BSAP Bulletin Oct 2018 V3 · 2018. 10. 7. · BSAP BULLETIN xxxv OCTOBER 2018 Vol. 73 No. 5 NEWS...

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The Bulletin The British Society of Australian Philately Founded 1933 CONTENTS CONTINUING RESEARCH ON THE GV 1D VARIETIES (Part 51) by Gordon Monk, Bert Wajer and Paull Kaigg ……………………………….…………………...................99 POSTED AT RAILWAY SIDINGS UPDATE by R. Buchko ……………………….….104 WHAT IS A DIE PROOF, AND WHAT IS ITS TRUE VALUE? by Richard Guy ACCCF ………………………………………………………….............106 IS THIS THE FIRST AERIAL POST TO AUSTRALIA? by Alan Whittaker ………113 THE DH 66 FLIGHT FROM PERTH TO DARWIN IN 1931 What really happened to my cover. by John Sims……………………………...……….116 SOME ASPECTS OF AUSTRALIAN MAIL CONTRACTS 1844-1860 by Colin Tabeart (Part 6)………………………………………………………………....117 A NEW EARLY DATE FOR THE VICTORIA 20 CENTIME TAX MARK by Patrick Reid......................................................................................................................124 FROM THE EDITOR……………...…………………………………………...…..........124 ISSN 0953 5578 VOLUME 73 NUMBER 5 October 2018

Transcript of BSAP Bulletin Oct 2018 V3 · 2018. 10. 7. · BSAP BULLETIN xxxv OCTOBER 2018 Vol. 73 No. 5 NEWS...

Page 1: BSAP Bulletin Oct 2018 V3 · 2018. 10. 7. · BSAP BULLETIN xxxv OCTOBER 2018 Vol. 73 No. 5 NEWS AND NOTES OCTOBER 2018. OPEN LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY. September already, and the

The Bulletin

The British Society of Australian Philately Founded 1933

CONTENTS

CONTINUING RESEARCH ON THE GV 1D VARIETIES (Part 51) by Gordon Monk, Bert Wajer and Paull Kaigg ……………………………….…………………...................99 POSTED AT RAILWAY SIDINGS UPDATE by R. Buchko ……………………….….104 WHAT IS A DIE PROOF, AND WHAT IS ITS TRUE VALUE? by Richard Guy ACCCF ………………………………………………………….............106 IS THIS THE FIRST AERIAL POST TO AUSTRALIA? by Alan Whittaker ………113 THE DH 66 FLIGHT FROM PERTH TO DARWIN IN 1931 What really happened to my cover. by John Sims……………………………...……….116 SOME ASPECTS OF AUSTRALIAN MAIL CONTRACTS 1844-1860 by Colin Tabeart (Part 6)………………………………………………………………....117 A NEW EARLY DATE FOR THE VICTORIA 20 CENTIME TAX MARK by Patrick Reid......................................................................................................................124 FROM THE EDITOR……………...…………………………………………...…..........124 ISSN 0953 – 5578 VOLUME 73 NUMBER 5 October 2018

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2292. CONTINUING RESEARCH ON THE GV 1D VARIETIES (Part 51) by Gordon Monk; Bert Wajer and Paull Kaigg (1727) Pane 6 # 14 1st State Proof – 7 July 1914 (1st half of 1st printing) 1a Top Left Corner. Island flaw inconstant and variable in size. 1b Bottom Left Corner. A large dot off the corner with a line extending under BF to L126,

inconstant. 1c Top Left Corner. A dot off the corner ¾mm above TF, inconstant. 1d Top Right Corner. A vertical line of 3 dots above TF right of RF, inconstant. 1e Bottom Right Corner. A horizontal line under BF from just right of RF to point of RVS,

inconstant. 2nd State 28 July 1914 (2nd half of 1st printing) – Late Single wmk. Green 1a as before. 1b to 1e removed. 2a Left Frame. Very slightly overhangs the general line of the frame for 5mm from TLC

then abruptly returns to normal, variable. 2b Right Frame. Shaved for 1mm above BF into corner, very variable. 2c Bottom Right Corner. Late in the print run a compartment dot appears under the corner

in line with RF. Later another larger dot appears on RF almost on the corner, inconstant and variable.

