of this era have been masterfully documented by legendary scholars, most notably Richard Winter, the specific intersection of Portuguese domestic legislation with these international treaties continues to offer a rieh field for new discovery. My primary motivation for this work arose when I first began studying these covers and realised that no one could provide the in-depth explanations they deserved. I found it nearly impossible to find a Consolidated resource that clearly defined the rate periods or the specific conventions applicable to each case. This study was born from the need to bridge that gap between official decrees and surviving physical evidence, creating a definitive reference for a period defined by shifting treaties and evolving rates, routes and means.

My good old friend Acacio Luz once told nie that the only way to truly understand these covers is to follow a strict "Chain of Logic." To explain a single letter, one must master Portuguese legislation to understand the domestic requirements, the Portugal-United Kingdom conventions to understand the transit through the British hüb, and finally the United Kingdom-United States conventions to account for the leg across the Atlantic. As Acacio wisely told me, without the original texts of these conventions, the additional articles, regulations and the specific shipping timetables, "there is no chance of getting the Job done." This study is the result of years spent gathering these primary sources, including contemporary newspapers, official gazettes, post office notices, and internal postal documentation, to ensure that every rate and route described is backed by official fact.

By combining these records with a comprehensive census of 104 surviving covers compiled from more than 1100 auction catalogues, many collections and private holdings over a large number of years, I have attempted to verify theoretical regulations against empirical postal practice. This datadriven approach allows us to see how the broad conventions were applied specifically to the mail departing from Portuguese ports. Beyond the technical analysis, these letters are valuable witnesses to 19th-century life. The names of senders and recipients, äs well äs the internal annotations serve äs a vital complementary record. These elements help situate each letter historically and commercially, offering a complete interpretation even when official postmarks are faint or absent.

This study is intended for the specialised collector of Portugal's "Classic" issues, the Student of transatlantic history, and the postal historian. It is my hope that this work provides collectors with the tools to "read" their own pieces. Through this study, corroborated by primary sources, it is my intention to contribute to a deeper understanding of the postal history of this period, enabling collectors to further explore this subject and fully appreciate every element present in the covers in their own collection.

Note for readers

The accountancy calculations shown for prepaid letters presented in this work represent the debit owed by Portugal to the other postal authorities (USA and/or UK). The total amount that was prepaid differs from the accounting total äs it includes an element that was retained by Portugal to cover its own domestic handling and in some cases the transit fee due to Spain. Note that depending if the letter was sent to the UK by ship, packet or via Spain/France the values retained are different.

Acknowledgements

This study owes an immense debt of gratitude to Acacio Luz, whose contributions were indispensable to its completion. Sincere thanks are also due to Colin Tabeart for his generous assistance and invaluable insights, and to Fernando Bernardo for his unwavering encouragement throughout this project. The author also gratefully acknowledges the support of Steve Washburne, äs well äs the following individuals and institutions: Barry Attoe of The Postal Museum in London; lsabel Beato of the Arquivo Histörico da Marinha (Historical Archive of the Navy); and Ana Sabido of the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (National Library of Portugal). Special thanks are due to Luis Barreiros and Eduarde Barreiros for their diligent peer review of this paper, and to Paul Farrimond for his exceptional work in typesetting and bringing this study to life. Finally, the author wishes to express sincere appreciation for the work of the late Richard F. Winter, whose masterful postal history publications not only informed this study but also ignited a passion for this fascinating field.

Units and Abbreviations
s. d. Shillings and pence (UK) 1s = 12d
c cents (US)
oz ounce l oz = 28.35 grams
g grams

Contents

• 1. Anglo-American Postal Convention of 1848 7
• 2. Portugal: Postal Regulations of 1853 12
• 3. Portuguese-British Postal Convention of 1859 15
• 4. Portugal: Entry into Force of the Decimal Metric System, 1860 18
• 5. Cancellation of the Peninsular Line, 1862 19
• 6. Currency Devaluation and the Impact on Unpaid Mail Received in the USA, 1863 20
• 7. Additional Portuguese-British Postal Convention of 1866 21
• 8. Anglo-American Postal Convention of 1867 27
• 9. Reduction of Postage for Mail Sent from Portugal in Transit through the United
• Kingdom, 1868 29
• 10. Anglo-American Postal Convention of 1868 31
• 11. Anglo-American Postal Convention of 1869 35
• 12. Interruption of Postal Relations between France and the USA, 1870 36
• 13. Additional Routes Due to the Armed Conflict between France and Prussia 40
• 14. Reduction of Postage for Mail Sent from Portugal in Transit through the United
• Kingdom, 1872 42
• 15. General Postal Union (G.P.U.) and Consequent Standardisation of Rates, 1875 47
• 16. Concluding Remarks 49

Prior to the standardisation of international postal rates, there was never a formal postal agreement between Portugal and the United States. This standardisation arose with the Treaty of Bern, concluded on 9 October 18741>2, which established the General Postal Union and introduced unified rates. Consequently, until Portugal and the United States joined the General Postal Union, the sending or receipt of mail between these two nations depended entirely on a complex web of postal agreements with and between intermediary countries.

This study analyses postal regulations and procedures to facilitate the study of mail sent from Continental Portugal and the islands of Madeira and the Azores to the USA. By examining these regulations and procedures, we can interpret the various markings and elements found on mail from this period. This analysis includes a thorough examination of the different conventions and postal arrangements in place, with a focus on understanding the complex accounting Systems and diverse postage rates that were applied.

The timeframe under consideration Spans from l July 1853 to l July 1875, bracketing the era between the introduction of the first adhesive stamps in Portugal and the nations entry into the General Postal Union. In July 1853, and within the context of the study, it is relevant to mention that Portugal already had formalised3 bilateral postal agreements with England (1705 and 1810)4, Spain (1850)5, and Belgium (1853)6. Furthermore, the Anglo-American Postal Convention of 1848 was already in effect, laying the groundwork for the United Kingdoms crucial role äs an intermediary in handling mail sent from Portugal to the USA. The various Anglo-American Conventions that followed are central to understanding the complexities of this transatlantic mail System.

