The Application form for the New olony in South Australia ...

© Pat Grimwood-Taylor 2017

The Application form for the ‘New Colony in South Australia’ from the Colonization Commissioners

(Rowland Hill, Secretary). Of the 3 copies recorded, this is the only one in a private collection.

The form contained extensive information about the colony with a map and details about land sales.

Applicants had to supply details of skills, marital status, references (from a physician and reputable

people) and have their application signed by a priest or magistrate.

Contents

A Brief Historical Background - the first 30 years

The South Australian Post Office & Postal Services

Frame 1 Inland Mail

Frames 2 & 3 Inland Routes and Intercolonial Mail

Frame 4 Overseas Mail via the Capes

Frames 5 & 6 The Crimean War Period Clipper Mail & Overland Route

Frame 7 Overland Routes via Southampton and Plymouth

Frames 8 & 9 Overland Routes via Marseilles, Brindisi and Trieste

Frame 10 Overland Route via Brindisi

Frame 11 & 12 Overland Routes via Brindisi and Naples

Frame 12 Overseas Mail to the Far East & Pacific

Tables of Inland, Intercolonial and Overseas Postage Rates

South Australia and My Family

My great great grandfather, Abraham Scott, travelled to Adelaide in 1840 on board Appoline. His

elder brother, Thomas Pinsent Scott, had already settled in the colony having arrived in 1837.

Thomas had set up business in Port Augusta, whilst Abraham became a highly successful merchant

in Adelaide.

In 1854 one of their younger brothers, Henry, joined Abraham in his business. They were a

formidable duo - Abraham the ambitious entrepreneur, Henry the astute but philanthropic

businessman. Both entered the Legislative Council, with Henry becoming Mayor of Adelaide.

They married sisters, descended from the Gooch Baronetcy in Suffolk, and were amongst the

leaders of Adelaide society. Henry and his wife Emily had no children but adopted a daughter.

Abraham and his wife Eliza had one son, Tom.

Thus, when my interest in ‘old letters’ began, South Australia was an obvious choice. I was

fortunate enough to acquire an archive of original 1839-1842 correspondence and then the late

John Bell offered me his exhibit collection - refusing to auction it and insisting that an Australian

should own it!

In the last 25 years several items have been sold, and bought, including one cover addressed to

my great great grandmother. It is the only ‘family’ item in the collection, but I am still searching…..

Front cover - Adelaide 5.2.1857 to Bannockburn 6.4.1857 carried on E.A.R.M. ships.

6d. single rate + 6d. French transit up to ½ oz.

1

A Brief Historical Background - the first 30 years

The settlement of southern Australia had its roots in that period of British history which also led to

the introduction of penny postage, and in 1840, to the first stamp. In the early 1830s a group of

entrepreneurs set about petitioning the Government to endorse colonisation of a remote and

hitherto unsettled area by free emigrants, without any convicts. As such, it would be unlike any

other Australian colony. On 15 August 1834 the South Australian Colonisation Act received assent,

and the following year a Board of Commissioners was appointed to control land sales and

emigration. Its chairman was Col. Robert Torrens, its secretary was Rowland Hill.

On 9 October 1835 the South Australian Company was formed by George Fife Angas, a wealthy

merchant who was also a member of the Board of Commissioners. The Company’s purpose was to

finance and support the sale of land to emigrants; the initial price of 20s per acre set by the Board

had stifled interest and the S.A. Colonisation Act required that land sales totalling £35,000 were

required before the Government would formally consent to colonisation. Thus Angas and his fellow

directors bought over 37,000 acres of land on condition that the S.A. Company did not seek any

monopolies in the new colony.

In early 1836 the first three ships departed London and Liverpool, landing at Nepean Bay, Kangaroo

Island in July and August. They were financed and equipped by the S.A. Company, and almost the

entire complement of passengers and crew were employees, including the manager Samuel

Stephens, bookkeeper Charles Hare, a master builder and apprentices, boat builders, ‘overseer of

flocks’ etc. Within a few months it became apparent that the lack of fresh water would necessitate

a move to the mainland and when the Surveyor-General Col. William Light arrived in August 1836,

he decided on the mainland site that would become Adelaide.

