Packet Letters. The Cunard Line, 1833-1886. The last Admiralty packet left Falmouth on 6 June 1840, Thereafter Cunard steamers assumed the transatlantic route under contract to the Admiralty, using Liverpool as their home base. From January 1848, Cunard’s transatlantic service altered weekly between Boston and New York, however after July 1848 the New York steamers did not stop at Halifax. There are five different routes. Route 4, July 1854-December 1867. At this time Cunard stopped at Halifax on its bi-weekly run to New York, its bi-weekly service to Boston stopped at Halifax on the return trip only. Therefore, Bermuda received its mail by Cunard steamer from Halifax only once a month. Depending on the connection, mail on the “regular” New York-bound trip arrived in about 18 days while mail brought by the “intermediate” Boston-bound trip had to wait two weeks at Halifax and took 33 days.. The “regular” route was G.B.-Halifax-Bermuda-St. Thomas-Bermuda-Halifax-G.B.. The “intermediate” route was G.B.-Boston-Halifax-Bermuda-Halifax-G.B.. There was no direct organised service from the United States to Bermuda from 1854 until 1868. Mail was carried on an ad hoc basis from New York depending on availability. Some was carried through Halifax or St. Thomas. Direct services began on a private contract basis in 1868.. Route 4 North of Bermuda not involving St. Thomas. Mail Between Bermuda, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. 1863 (22 Jan.) mourning envelope from Midshipman John Hemery Robinson, R.N. at Ireland Island to his mother on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, per Delta to Halifax, showing a fine strike of the previously unrecorded American-style 32mm. “paid at ireland island/bermuda” circular datestamp and with locally made handstruck “6d” (the latest recorded date of use) at upper right, both struck in red, the latter in error, the “6d” handstamp crossed through in blue crayon and replaced with manuscript “4” in red crayon, the correct pre-paid rate to Nova Scotia whilst in transit to New Brunswick, on arrival in Halifax then handstamped “more to pay”, the 4d. charge being for the sea postage only, and with “5/cents” handstamp and manuscript “5” in blue crayon, all on face, the reverse with Ireland Island (22.1) and St. Georges (24.1) PM5 datestamps, St. John (date unclear) and arrival (2.2) datestamps. A remarkable cover that was only discovered in amongst an original family correspondence in the mid-1990s. Photo Notes: Midshipman Robinson died late in 1870 at the tender age of 25 whilst serving as a Lieutenant on board H.M.S. “Endymion”. He was buried in the Sea of Japan. in 2000 Geoffrey Osborn provided evidence confirming the purchase of an Ireland Island Paid datestamp in records for the year ending October 1863, the cost of the instrument being £1/19/6d.. . Literature: Original correspondence from Morris Ludington and Geoffrey Osborn. . “An Unrecorded "PAID AT IRELAND ISLAND” datestamp by Denis Littlewort, “Bermuda Post”, Part 1 - September 1995, Part 2 - December 1999 and Part 3 - September 2000. The complete 3-part article provides a comprehensive & important story as regards the cover, unique datestamp, & analysis of postal and manuscript markings. . “Bermuda - An Extraordinary "Paid at Ireland Island” handstamp by Denis Littlewort, Gibbons Stamp Monthly, December 2001. “Bermuda Mails to 1865”; A Ten-Year Update by Michael Forand and Charles Freeland… (Estimate 16000 - 18000)
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