Furthermore, this research concentrates specifically on outbound mail from Portugal to the USA, with a particular focus on letters7 sent via the British postal System. While alternative routes to the USA existed through France, Belgium, and Prussia, these fall outside the scope of this study. The 1865 Portuguese-French Convention, for instance, enabled mail to be routed through France to the USA. Similarly, agreements with Belgium and Prussia provided for mail transit via Antwerp and Hamburg or Bremen, respectively. However, by excluding these alternative routes, this study provides a more focused analysis of the dominant role played by the British postal System in facilitating transatlantic mail transit during this period.

1. Anglo-American Postal Convention of 1848

On l July 1853, when the first adhesive stamps were introduced in Portugal, the Anglo-American postal treaty was already in force. This treaty was signed in London on 15 December 1848 and came into effect on 15 February 18498. According to Article XXI ofthe Convention, the regulations with their inherent specificities were to be defined by both postal administrations at a later date. This postal framework introduced an improvement in transatlantic postal Communications and standardised postal rates between the two countries. Among other things, it allowed for the prepayment of postage to the destination. Below are some ofthe relevant articles from the perspective of this study:

ARTICLE I - (Rate of postage on letters conveyed either by United States or British packets.) - There
shall be charged upon all letters not exceeding half an ounce in weight, conveyed either by United
States or by British packets, between a port in the United States and a port in the United Kingdom,
a uniform sea rate ofeight pence, or sixteen cents; and such sea rate postage shall belang to the
country by which the packet conveying the letters isfurnished

ARTICLE II - (Inlandpostage chargeable by the post-office ofGreat Britain) - There shall be charged
by the Post-Office ofthe United Kingdom, upon all letters not exceeding half an ounce in weight,
posted in the United Kingdom, andforwarded to the United States or broughtfrom the United
States and delivered in the United Kingdom, whether, such letters shall be conveyed by British or
by United States packets, an Inland postage rate of one penny half penny.

(Inland postage chargeable in the U. States) - There shall be charged by the Post-Office ofthe
United States, upon all letters not exceeding half an ounce in weight, posted in the United States
andforwarded to the United Kingdom, or broughtfrom the United Kingdom, and delivered in the
United States, either such letters shall be conveyed by United States or by British packets, an Inland
postage rate offive cents.

ARTICLE III - (Sea and inland postage combined into one rate, and on which payment may be
made in advance) - Upon all letters posted in one country and delivered into the other, these rates of
postage, both sea and inland, shall be combined into one rate, of which payment in advance shall be
Option in either country. It shall, however, not bepermitted topay less than the whole combined rate

ARTICLE VIII - (Transit ofclosed mails) - Her Britannic Majesty engages, on herpart, to grant to
the United States the transit in closed mails, through the United Kingdom, or through any country
where thepost communication may be under the control or management ofthe United Kingdom, of
letters and newspapersforwardedfrom the United States, their colonies orpossession ofthe United
States, or to anyforeign country, and from anyforeign country, orfrom any colony orpossession
ofthe United States, to the United States, their colonies or possessions

ARTICLE XI - (Transit letters to be delivered to the post-offices of either country free of postage)
- (..) and letters from foreign countries addressed to the United States, passing in transit through
the United Kingdom, shall be delivered to the United States post-office free of all British postage,
whether packet or inland.

(Transit letters on which postage must beprepaid) - In the case ofthose countries to which letters
cannot beforwarded unless the British postage be paid in advance, such British postage shall be
collected in the United States, in addition to the United States rates of postage and accountedfor
the British post-office. (..)

ARTICLE XVI - (Rates of postage on newspapers passing in transit through either country) - The
rate of postage to be charged in the United Kingdom upon newspapers to and from the United
States, passing in transit through the United Kingdom, shall be one penny for each newspaper, except
where a lower rate isprovided by any treaty between the United Kingdom and a foreign country;
and the rate of postage to be charged in the United States upon newspapers to and from the United
Kingdom, passing in transit through the United States, shall be two cents for each newspaper

ARTICLE XIX - (Difference between the U. States and British currency to be accounted for) - In
consideration oftwo cents United States currency not beingprecisely equivalent to one penny Sterling,
the British post-office shall account to the United States post-office at the rate offour hundred and
eighty-four cents to thepound Sterling; and the United States post office shall account to the British
post-office at the rate offour hundred and eighty cents to thepound Sterling.

ARTICLE XXI - (Forms in which accounts between the respective post-offices shall be made out,
with other details to be settled öfter exchange of ratifications) - Theforms in which the accounts
between the respective post-offices for the transmission and conveyance ofletters are to be made
out, the time and mode in which payment shall be made by either post-office to the other, together
with all other measures ofdetail arising out ofthe stipulations ofthe present convention, shall be
settled between the post-office ofthe United States and the British post-office, äs soon äs possible
after the exchange ofthe ratifications ofthe present convention.

The resolution with the regulations and specific details, written in 24 articles, relating to the postal treaty between the USA and the United Kingdom, according to Article XXI ofthe Convention, were approved on 14 May 18499>1°, ratified on 31 May11, and put into effect on l July ofthe same year. On 19 June 184912, and after the resolution ofthe regulations had been approved by the British postal administration, US Postmaster General J Collamer sent the instructions and postage tables to the postmasters. Some ofthe regulation articles relevant to this study are transcribed below:

ARTICLE I - (Exchange of Mails) - The following shall be the regulations for the exchange ofmails
between the United Kingdom and the United States. There shall be an exchange ofmails between
the following offices:
1. Between London and Boston, by way of Liverpool and Boston direct, and also by way of Liverpool
   and New York.
2. Between London and New York, by way of Liverpool and New York direct, and also by way of
   Liverpool and Boston.
3. Between Liverpool and Boston direct, and also by way ofNew York.
4. Between Liverpool and New York direct, and also by way of Boston.
5. Between London and New York, by way of Southampton.
6. Between Southampton and New York direct.

