International Mail (8)

Another letter posted through the British post office at Havana, dated July 10, 1853, again addressed to Bordeaux. It was carried by Royal Mail Steamer Company packet Avon to Southampton, and then on to London. London did not record the arrival date, but the British exchange clerk did apply his box type “Colonies/ &c Art. 13” handstamp.

Vol I, p16: Havana to Bordeaux, France. 10 July, 1853.

In this case, the letter was placed in a sealed letter bag bound for Calais. At Calais, it was handstamped in red “Angl./ Calais, 2 Aout. 53,” meaning “English [mail arriving at] Calais [on] August 2, 1853.”

The French exchange clerk rated the letter “30,” meaning 3 francs due. The letter was apparently triple weight, weighing between 15 and 22.5 grams. The letter was then forwarded to Paris, where in turn it was routed back to Bordeaux, arriving on August 3. Its time in transit was about three weeks.