2d Top Left Corner. Late in the print run one or two dots appear off the corner, inconstant

and variable. 2e Cross. Top dished on 37% of sample. Late in the print run a compartment dot appears

over TLC, inconstant. 2f Top Frame. Abrupt curve inside left of right v-scroll found on 46% of sample,

inconstant. 2g Top Right Corner. Late in the print run a compartment dot appears over the corner.

Later it becomes a short curved line, variable and inconstant. 2h Shade Lines. A break in the 5th clear line above emu’s back 2mm from RF found on

15% of sample, inconstant. 2j Right Frame. A compartment dot appears late in the print run at R57-58, inconstant. 2k Bottom Frame. Late in the print run a compartment line appears from BLC to BRC,

inconstant. 3rd State Late Single wmk. Green – Final 2a to 2k as before. 3a Left Value Shield. Two small scratches in upper right side of shield intruding

into the solid colour around the numeral 3½mm above BF and 6mm from LF, variable.

Note 2k similar to 6-13. More information required on 6-13 2c and 6-14 2k. Issued Nov 2001. Revised Nov 2005. More info added May 2017

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Pane 6 # 14 cont.

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2631. POSTED AT RAILWAY SIDINGS UPDATE by R. Buchko (1219) Fellow BSAP member Ken Killeen has been updating the list of Australian states’ markings of items posted at or to localities where no postal facilities existed. His previous articles, including re-publishing two ACCCNSW ones, can be found in previous BSAP Bulletins1. I subsequently updated the information on the Bringagee siding marking in BSAP article 2510 – February 2014 and added several new ones including: Bugilbone, Green Swamp, Gunnedah, Hallett, Jincumbilly & Yagobie in BSAP article 2544 of August 2015. The last of my update articles published in the June 2017 BSAP Bulletin extended the time line (earliest usage) for the Charlton siding. Extending the Green Swamp siding time line One of my ongoing current interests is in the NSW cut-down relief date-stamps. While searching the on-line archived auction catalogs of both Phoenix Auctions and Premier Postal Auctions I found a Premier lot (56-789) that offered a “Posted at/Green Swamp Siding” cover. It wasn’t the cover I documented in article 2510. Although addressed in the same handwriting and posted to the identical addressee it was posted 5 months later, almost to the day, employing the same handstamp (see Figure 1). We now have a short usage time line for

this siding’s handstamp. Fig. 1

Extending the 245 Mile siding time line A few months ago I acquired the “Posted at 245 Mile” cover shown in Figure 2 and documented by Mr. Killeen in his February 2012 BSAP article. Although the date of the Adelaide backstamp is not completely visible I believe the date is “23 AP 32” as seen in

Figure 3. I’ve enlarged the “Posted in late (fee bag)” handstamp cancelling the 2d Geo. V stamp (see Figure 4). The usage date of the 245 Mile handstamp can now be extended from March 1928 to at least April 1932. Another “Posted At Sandy Creek/No Post Office” cover

A Sandy Creek cover posted on the train is shown below (see Figure 5). It’s an early use from the late 1930s and adds to the existing time line of two previous examples documented in Jack Leek’s

1 December 2010 – article 2402, October 2011 – article 2420 & February 2012 – article 2420

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2632. WHAT IS A DIE PROOF, AND WHAT IS ITS TRUE VALUE? By Richard Guy ACCCF

The recent Spink sale in London of Arthur Gray’s gold medal winning predecimal Queen Elizabeth II collection contained nearly all the errors worth collecting, as well as containing an amazing number of die proofs from this period. Of the 191 lots offered, 104 were listed as die proofs. There were several different types of die proofs, and this got this author thinking “What is a real die proof?”. This author can think of at least five different types offered in this sale. If they are all considered “die proofs”, then their values cannot be the same surely, despite their scarcity. This paper looks at this Gray sale, and discusses the differing types of production of a die proof.