ARTICLE IX - (Progressive rates of postage) - With respect to letters above the weight of a single
letter which isßxed at half an ounce in either country, the respective offices, in accounting to each
other, shall employ the following scale ofprogressions:
• For every letter not exceeding, half an ounce in weight, one single rate.
• Above half an ounce, but not exceeding one ounce, two rates.
• Above one ounce, but not exceeding two ounces, four rates.
• And so on, two rates being addedfor every ounce orfraction ofan ounce.

Some ofthe instructions and postage rates relevant to this study are transcribed below:

• Between any office in the United States (Oregon and California excepted) and any office in Great
  Britain and Ireland, the entire postage is 24 cents the single letter, which may beprepaid or sent
  unpaid. Ofthis amount, the British post office, when it conveys the letter by its own packet and
  collects the postage, accounts to the United States for 5 cents; when itcollects the postage without
  conveying the letter, it accounts for 21 cents. The United States post office accounts to the British
  for 3 cents the letter when it carries and collects, and for 19 when it collects only. Payment by
  theparty ofanything less than the entire postage goes for nothing. The offices ofexchange will
  treat such letters äs wholly unpaid.

• Between the offices of California and Oregon and those of Great Britain andlreland, the entire
  postage is 59 cents the single letter, which may be prepaid or sent unpaid, and ofwhich the
  British share is 3 or 19 cents, depending on the circumstance whether conveyed by the United
  States or British packet; and the United States share is 56 cents or 40 cents, depending on the
  same circumstances.

• On all correspondence between the United States (Oregon and California excepted) and the
  following named countries through the United Kingdom, and by the routes here specified, there
  must be prepaid when sent, and collected when received, the following rates (ofwhich the United
  States post offi.ce will account to the British for all butßve cents the single letter, unless a United
  States packet conveys it to orfrom England, and thenfor all but twenty-one cents):
  ° (••)
  o Azores, Islands, via Southampton and Lisbon - 63 cents for single letter
  o Madeira, Island of, via Southampton - 65 cents for single letter
  o Portugal, via Southampton - 63 cents for single letter.
  ° (••)

• The exchange offices ofthe two countries, in mailing to each other, are to postmark the letter, not
  with the entire postage, but with the credit and debit portions ofit only; ifapaid letter, with the
  credit amount infavor ofthe other country, in red ink, and with a "paid"stamp in same color; if
  unpaid, with the debit amount against the other country, in black ink. But before the exchange
  office receiving such letter delivers it, or mails it to the interior, it is to re-stamp the letter with
  its own office stamp, in all cases, and with the "paid" stamp in red ink, ifpaid; if unpaid, with
  the amount, in black, ofthe entire postage to be collected.

Table 1. Postage rates (effective from 1 July 1849) relating to the fees to be paid by the USA to the British postal administration for letters received from Portugal, Madeira, or the Azores, not including the US inland rate of 5 cents

Bild Siete 10

In the United Kingdom, the postal changes introduced by the Convention were legalised in the Treasury Warrant of 8 March 1849, and published in The London Gazette No. 20955 on 9 March of the same year.

In summary, the payment of postage could be made by the sender. When sending mail from the USA to continental Portugal and the Islands of Madeira and the Azores, prepayment of postage was mandatory. The transatlantic component of a letter between the two countries, weighing up to % ounce, was 24 cents (12 pence)13, which corresponded to:

• Transatlantic sea rate - 16 cents or 8 pence to be paid to the country that had contracted the
 steamship Company to perform the Service
• Transit rate in the United Kingdom - 3 cents or P/2 pence
• Inland rate in the United States - 5 cents or 2l/2 pence.

The Exchange Offices were, on the one hand, in the cities of Boston and New York in the USA and, on the other hand, in the cities of Liverpool, Southampton, and London in the United Kingdom. Accounting between the countries was facilitated by the use of a two-colour marking System. Red marks indicated credit; black marks indicated debit. In practical terms, for mail sent from Portugal, red indicated the amount to be received by the USA, and black indicated the postage to be received by the respective country. This transatlantic rate was in effect until 31 December 1867(14).

Furthermore, to accurately determine the complete postage rates from Portugal to the USA, it is essential to consider the existing postal rates between Portugal and the United Kingdom. These rates, established on 10 January 1840 1S, formed a basis for subsequent calculations. Mail conveyed by packet from Portugal and the Azores to the United Kingdom was fixed at l Shilling 9 pence. Mail from Madeira was slightly higher at l Shilling 10 pence. Ship letters, however, were charged a lower rate of 8 pence. Understanding these baseline charges is crucial for interpreting the complex accounting procedures and final postage costs.

Based on the information provided, it is possible to determine that the recipient of a letter sent from continental Portugal16 to the USA (except California and Oregon) would have to pay, for the first rate:

• When conveyed between Portugal and the United Kingdom by packet: 63 cents (2s 7J/2d)
• When conveyed between Portugal and the United Kingdom by ship: 37 cents (1s

For the first case, the accounting was broken down äs follows:

• If the transatlantic crossing to the USA was carried out by a British packet:
  o 58 cents to be received by the British Post Office, where:
    - 42 cents (1s 9d) was related to sending from Portugal to the United Kingdom by packet
    - 16 cents transatlantic rate to be received by the British Post Office
  o 5 cents US inland postage to be received by the US Post Office
      a Total 42 + 16 + 5 = 63 cents.
• If the transatlantic crossing to the USA was carried out by an American packet:
  a 42 cents (1s 9d) to be received by the British Post Office related to sending from Portugal
  to the United Kingdom by packet
  o 21 cents to be received by the US Post Office, where:

For the second case, the accounting was broken down äs follows:

• If the transatlantic crossing to the USA was carried out by a British packet:
  o 32 cents to be received by the British Post Office, where:
    - 16 cents (8d) was related to sending from Portugal to the United Kingdom by merchant ship
    - 16 cents transatlantic rate to be received by the British Post Office
  o 5 cents US inland postage to be received by the US Post Office D Total = 37 cents (16c + 16c + 5c).
• If the transatlantic crossing to the USA was carried out by an American packet:
  o 16 cents (8d) to be received by the British Post Office related to sending from Portugal to the United Kingdom by merchant ship a 21 cents to be received by the US Post Office where:
    - 16 cents transatlantic rate
    - 5 cents US inland postage
  o Total = 37 cents (16c + 16c + 5c).
    - 16 cents transatlantic rate
    - 5 cents US inland postage
  o Total = 42 + 16 + 5 = 63 cents.

