US to Netherlands 1866 - Cover A Day

1866 envelope US to the Netherlands

   no contents 

Effective rate:  27 cents per ½ ounce : Jul 1866 - Dec 1867 

Mailed from: New York City, United States 

    probably Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn (based on docket on back)

Destination: Oostrum (Eastrum), the Netherlands 

    Oostrum "by" Dokkum in Vreesland (Friesland), Kingdom of the Netherlands

Route:

• New York City (foreign mail exchange office)
• NY & Havre Line - Arago  depart Dec 22, 1866
• Falmouth, UK January 3, 1867
• London January 5
• Dover
• Ostende, Belgium
• Moerdijk, Netherlands
• Oostrum

The "via Liverpool" docket was apparently ignored, taking the earliest available ship instead.  

****I am not certain what the "DE" after "via Liverpool" is referring to.  Any help would be appreciated. ****

N.York Am Pkt Dec 22(?) Paid

The New York exchange marking is difficult to decipher.  Using a combination of the London arrival date and available American packet sailings, the New York and Havre Line sailing fits.  Assuming normal procedures, New York exchange markings would list the scheduled departure date of the ship - in this case Dec 22.  The second numeral is indistinct, but what is there does not contradict the conclusion.

London, Jan 5, 1867

Dutch receiving mark

Unfortunately, the Dutch post receiving marking is also poorly struck.  We can only affirm the year (1867) of arrival.  At a guess, this might be a Dokkum receiving marking.

Rate breakdown:

• 6 cents - British Mail (equivalent to 3d in British currency)
  
•  5 Dutch cents - Dutch Mail (1d in British currency)
  
• 21 cents - US Mail
• 5 cents US surface mail
• 16 cents US contract sailing packet
  

red 6 applied in New York, likely crossed out in London

The red "6" was applied in New York City to indicate that 6 cents of the total postage was to be passed to the British Post.  The British then had to pass some of the postage to the Dutch, so they crossed out the "6" to avoid confusion and applied the "5" for the amount passed to the Dutch post.

red 5 applied in London

*****The red "8" on the back of this envelope doesn't seem to have a postal significance unless, maybe it's a carrier number.  Any feedback would be welcomed.*****

Address panel:

• Joh: Richter
• te Oostrum (Eastrum)
  
• by Dokkum
• Prov. Vreesland (Friesland)
  
• Koningryk der Nederlanden  (Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Verso of the Cover:

 

 On the back, there appears to be an address that probably tells us where this letter was sent from.  

• Mrs. ?.A. Richter(s?)
• care of Mrs D Plaatje
• Flushing Avenue, between Smith and Morrel St
• Williamsburg
• St (state) New York
• N. Amerika

The word at top right is probably "Liverpool," as in "via Liverpool."  

Perhaps the recipient put the address here so it could be used later.  It is certainly possible that this is NOT the address the envelope was sent from as it might be a new location that the letter writer could be found at.  But, a New York City (Brooklyn) origin fits reasonably well.

Geography of note:

Dokkum is located in northern Friesland.  Oostrum is 5 km to its East.  from Colton's 1865 map of Holland and Belgium

Oostrum has a current population under 200 and had 295 people in 1840.

Census information:

Examples of the 27 cent rate prepaid to destination - 2

This and one other that resided in Chip Gliedman's 12-cent 1861 collection are the only two examples I have recorded.  Any information on additional examples would be appreciated.

courtesy of Chip Gliedman

Examples of 24-cent stamp on a cover to the Netherlands - 2 (maybe 3)

The other is a single 24-cent stamp overpaying the 21-cent French mail rate (per 1/4 ounce).  That item was mailed in 1865 and was part of the Leon Hyzen collection.  

A third cover showing a double rate of either the British Open Mail 21 cent rate or the French Mail 21 cent rate may exist, but I have yet to confirm.

Available rate summary

Letter Rates - US to Netherlands

Effective Date	Treaty Rate	Unit	Mail System
Apr 1857 - Dec 1867	21 cents	quarter ounce	French Mail
Jul 1849 - Jun 1866 *	5 cents / 21 cents	half ounce	British Open
Jul 1866 - Dec 1867	27 cents	half ounce	British Mail
Oct 1866 - Dec 1867	17 cents	half ounce	US direct
Feb 1867 - Dec 1867	18 cents	half ounce	Bremen-Hamburg
Jan 1868 - Jan 1870	15 cents	half ounce	Dutch Mail

* British Open Mail was apparently available after June 1866, likely until Dec 1867.

Note: only the British Open Mail rate required payment of some postage by the sender.  All others could be sent fully paid or unpaid.

announcement in the July 1866 US Mail and Post Office Assistant

 The July 1866 announcement was actually repeated in the October 1866 US Mail and Postal Office Assistant, along with the announcement of the new rate via ships direct to Belgium.  The lines providing the direct to Belgium route weren't actually available to carry mail until 1867 and carried very little mail.  I have seen no examples of that rate paid or unpaid.

Oct 1866 announcement, click to enlarge

 The Bremen and Hamburg option was added in February 1867.  

Feb 1867 announcement, click to enlarge

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The Cover A Day-ish series provides an opportunity to analyze the details of a cover without too much additional text.  These posts are often used as a repository as I explore a particular item.