1. The real die proof. The author has always considered those sunken cards containing an imperforate printing using the original die before printing of the new stamp, to be a real “die proof”, as listed in Brusden White (Ref. 1). These were presented to various people, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for inclusion into the Royal collection, and then to other dignitaries such as the Governor General of Australia, the Postmaster-General, members of the stamp advisory committee, and so on. There were only about 6-9 copies of each die proof ever distributed. Those who were presented with a copy are listed in Brusden White (1) after the listing for die proofs, and stamped on the back with an RBA Note Printing Branch stamp, and a number, so a record of who received each die proof initially was made. See figure 1 for a die proof of the QEII 3d issue of 1959 with its stamp on the back.

Figure 1. Die proof as issued on 14.4.59 for the 1959 QEII 3d issue, with CBA Note Printing Branch stamp on the back, indicating number 23, presented to CW Davidson, Postmaster-General.

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NEWS AND NOTES OCTOBER 2018. OPEN LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY. September already, and the new cycle of the philatelic seasons begins. Stampex next week and the first meeting of our new season, that I shall miss as I shall be attending the RPSL President’s Dinner for the first time – and I have been a member for over 35 years. I look forward to the event in the Whitehall Banqueting Room. The logistics will be challenging, but I expect to survive! In the next issue you will receive the booking form for the 2019 Convention at the George Hotel in Lichfield. You will notice a larger than usual up-front sum is requested. That is because the Hotel has requested a £40 per person deposit that will be set against you bill when you leave. So it is just a drain on the cash-flow, not the absolute expenditure. Please do not be dissuaded from attending by it. Lichfield is a very pleasant compact city and the Hotel is very convenient for the city centre. I hope to see you there. I have been underwhelmed by the response to my appeal in the last issue. Why am I not surprised? I am seriously concerned that, apart from Alan Griffiths who is older than me, there is no one that has experience of organising a convention. It is all very well to write down the instructions, but there is always some detail that is missed out, because the person writing the instructions assumes that something is obvious. The paper on “The Future of Philately as seen in 2018” that was presented at this year’s Congress in Gateshead, and to which I contributed, has been well received here, in Europe (it has been translated into Italian) and in the USA. Based on feedback, we shall be working to enhance it. We shall also work with others, hopefully the ABPS, to bring to fruition some concrete results that will enhance the spread and appeal of our hobby (obsession?) I hope that you had a good Stampex (by the time this is published) and enjoy the coming year. I look forward to seeing you at Convention in 2019. PGER 10/9/18

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FORTHCOMING MEETINGS London meetings are held at the Royal Philatelic Society, 41 Devonshire Place, W1G 6JY, At 5.00 for 5.30 Wednesday 10th October 2018 Ian Spencer from Bristol will present “A look at Australian Exhibitions” Wednesday 14th November 2018 Richard Berry FRPSL with British Civilians Interned in France during WW11 Saturday 8th December 2018 Christmas Meeting – with Members Displays Members are invited to bring along short displays of up to 36 sheets. Christmas Supper to follow, partners are welcome to join us. South West Section Meetings at Greyfriars Centre, Ringwood at 2.30 Meet at the Fish Inn Ringwood for lunch. Saturday 3rd November 2018 Our President Tom Gillespie entertains with “Aspects of Western Australia. BRITISH SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIAN PHILATELY Membership Secretary List of Changes to Membership Database.

Period: 10th July 2018 to 9th September 2018 NOTIFICATION 160

Change of Address: 1766 Price M within Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex New members: 1846 Guido de Meneghi East Melbourne, Victoria Resignations: None Reinstated: None Changes of address: None Advised Corrections of address: None Advised Resignations: None Memberships lapsed – not renewed (rule 3(e)): None Removal of members for other reasons (rule 3(g)): None Deceased: 485 John Cresswell (Society Fellow and Life Member) 46 Guido de Meneghi East Melbourne, Victoria

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AUSTRALIAN PHILATELY IN PRINT #5, 2018. A list of articles found in Journals & Bulletins held (or seen) by the Librarian (Periodicals). AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH COLLECTORS CLUB OF NEW SOUTH WALES, Vol.57, No.2, June 2018.