2. Portugal: Postal Regulations of 1853

In Portugal, the Postal Reform of 185217 introduced profound changes in the Organisation of the Postal Service. Its implementation came into effect in 185318 and, with regard to postage to and from abroad, the inland postage on mail received from abroad ceased to be charged. The postage to be paid for letters received from abroad from beyond the Pyrenees coming through Spain was 240 Reis up to 2/s ounce inclusively, increasing by 240 Reis for each 2/s ounce or fraction thereof. Foreign letters arriving on ships other than packets (Cartas Estrangeiras vindas em navios que näo sejam paquetes) paid 160 Reis up to 4/s ounce inclusively, increasing by 80 Reis for every 2/s ounce. For postage to foreign countries, except Spain, when the mail had to transit through the Kingdom of Portugal or to its port of embarkation, or another point on the border, in addition to the postage to be paid in cash, it was mandatory to pay the inland postage by means of stamps: 25 Reis up to % ounce exclusively, 50 Reis up to % ounce, and so on, increasing by 25 Reis for every % ounce19. The means of sending mail from Portugal to other countries at this time was diverse20, and could be sent by sea through merchant ships, packets of the Mediterranean line, the West African Coast line, or transatlantic ships including those to Brazil and Argentina, and by land through Spain, or even by Aux Soins de TExpediteur21

My census database records seven letters sent from Portugal, Madeira, or the Azores between l July 1853 and 30 June 1859. Figure l shows the earliest stamped letter.

Figure l shows an envelope originating in Säo Miguel, Azores and addressed to Boston, Massachusetts in 1856 with only the inland postage paid. The envelope was included in the mailbags placed onboard the Portuguese schooner Rainha dos Azores towards Lisbon where it arrived on 9 November22, confirmed by a rounded-corner boxed datestamp applied on the back. The next day the mail was

Bild Seite 12

placed onboard the schooner Emilia towards Liverpool23. In Liverpool it was placed onboard the steamship Anglo-Saxon of the transatlantic Allan Line on 26 November 185624. It arrived in Portland on the morning of 10 December 185625 and proceeded to Boston, where it arrived on the same day and a circular datestamp was applied to the back: "BOSTON/10 DEC/A.M- PKT".

Prepaid mail to the USA was not possible at the time. At Ponta Delgada the sender paid only the inland postage up to % ounce with a D. Pedro V stamp of 25 Reis, double lines, type I, cancelled with a circular barred numeral "50". A manuscript accountancy mark of "8" (pence) was applied in black ink, representing the debit against the Portuguese administration for the ship-letter fee to the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom, the value of "16" was handwritten, relating to the transatlantic rate to be credited to the USA for having been transported by a steamer under contract with the US government. Upon arriving in Boston, the handwritten "16" was canceled and the amount of "37" cents was handwritten indicating the value to be paid by the recipient. The accounting of the "37" cents is broken down into the following items:

• 8d (16 cents) for the British postal System for a letter sent from Portugal by merchant ship to the United Kingdom
• 21 cents to be received by the US Post Office where:
  o 16 cents transatlantic rate to be received by the US Post Office (A.M- PKT)
  o 5 cents US inland fee
• United Kingdom inland transit fee not charged twice and already included in the 8 pence
• Total = 37 cents (16c + 16c + 5c).

Figure 2 illustrates an envelope with an enclosed letter written by Dr. George Clymer to his wife in Washington, D.C. The letter is datelined "San Antonio da Serra, Madeira, Sunday, July 13,1856".

Bild Anfangs Seite 14

Dr. George Clymer, who held the post of fleet surgeon on the West Africa Squadron's flagship, the USS Jamestown, authored this letter and following his Standard practice for organising family correspondence, he marked the upper left corner with '32' to signify its place in his sequence of letters26.

The cover bears a manuscript endorsement by the sender: 'By steamer to Plymouth, the Niger,' signifying his chosen route. Bypassing the local Portuguese postal System entirely, the letter was handed directly to the British postal agent, George Stoddart, in Madeira. On 23 July 1856, the agent applied a black, double-circular "MADEIRA / JY 23 /1856" datestamp to the reverse before dispatching the letter onboard the African Steam Ship Company's SS Niger later that day 27.

The Niger was then on its return voyage from the west coast of Africa, calling at Madeira for mail before reaching Plymouth on 29 July 1856. Because the ship arrived late28, the mailbags were not processed until the following day, when a red-brown "PLYMOUTH / JY 30 1856 B / PACKET LETTER" datestamp was applied. The mail was then forwarded by train to London for transit processing — marked by the orange "BA / 31 JY 31 /1856" circular datestamp on the reverse — before being transferred to the Cunard Line steamship Canada, which departed Liverpool on 2 August29. The Canada arrived in Boston at five o'clock on the morning of 13 August30; this arrival is confirmed by the black "BOSTON /13 ÄUG / BR- PKT" datestamp on the reverse. From there, the mail was dispatched by early train to Washington.