Art.3717 – The Specimen Sets of Australian Decimal Stamps – Ian Fuary ACCCF. Art.3718 – Bar Codes on Australia Post products – D Collyer ACCCF. Art.3719 – Melray vintage jam label design – D Collyer ACCCF. Art.3720 – 1d King George V die 1 substituted cliché: is it makeready or not? – J Bozic. Art.3721 – 1937-50 3d blue and 3d brown KGVI plate numbers – G Kellow ACCCF. Art.3722 – Australia-England second class airmail and other services – D Collyer ACCCF. Art.3723 – 1 ½ d King George V die1: plating of 10L37 – W Fiora. Art.3724 – an Commonwealth Decimal Sie Proofs – Richard Guy ACCCF & Geoff Kellows ACCCF. Art.3343 (cont) – 1d KGV plate varieties and compartment markings – Gordon Monk, Bet Wajer & Paul Kaigg. Meeting Minutes for 19 March, 16 April & 21 May 2018.

THE AUSTALIAN AEROPHILATELIST, No.113, July-September 2017. Editorial – Ross Wood. Adelaide to Gawler Airmail Centenary Events for Thursday 23 November 2017. AAMC 202d – the DH66 flight from Perth to Darwin in 1931 – John Simms. 1945 Two Swedish Airmails to Australia – Ed Wolf. England-Australia airmail routes during WW2 – Ed Wolf.

APF NEWS, July 2018. President’s Column – John Moore. Vale: Ross Wood FAP (1945-2018). Bunbury 2019 National One Frame and Astro Challenge. Bill Fiora – 2018 APR Nomination. Richard Gurevitch – 2018 APR Nomination. APTA Page. Vale: John Sinfield MAP FRPSV (1942-2018). Philatelic Bequests. Newcastle Stamp & Coin Expo 2018.Israel Worl Stamp Championship 2018. Canberra Stampo Show 2018. Open Class Points – FIP update. ACT Shakespeare Award 2018 – Darryl Fuller. Hong Kong Stampex 2018. NSW Youth News. Exhibition Timetable.

AUSTRALIAN STAMPS PROFESSIONAL, Vol.12, No.4, 2018.

Editorial – Robyn Clark Newcastle Stamp & Coin Expo 2018. WW2 PH pt.3 – Early developments – Andrew Brockett. Vale: Ross Wood FAP (1945-2018). More Roos (further insights on the 2/-) – Peter van Meurs.

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Collecting KGV Penny Red Plate varieties – Dr Scott Starling. The G/NSW type A punctures Pt.6: Forgeries and suspect punctures on stamps other than KGV definitives– Tom Weir Steamer Schiller’s transatlantic tragedy Pt.1 – Brian Peace FRPSL APR.

CINDERELLA AUSTRALIA, Vol.32, No.2, Augustl 2018. From the Secretary – Paul Storm. Editor’s Page – Marilyn Gendek. In the Mail Box: Railway letter stamps- request for info from Vito Milana; Awali-Bahrain Giveaway Stamp from Peter Simpfendorfer; Pinapple Post from Howard Wunderlich Gugh Island Local Post – Howard Wunderlich. Racing Hall of Fame Inductees Pt.2 – Marilyn Gendek. Walking down the Footwear Path: Hosiery & Holeproof – Vito Milana. The Gutter Strip Pt.3: 2013-2017 – Richard Rathbone. Quotes from Cinderella Stamp Literature: Williams Brothers – Roger Eggleton.

CINDERELLA PHILATELIST, Vol.58, No.3, July 2018 Editorial – Ken Grant. WW1 Study Group Two tied WW1 covers (1915 Newcastle Australia Day labels on cover) – Vito Milana.

GIBBONS STAMP MONTHLY, August 2018. Book Review: “The Mysterious Philippe de Ferrai, Collector, Philatelist & Philanthropist by Wolfgang Maassen”. James Cook 250 – Alison Boyd. Kiwi Classic Cars – Christopher Moor.

GIBBONS STAMP MONTHLY, September 2018 Charles Nissen RDP (1881-1944) – Michael Peach. The Stuart Rossiter Trust – Susan McEwen FRPSL. Postal Stationery Matters (incl. NZ & NSW) – Peter van Gelder. Making a living on Pitcairn Island – Steve Pendleton.

THE INFORMER, Vol.82, N0.3, July 2018 Halfpenny Postal Rates of Australia - An Example - Nigel W Moriarty The Murray River System - Dale White More on the Trans-Currency Issues of Australia - Nigel W Moriarty The King and "I" at Christmas Part III - Janet Klug, FRPSL Members Bulletin Board President's Column - David McNamee

THE LONDON PHILATELIST, Vol.127, No.1457, July-August 2018. Museum update.

THE LONDON PHILATELIST, Vol.127, No.1458, September 2018. Museum update.

THE QUEENSLAND STAMP COLLECTOR, Vol.35, No.2, May-July 2018. Editorial – John Crowsley QPC News; APF News; Club Scene; Diary Dates; Where and When?; Exhibition Results.

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Talk Queensland – Receiving Offices – a sample – Craig Chappell. Registered Post – Joan Orr. 50 Years Ago – Jeff Gunston. Philately and Education – Paul Xavier. Gwen Dixon – an appreciation – John Crowsley.

THE QUEENSLAND STAMP COLLECTOR, Vol.35, No.3, August-October 2018. Editorial – John Crowsley QPC News; APF News; Club Scene; Diary Dates; Where and When?; Exhibition Results. Talk Queensland – Postal History of Queensland Post Cards (cont) – John Stein.. Registered Post – Joan Orr. 50 Years Ago – Jeff Gunston. Philately and Education – Paul Xavier. Dixon – an appreciation – John Crowsley.

THE SHILLING VIOLET, No.79, August 2018. Minnie Berrington – Andamooka’s first Postmistress – Stuart Wattison ACCCF. Unofficial usage of the Govenor General Frank Stamp in South Australia in July 1902 – Dr Donald Pearce FRPSL. The Bastard Pin (cut down beer cask) – AD Presgrave. Meeting Notes for 28 November2017, 6 February, 6 March, 1 May, 5 June and 3 July 2018.

THE STAMP LOVER, Vol.110, No.4, August 2018. How to handle the packet: Pt.4 Thank you, vendors and checkers. Book Review: “Jusqu’a Handstamps and other Route Indications, rev. ed. – Jan C ter Welte”.

STAMP TALK, Vol.44, No.2, August 2018. Minnie Berrington – Andamooka’s first Postmistress – Stuart Wattison ACCCF. AGM and Officers’ reports. Exhibition results. British Society of Australian Philately President’s Award to the King George V Study Group of Gordon Monk, Bert Wajer and Paul Kaigg. King George V research – Pane 6, Nos. 13, 14, 16, 17, 18 & 19 – Bert Wajer, Paull Kaigg & Gordon Monk.

AEC.

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AUTOBIOGRAPHIES 20. Huw Williams

I was born in Hammersmith in 1965, son of a bank cashier and nurse. We lived in Hammersmith for 18 months before moving to Hampton Hill. Working for the bank had its perks as dad was able to afford the house with a mortgage given to employees only. Both my mother’s parents moved in as well as her eldest brother who sadly died within a couple of years. I went to local schools, finishing up at Rectory Comprehensive, ending up with a few CSE’s, went to night school and got an O level without pressure from parents, to prove what I could have accomplished. During this time, I went to Heatham House Youth Theatre in Twickenham where I met Sean Pertwee (he was in Oklahoma, the musical) and his father (one of the best Doctor Whos). The Youth theatre went on two trips to the United States and on the second one we were the