The cover was sent unpaid. At the British postal administration, a handwritten debit of "1.20" was applied to the cover, representing the amount the British postal administration charged the United States for a double-weight unpaid letter sent from Portugal via British Packet. Upon reaching Boston, this "1.20" mark was cancelled and replaced by a handwritten "1.40", indicating the total postage due from the recipient in cents. The discrepancy in the Boston arrival mark is notable. A doublerate letter from Madeira with transatlantic crossing to the USA via British Packet should have been calculated äs follows:

• 120 cents to be received by the British Post Office, where:
  o 88 cents (2 x 1s lOd) was related to sending from Madeira to the United Kingdom by packet
  o 32 cents (2 x 16c) transatlantic rate to be received by the British Post Office
• 10 cents (2 x 5c) US inland postage to be received by the US Post Office

While the sum of these components is 130 cents, the Boston clerk's manuscript "1.40" suggests a 10-cent overcharge.

3. Portuguese-British Postal Convention of 1859

On 8 June 1859, the Portuguese Post Office announced the impending Implementation of a new postal convention with the United Kingdom. This Convention (Figure 3), formalised on 6 April and approved by law on 23 May of the same year, was set to take effect on l July 1859. The Diärio do Governo (No. 140,16 June 1859) published the associated table of postal rates for mail exchanged directly or in transit between the two countries. This table also covered mail carried by British packets to overseas destinations without passing through the United Kingdom.

For the current study, "Table I" (annexed to the Convention; reproduced äs Table (i; 2 here) is the most relevant äs it details the specific rates for mail sent in transit through the United Kingdom. Between Portugal (including the Islands of Madeira and the Azores) and the United Kingdom, mail could be sent by British packets (transatlantic route, peninsular route and the African coast route via Madeira). Alternatively, mail could be sent by land, through Spain and France, or by merchant ships.

Bild Postal Convention Seite 15

In Portugal, postage stamps served a specific purpose: the payment of inland postage for ordinary or registered mail. For mail that was sent by packet or ship, the inland rate only applied when the letter was posted outside of the port of embarkation. The inland rate was 25 Reis up to 1/8 ounce exclusive.

In the case of sending ordinary mail via Spain and France, a mandatory postage of 40 Reis was charged, by means of stamps, for each % ounce. Prepaid letters were sent by packets or private ships. Leiters sent via Spain with a lack of postage, äs long äs it was not less than that of a first rate letter, could be sent, but were subject to a fine, and the value of the fine was marked in black ink in English money. Letters to England could also be sent registered and, if so, they had to pay 100 Reis, by means of stamps, for the registration. This rate was in effect until 31 July 1866.

Mail sent in transit through the United Kingdom was regulated by Articles XVI and XVII of the Convention. Article XXVII mentions that for accounting purposes the conversion between Portuguese and British currency was carried out at the rate of 20 Reis per l penny. Article III, in turn, states that the exchange could be carried out in Portugal through the exchange offices of Lisbon, Porto, Funchal and S. Vicente (Cape Verde), and in the United Kingdom, in the exchange offices of London, Southampton and Liverpool.

In the United Kingdom, the postal changes introduced by the Convention were legalised in the Treasury Warrant of 14 June 1859, and published in The London Gazette No. 22275 on 17 June of the same year.

Bild und Titel Postal Rates 2 Seite 16

Understanding the accounting procedures for mail between Portugal and the USA requires examining the applicable postal rates between Portugal and the United Kingdom. These rates, detailed in the accompanying table (Table 3), governed mail flow in both directions and formed the basis for calculating transit charges for mail destined for the USA.

Bild und Titel Postal Rates 3 Seite 16

It is also important to highlight the designated offices for mail exchange. These offices, listed in Table 431, played a crucial role in facilitating mail transit between the two countries. Mail routed through Spain and France should be endorsed with the directives "Via Spain" or "Via France," respectively

Bild und Titel Postal Rates 4 Seite 16

Considering the data presented, it is possible to determine that the Portuguese postal administration charged, for the first rate, for a letter sent from Portugal to the USA, the following:

• When conveyed between Portugal and the United Kingdom by packet: 320 Reis, paid in cash, up to % ounce
• When conveyed between Portugal and the United Kingdom by ship: 320 Reis, paid in cash, up to 4/s ounce
• When conveyed between Portugal and the United Kingdom overland by Spain and France: 280 Reis paid in cash plus 40 Reis by means of stamps, up to 2/s ounce.

For the first case, the accounting was broken down äs follows:

• 160 Reis to be received by the British Post Office for sending from Portugal to the United Kingdom. Postage already included the British inland rate
• 160 Reis, equivalent to 16 cents, transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the country that supported the transatlantic packet
• In the USA, the recipient would still have to pay 5 cents for US inland postage.

For the second case, the accounting was broken down in the same way äs the previous one, but the letter could weigh up to 4/8 ounce.

For the third case, the accounting was broken down as follows:

• 40 Reis of Portuguese postage for sending by land via Spain and France
• 120 Reis to be received by the British Post Office for sending from Portugal to the United Kingdom. Postage already included the British inland rate
• 160 Reis, equivalent to 16 cents, of transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the country that supported the transatlantic packet
• In the USA, the recipient would still have to pay 5 cents for US inland postage.

This rate remained in effect until 31 Jury 1866. During this period, from l July 1859 to 31 July 1866, my census database records fifteen letters sent from Portugal or Madeira. Figure 4 illustrates one of only three recorded letters originating from Madeira.

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This folded letter (Figure 4) was written by George Welsh and addressed to his brother John George Welsh32. It was sent from Funchal, Madeira, to New York. Posted on 20 June 1865, it bears a blue double circular datestamp and an endorsement by the sender, "p. Str. Maria Pia via Lisbon & France," indicating the desired steamship route. The letter s journey began onboard the ship Maria Pia, arriving in Lisbon on 23 June33, followed by a transfer to the ship Douro34 that left on the same day to Liverpool35. Upon arrival in Liverpool on 29 June36, it was marked äs fully paid with an orange "tombstone" datestamp. On l July37, it was put on the Cunard Line steamship Persia, reaching New York on 12 July38. In Funchal, the sender prepaid the inland postage with a 25 Reis carmine stamp of the D. Luis I issue, cancelled with a circular barred numeral "51". This covered the cost of transport to the port of embarkation for a letter up to 15 grams. Additionally, the sender paid 320 Reis in cash, covering the cost of a letter up to 2/s of an ounce to the US. This payment is confirmed by the handwritten "1/4" in English currency and the oval "PAGO/OPORTE" mark. The 320 Reis postage paid by the sender was all credited to the British and can be broken down äs follows:

• 160 Reis equivalent to 8 pence to be received by the British Post Office for sending from Portugal to the United Kingdom by sea. Postage already included the British inland rate
• 160 Reis, equivalent to 16 cents, transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the United Kingdom (BR-PKT)
• In the USA, the recipient would still have to pay 5 cents for US inland postage.