first Richmond Borough group that visited Richmond, Virgina after being twinned. I started work straight away after finishing school for a government department, everyone’s favourite, Inland Revenue (now HM Customs and Revenue). I was a clerical assistant for four years and then started a new career as a Police Officer for the Ministry of Defence. I mainly worked in the London area for 15 years, before I transferred to Surrey Police, where I worked out of Staines and Guildford HQ. After 17 more years, I retired from policing last October. I was first introduced to stamps by my grandfather, who bought me my first album (which I still have). He also used to soak stamps off paper bundle them up in 100’s and send them to a dealer. This is how we were taught to count as he always laid them out 10 x 10. I never did much collecting through my teen years, but when I first became a police officer the station I was at had a club off sorts and a packet. I was first interested in BWI, then changed to Papua, because of the lovely Lakatoi issue, then tried my hand at Bermuda GVI Keyplates and the 1935 Silver Jubilee omnibus issue. It wasn’t until 1996 that I chose my collecting destiny. In Toronto, I attended CAPEX and went to a couple of meetings, one of which was about Rhodesia. I was hooked. I joined the Rhodesia Study Circle and haven’t looked back. Postmarks are my main theme and I then started to look at other countries and noticed that the Australian Colonies had a lot of different postmarks. This then became my second point of interest and why I joined BSAP. I now hold the position of auctioneer for both societies. I’m currently the President and Treasurer of my local club, Treasurer of the Federation of Surrey and I also took up full time dealing (I was part time for over 15 years). I named my business (Potterspostals) after my uncle as I found out he was the one who had been the stamp collector in the family. His name was Harold Potter or Harry to his friends., so I can say I knew Harry Potter before any book came out. I learn something new every day. I enjoy playing chess and spending time with my family. Happily married for 13 years with two daughters. The one other hobby I really want to get back into is modelling (of the plastic variety!). So many kits to make and now I should have the time to build them.

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2620. SOME ASPECTS OF AUSTRALIAN MAIL CONTRACTS 1844-1860 By Colin Tabeart (1806) (Part 6)

First Continuous Black Ball Contract, June-December 1855 On 9 April 1855 a contract was agreed between Viscount Canning, Postmaster-General, and James Baines of Liverpool, ship owner, for a ship to leave Liverpool every month from June until December 1855 for Melbourne, and return2. The key points of the contract were:

1. The voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne was to be performed within 68 days. 2. Mails were to be conveyed to Sydney and Adelaide within 5 days of arrival at Melbourne, at

the contractor’s expense, but with the written consent of the Postmaster of Melbourne. 3. An additional 2 days was allowed for the return voyage if via Cape Horn. Mails to be

delivered in Liverpool within 73 days of the first mail from either Sydney or Adelaide, or 75 days if via Cape Horn.

4. A fine of £30 per day late was to be levied. 5. Baines was to receive half the postage on letters, and ½d per newspaper. 6. The ships were to leave Liverpool on the 5th of each month (6th of November).

First White Star Contract, June-December 1855 This was agreed a month after the Black Ball contract, on 9 May 1855, and may be found in POST 51/28. The terms were practically identical with those for the Black Ball contract, except that the sailing date from Liverpool normally was to be the 20th of each month, also commencing in June.

Fig 22. June 1855 Melbourne to Hungerford by the Boomerang, 104 days. Arrived at Liverpool during the “retaliatory rate” period, so backstamped with the unpaid version of the Liverpool Australian Packet marking and charged full one shilling collect.

2 POST 51/27

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Fig 23. Another cover by the Boomerang, this time from Sydney, where the accountancy rules were followed and 5d credited to the UK for a British packet. The PAID version of the Liverpool stamp confirmed the letter was paid to destination. Return Dates The Tasmanian newspaper Cornwall Chronicle for 20 June 1855, quoting “an English paper”, reported: “The two principal houses in the Liverpool trade have arranged for despatching their celebrated clippers promptly twice a month, the Black Ball Line on the 6th and the White Star Line on the 20th of each month. The departures homeward will be equally regular, the necessary instructions having already been given to the agents abroad.” The dates set are believed to have been the 10th and 25th of each month from Melbourne, but no corroborating evidence has yet been found for this. Information to the UK Public A GPO Notice was issued towards the end of May3 1855 announcing that: “Arrangements have been made for the conveyance of Mails to Australia, twice in every month, during the remainder of the present year, by Clipper Ships from Liverpool, the Owners of which have entered into a Contract with the Postmaster-General for this service. The Mails for Australia will be made up in London, on the evening of the following days, viz., June 4th & 19th : July 4th & 19th : August 4th & 20th : September 4th & 19th. : October 4 & 20th : November 5th & 19th : December 4th & 19th. “The packets will, in each case, leave Liverpool, on the succeeding days. “All Letters and Newspapers for New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Van Diemen’s Land and New Zealand, will be forwarded by these Packets, unless addressed to be sent by any other opportunity. The Packet rates of postage will be chargeable on Letters so conveyed, but Newspapers will not be liable to any Postage. Those Postmasters, whose instructions direct them to forward Letters to Liverpool by cross-post, will send, in the same manner, letters, &c., posted at their Offices addressed to Australia.” This Notice first appeared in the Daily Packet List on 31 May. Reference to the sailings tables will show how closely the Black Ball and White Star lines kept to their departure dates.

3 POST 107; GPO Notice 37/1855

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It is interesting to note that the Post Office made a significant loss on each newspaper, of which many thousands were sent on each voyage. Not only did they have the cost of conveying them to Liverpool, but also of paying the contractors ½d per newspaper. The Government was clearly keen to let expatriates know what was going on at home. The Contracts for 1856 Although negotiations had been going on for some time, the actual contracts were not signed until very late in the year, that for the White Star Line being dated 21 December 18554. Its provisions mirrored the agreement made with the Black Ball Line, and were as summarised below:

1. The contract was for 12 months, for monthly mails to be conveyed from Liverpool to Melbourne, to be delivered to the Postmasters of Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide at the contractor’s expense.

2. Mails were to be delivered at Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide within 78 days of leaving Liverpool. Mails for Geelong to be landed at Port Phillip Heads weather permitting. If not, to be forwarded by steamer direct from the packet, to arrive within 24 hours of arrival at Hobson’s Bay.

3. The penalty for not leaving Liverpool on the due date was to be £100 per day. The penalty for not delivering within 78 days was £20 per day late.

4. The contractors were to be paid half the letter, book, or packet postage, and ½d per newspaper; they were also to receive £20 for every day that the service was completed in less than 78 days.

5. The contract was terminable by the Postmaster-General at any time by giving six weeks’ notice in writing. This proviso allowed for the return of contract mail steam ships, the date of which could not be predicted at the time of making the contracts with the Black Ball and White star Lines.

There are some interesting differences between these and the earlier contracts. The time for delivery was greater, and the penalties for late delivery smaller, reflecting experience gained during 1855. The time allowed to Melbourne was not specified, merely the time to complete the overall service to all three ports. Presumably penalties were chargeable if the time to any of the three exceeded 78 days. The most significant difference, however, was the complete absence of provision for homeward mails, this being left for the colonies to organise. The Postmaster-General’s Report for 1856 stated, on page 24, that the contractors had declined to undertake

regular conveyance of the homeward mails. “The latter mails, however, the Colonial Postmasters

will be able, without difficulty, to forward (though probably not at fixed times) by private ships.” Messrs Baines, Pilkington & Wilson wished to seek whatever profitable return cargoes they could get, and not sail until reasonably loaded, rather than be tied to a fixed date for the relatively low returns given by the postal contract.

Victoria placed contracts for return mails on a single voyage basis, but none of the other colonies did. The aim was for two return voyages a month on regular dates, but this was never fully achieved. The Melbourne Argus for 19 May 1856 reported: “The Postmaster-General is authorised to treat, on the part of the Government, with owners or agents of ships for the conveyance of the mails to London or Liverpool, on the 10th and 25th days of June proximo. By his Excellency's command. Signed Charles Sladen, Treasury 17 May 1856.” The voyage of the Sardinian was mentioned in a later edition of the Argus as being under contract, leaving Melbourne on 25 June. It was not readily apparent to the post office staff in England what ships returning from Australia were contract packets and which were private ships. The President’s Order Book5 for 10 December 1856 says: “Should it appear, upon the arrival of any of the ships which took out the Australian

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