4. Portugal: Entry into Force of the Decimal Metric System, 1860

Shortly after the Portuguese-British Postal Convention took effect, the Ministry of Public Works, Commerce and Industry decreed on 20 June 185939, that the decimal metric System would be implemented in Lisbon on l January 1860. The rest of the Kingdom and adjacent islands would follow suit on l March of the same year. This shift necessitated a revision of postal rates. By Letter of Law on 20 August 186l40, a new table of rates for mail and printed matter was established, harmonising charges with the new System of weights. These revised rates came into effect on 20 September 186l 41.

The adoption of the decimal metric System brought about specific changes to postal rates. Letters from beyond the Pyrenees arriving via Spain were charged 240 Reis for up to 7.5 grams, with an increase of 240 Reis for each additional 7.5 grams or fraction thereof. Foreign letters arriving on non-packet ships followed a different rate: 160 Reis for up to 15 grams, increasing by 80 Reis for every 7.5 grams.

For mail sent to foreign countries (except Spain) that transited through Portugal, inland postage was mandatory and payable with stamps. This inland rate was structured äs follows: 25 Reis for up to 15 grams, 50 Reis for up to 22.5 grams, and so on, with a 25 Reis increase for every 7.5 grams.

Importantly, mail covered by existing conventions — such äs those with England, Spain, and Belgium, äs well as mail sent on transatlantic and Mediterranean routes — remained subject to the provisions ofthose agreements 42.

Subsequently, on 21 January 1863, the Sub-Inspeccäo Geral dos Correios (Sub-Inspectorate General of Posts and Mails) announced in the Diärio de Lisboa No. 18 of 24 January 1863, that from l February of the same year, letters and printed matter other than newspapers, addressed to, or in transit via the United Kingdom of Great Britain, äs well äs letters and said printed matter received or sent by the English and French steamers of the transatlantic route, began to be weighed in grams, where the weight of 7% grams replaced that of % ounce for letters and the weight of 30 grams replaced that of l ounce for printed matter.

5. Cancellation of the Peninsular Line, 1862

Enhanced communication routes between Portugal and the United Kingdom led to the cancellation of the Peninsular Line in 1862. As noted in the Ninth Report ofthe Postmaster General on The Post Office, 1863, existing Services, including the transatlantic route to South America, merchant ships, and a daily exchange via France and Spain, were deemed sufficient for maintaining postal Connectivity with Portugal. Consequently, the Peninsular Service, which incurred an annual cost of £5,000, was discontinued.

The Portuguese General Post Office announced the termination ofthe Peninsular Line in the Diärio de Lisboa (No. 136,18 June 1862). This announcement followed notification from the British Post Office regarding the discontinuation of this packet service between Southampton and Lisbon. Despite this change, mail continued to be sent to Great Britain daily via Spain and France, and existing transatlantic routes and merchant ship Services remained operational. With the cancellation ofthe Peninsular Line, the overland route through France and Spain became the preferred method43 for postal transit between Portugal and the United Kingdom (Figure 5).

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Figure 6 shows an envelope sent from Lisbon addressed to Miss Lizzie Huber care of Jas. S Huber Esq, Philadelphia, postmarked on 16 September 1865 with a black double circular datestamp. This envelope was transported to Liverpool onboard the ship Braganza, departing Lisbon on 17 September 44 and

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arriving on 23 September45. Upon arrival, it was marked äs fully paid with an orange "tombstone" datestamp and promptly placed on the Cunard Line steamship Persza, that left on the same day46, reaching New York on the night of 3 October47. Next morning a postal clerk applied the black circular datestamp "5/OCT/4/N.YORK BR. PKT." showing that 5 cents was still due for the US inland postage.

The sender prepaid 320 Reis, covering the cost of sending a letter up to 2/s of an ounce to the US port of disembarkation via packet Service to England. This prepayment is confirmed by the oval mark "PAGOU DE FRANQUIA PELO PAQUETE" (Paid Postage by Packet) and the handwritten amount of "1/4" in English currency. The handwritten "Sets" denotes the inland postage fee in the US.

The 320 Reis postage paid by the sender can be broken down äs follows:

• 160 Reis to be received by the British Post Office for sending from Portugal to the United Kingdom by sea. Postage already included the British inland rate
• 160 Reis, equivalent to 16 cents, transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the United Kingdom (BR.pKT.)
• In the USA, the recipient would still have to pay 5 cents for US inland postage.

6. Currency Devaluation and the Impact on Unpaid Mail Received in the USA, 1863

During the American Civil War, currency devaluation posed a significant challenge to international postal agreements. While many countries had arrangements with the USA to settle accounts in coinage (gold or silver), recipients typically paid unpaid mail with US Notes48. However, wartime Inflation led to a devaluation of these notes, negatively impacting the postal administration's financial balance.

To address this issue, the US Congress passed a resolution on 3 March 186349, allowing for the payment of unpaid letters from certain countries (the United Kingdom, France, Prussia, Hamburg, Bremen, and Belgium) with silver or gold coin. Alternatively, recipients could still use US Notes but with an added premium to compensate for the devaluation. This premium, calculated daily at international mail offices, ensured that the postal administration received the correct value in coinage equivalent Postmaster General Montgomery Blair announced this resolution in a circular to postal agents in April 186350, with implementation beginning in May.

7. Additional Portuguese-British Postal Convention of 1866

A new postal convention between Portugal and the United Kingdom, effective l August 186651, mandated prepayment of postage for mail to the USA with the use of stamps. The Portuguese General Post Office announced the new rates in the Diärio de Lisboa (No. 160,19 July 1866), detailing the charges for prepaid mail originating from Continental Portugal, the islands of Madeira and the Azores, and other overseas provinces on the west coast of Africa, sent in transit through the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The United Kingdom formalised these changes through a Treasury Warrant issued on 23 July 1866, and subsequently published in The London Gazette (No. 23145, 27 July 1866).

In the context of this study, Table 5 shows the postage rates to the USA.

Table 5 Postage Rates

In order to be able to Interpret the accounting, which is often revealed in handwritten elements, it is also necessary to present the table of rates for prepaid mail to the United Kingdom (Table 6).

Table 6 Postage Rates

Furthermore, it is essential to partially transcribe Articles 3 and 4 of the Portuguese-British Convention, which refers to the accounting rates between Portugal and the United Kingdom:

Artide 3 - In exception to the stipulation made in article Ist preceding, it is mutually agreed that
international ordinary letters which may beposted either wholly unpaid or insufficiently prepaid
by means of Postage Stamps, shall beforwarded to their destination. For these letters there shall be
charged, on delivery, thefollowing increased rotes of postage, viz: In the United Kingdom a postage
ofeightpencefor euch single letter originating in Portugal, Madeira, the Azores, and the Portuguese
possessions on the west coast ofAfrica. (..) Insufficiently prepaid letters shall be considered äs unpaid
and charged accordingly after deducting the value ofthe Postage Stamps affixed to them.
Artide 4 - (...) The Portuguese Post Office administration shallpay to the British Post Office administrationfor
each single prepaid letter sent from Portugal, Madeira, Azores and overseas provinces
on the west coast ofAfrica, addressed to the United Kingdom:
• The amount of90 Reisfor those sent by land via Spain and France or by French packets, via
Bordeaux;
• The amount oflOO Reisfor those sent by British packets;
• The amount of60 Reisfor those sent by private ships.
(...)

Finally, it is essential to address the regulations with the specific arrangements52 ofthe additional Convention of 1866 that were signed in London and Lisbon on 8 June and 30 June 1866, respectively. Below are some ofthe relevant articles from the perspective of this study:

Artide I - Thefollowing shall be the regulations for the exchange ofmails between the British and Portuguese Post Offices:

1st. The office of London shall exchange mails with the offices of Lisbon, Funchal, and St Vincent
by British packet, with the office of Lisbon by French packet via Bordeaux, and with the offices
of Lisbon and Oporto by the route of France and Spain, äs well äs by private ship.

2nd. The office of Southampton shall exchange mails with the offices of Lisbon and St. Vincent
by British packet, and with the offices of Lisbon and Oporto by private ship.

3rd. The office of Liverpool shall exchange mails with the office of Funchal by British packet,
and with the offices of Lisbon and Oporto by private ships.

Artide VI (...) In Portugal 20 Reis shall be taken äs the equivalent ofeach penny.

Artide VIII - In addition to the local and date stamp with which all ordinary or registered letters
exchanged between the respective offices must be marked, such ofthose letters äs have beenpaid
to the destination shall bearplainly impressed on the address another stamp with the initials PD.

Table 7 Auswechslung über

Tabelle 8 Account rates

This rate remained in effect until 31 December 1867. Between l August 1866 and 31 December 1867, my census database records only six letters sent from Portugal, Madeira, or the Azores. The only recorded examples from the Azores and Madeira during this period are shown below.

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Figure 7 illustrates a paid letter from Ponta Delgada, Azores. It was postmarked on l November 1866, and was addressed to Guilherme Vieira Chibante, Boston. The envelope was included in the mailbags placed onboard the ship Leal towards Lisbon where it arrived on 7 November53. In Lisbon it was sent overland via Spain and France in a closed bag. In London the mailbag was opened and the envelope received a circular datestamp from the London postal administration indicating that the letter had been paid. It was then forwarded to Southampton where it was placed onboard the ship Germania of the transatlantic line HAPAG (Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Aktien Gesellschaft) on 14 November54. Upon arrival in New York, on the night of 25 November 186655, the mailbags addressed to Boston were forwarded, where they arrived the next day, corroborated by the circular datestamp "BOSTON AM. PKT./NOV/26/5".

In the Azores it was prepaid with two 20 Reis bistre stamps plus two 120 Reis blue stamps of the D. Luis I issue, curved ribbon, imperforate, totaling 280 Reis. This amount paid a letter of up to 7.5 grams from Portugal to the USA via Spain and France. The postage was valid up to the port of disembarkation in the USA. Handwritten in black, the accounting value of "1s Vid" (250 Reis) was to be paid by the Portuguese postal administration to the United Kingdom. A "16 CENTS" mark in red indicated the transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the USA by the British postal administration due to being transported by a ship under contract with the American government. In Boston the cover was postmarked with the value of "5" cents relating to the US inland fee, to be paid by the recipient, with an indication that it had been transported by an American ship (AM. PKT.). Of the transatlantic fee of 24 cents, the United Kingdom retained 3 cents and the USA 21 cents (16c + 5c).

Regarding the 280 Reis postage, the accounting rates are broken down into the following items:

• 4^d (90 Reis) for the British postal System for a letter sent via Spain and France up to 7.5 grams
• 16 cents / 8d (160 Reis) transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the US
• United Kingdom inland transit fee not charged twice and already included in the 4^d (90 Reis)
• Total = 1s Vad (4Vtd + 8d) = 250 Reis, the remaining 30 Reis retained by Portugal
• In the US, the recipient was still responsible for 5 cents inland postage äs the letter was only prepaid to the port of entry.

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The envelope shown in Figure 8 is a paid letter from Madeira, postmarked on 30 November 1867 and addressed to New York. In Funchal it was placed onboard the packet Ethiope of the African Steam Ship Co. returning from the west coast of Africa to Liverpool56-57. The voyage was affected by bad weather58 and the mailbags must have been delivered before reaching Liverpool, probably in Falmouth, and forwarded to London in order to reduce the delay. In London the mailbag was opened and the envelope received a circular datestamp (17 December) from the London postal administration indicating that the letter had been paid. It was then forwarded to Southampton where it was put onboard the ship Deutschland of the transatlantic line NGL (North German Lloyd) on 17 December59. It arrived in New York on the morning of 30 December 60

The letter was prepaid in Funchal with a pair of 80 Reis orange plus a 120 Reis darkblue stamp of the D. Luis I issue, curved ribbon, imperforate, totaling 280 Reis. This amount paid a letter of up to 15 grams from Portugal to the USA by British packet or merchant ship. The postage was valid up to the port of disembarkation in the USA. Handwritten in red, the accounting value of "1s Id" (260 Reis) was to be paid by the Portuguese postal administration to the United Kingdom. A "16 CENTS" mark in red showed the transatlantic rate to be credited to the USA by the British postal administration due to being transported by a ship under contract with the US government. In New York the cover was postmarked showing value of "5" cents due for the US transit fee, to be paid by the recipient, with an indication that it had been transported by an American ship (AM. PKT.). Of the transatlantic postage of 24 cents, the United Kingdom retained 3 cents and the USA 21 cents (16c + 5c).

Regarding the 280 Reis postage, the accounting rates are broken down into the following items:

• 5d (100 Reis) to be credited to Britain for a letter sent by British packet to England up to 15 grams
• 16 cents / 8d (160 Reis) transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the US
• United Kingdom inland transit fee not charged twice and already included in the 5d (100 Reis)
• Total = 1s Id (5d + 8d) = 260 Reis, the remaining 20 Reis retained by Portugal
• In the US, the recipient would still have to pay 5 cents for postage from the port of entry.

Figure 9 Seite 25

Figure 9 illustrates another envelope but this time sent via ship to England. This envelope originated in Lisbon and was addressed to Miss Eliza Ramsden, Easton (Glendon Iron Works), Northampton Co., Pennsylvania. At the top, an endorsement by the sender, "by steamer", indicated the desired route. It was postmarked on 17 September 1866 and received a black double circular datestamp of the Lisbon post office. The envelope was placed onboard the Lamport & Holt ship Kepler, returning from South America, that left Lisbon on 18 September61, arriving in Liverpool on 24 September62. Upon arrival, it was marked äs fully paid with an orange "tombstone" datestamp. In Liverpool it was placed in the mailbag for the Inman Line steamship City ofNew York on 26 September63, reaching New York on 10 October.

In Lisbon the sender prepaid the envelope with two 100 Reis lilac stamps, a 10 Reis yellow, and a 50 Reis green of the D. Luis issue, plus a 20 Reis bistre, curved label issue, totaling 280 Reis. This amount paid for a letter of up to 15 grams from Portugal to the port of disembarkation in the USA by British packet or ship. Handwritten in black is an accounting value of "lld" (220 Reis) to be paid by the Portuguese postal administration to the United Kingdom. The handwritten value of "16" in red showed the transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the USA by the British postal administration due to being transported by a ship under contract with the US government. In New York, a postal clerk wrote "Due Sets", indicating the US fee to be paid by the recipient, alongside the circular datestamp "5/OCT/10/N. YORK AM- PKT". Of the transatlantic postage of 24 cents, the United Kingdom retained 3 cents and the USA 21 cents (16c + 5c).

Regarding the 280 Reis postage, the accounting rates are broken down into the following items:

• 3d (60 Reis) to be credited to the British for a letter sent by ship to England up to 15 grams
• 16 cents / 8d (160 Reis) transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the US
• United Kingdom inland transit fee not charged twice and already included in the 3d (60 Reis)
• Total = lld (3d + 8d) = 220 Reis, the remaining 60 Reis retained by Portugal
• In the US, the recipient was still responsible for the 5-cent inland fee äs the letter was only prepaid to the port of entry.

Figure 10

Figure 10 shows another paid letter, this time from Lisbon and addressed to Milesburg, Pennsylvania. Postmarked on 26 November 1866, the letter was included in a closed mailbag sent via the North & East railway line to Badajoz, then through Spain and France.

Upon reaching London, the mailbag was opened and the envelope received a red circular datestamp (l December 1866) indicating that the postage had been satisfied. That same day, it was forwarded to the Cunard steamer CubaM. The steamship arrived in New York on the morning of 13 December65 where a postal clerk applied the black circular datestamp "N. YORK BR- PKT7DEC/13/5" before the letter proceeded to Pennsylvania.

In Lisbon, the sender prepaid the 280 Reis rate, covering a letter up to 7.5 grams carried via Spain and France, using two lilac-mauve 100 Reis stamps of the D. Luis I issue and an imperforate orange 80 Reis curved ribbon stamp. This postage paid for carriage to the US port of entry. Handwritten in black, the accounting value of "1s Vid" (250 Reis) shows the amount to be paid by the Portuguese

postal administration to the United Kingdom. The transatlantic sea rate is not visible, perhaps due to aging or wear. In New York the envelope was postmarked showing the value of "5" cents due for the US inland fee, to be paid by the recipient, with an indication that it had been transported by a British ship: "BR- PKT". Of the transatlantic fee of 24 cents, the United Kingdom retained 16 cents and the USA 5 cents.

Regarding the 280 Reis postage, the accounting rates are broken down into the following items:

• 4Vid (90 Reis) for the British postal System for a letter sent via Spain and France up to 7.5 grams
• 16 cents / 8d (160 Reis) transatlantic sea rate to be credited to the United Kingdom
• United Kingdom inland transit fee not charged twice and already included in the 4%d (90 Reis)
• Total = 1s %d (4J/2d + 8d) = 250 Reis, the remaining 30 Reis was retained by Portugal
• In the US, the recipient would still have to pay 5 cents inland postage from the port of entry.

Kapital 8 seite 27