By December 1836 nine vessels had arrived, bringing 552 people to the colony. The first Governor,

Capt. John Hindmarsh, proclaimed the settlement a ‘province of Great Britain’ on 28 December

1836 and had all legal authority; the Legislative Council which was appointed by him in 1840 had

advisory powers only.

In 1837 land allotments began in Adelaide, the first newspaper was printed, the Supreme Court was

established and the first church service was conducted by Rev. T. Q. Stow on 19 December. The

S.A. Company built roads, bridges, mills, wharves and warehouses, financing almost all aspects of

development, often in exchange for further acreage.

During the following two years the population rose to over 6,000; by 1841 it was over 15,000.

Their reliance on imported goods and the frequency of ship arrivals is evident in all their surviving

correspondence. In 1838 the value of imports was £158,582 and exports just £6,442. By the early

1840s the irregularity of ships calling at Port Adelaide, the fall of prices in Britain and some crop

failures caused severe economic hardship, with public expenditure far outstripping revenue. The

colony was on the verge of failure. However the discovery of copper in 1842 at Kapunda saw the

start of a reversal in the colony’s fortunes, with mineral exports gradually increasing. In 1844 the

wheat harvest exceeded the settlers’ needs, exports almost equalled imports and public revenue

almost equalled expenditure. When copper was discovered at Burra in 1845, the economic outlook

was bright and the colony’s future assured.

In 1851, the population of N.S.W. was 178,668; Victoria 77,345 (but that would triple in 2 years!);

Tasmania 70,130; W.A. about 7,000 and South Australia 63,700. Ten years later, N.S.W.’s population

was 350,860; Victoria’s was 538,628; Tasmania’s 89,977; W.A.’s 15,593 and South Australia’s

126,830.

2

The South Australian Post Office & Postal Services

The first postmaster was Thomas Gilbert, the storekeeper, who was appointed in 1836. No postage

was charged on outgoing letters or incoming letters, although 1d. was paid to ships’ captains.

In December 1838 Gilbert resigned and Thomas Watts was appointed Postmaster-General. The

undated ‘Crown & Lion’ postmark, issued to Adelaide post office, was used on all outwards mail.

The first local Post Office Act was passed in 1839 with all letters for delivery within the Colony being

charged 3d. The first post offices were located in Adelaide, Port Adelaide (which had a ‘Crown’

undated postmark) and Port Lincoln. The first letter carrier was also appointed. By 1841 a further

3 post offices had opened, and a scale of postage rates enacted in the 1841 Post Office Act. This

also instructed marking of the outward rate on all letters. A large oval datestamp was issued in

1842 and used in the 3 main offices, with postmasters in other townships marking letters in

manuscript. Mail routes south and north of Adelaide had been established; the eastern route

opened the following year. Mail to coastal towns were delivered by local trading vessels.

Inland mails were initially delivered weekly or fortnightly, with more frequent service by road and

then rail as townships grew. Advertisements for letter-carriers appeared in the South Australian

Government Gazette, along with detailed timetables. Circular datestamps replaced the large oval

d.s. in 1845, with town c.d.s. in general use from about 1850. The first stamp - the 2d. value - was

issued 1 January 1855. On 26 October 1855 the 1d. and 6d. values were issued. Initially all were

printed by Perkins Bacon in London. By 1857 there were 110 post offices in the Colony.

Early mails overseas were carried privately, there being no formal service or contracts apart from

those between Europe and the East Indies. The British Government felt no compunction to provide

a service to South Australia; there were no convicts and thus no troops. Whilst ships called often

at Sydney or Melbourne, calls at Adelaide were less frequent.

In 1853 the S.A. Government participated in the first contract negotiated with the P & O Steam

Navigation Company. Subsequent contracts with P & O, other shipping lines, and the routes taken

are described within this display. Generally mail was routed via Galle and Aden to Suez, overland

to Alexandria and thence either via Marseilles or direct to Southampton or Plymouth.

The Crimean War and the recall of steamers to transport troops resulted in a series of short-lived

contracts, single voyage contracts and non-contract voyages negotiated with clipper lines for mail

destined for Britain and Europe. The route altered as these sailing vessels went via Cape Horn,

although some steamers which still served the East Indies and sailed via the Cape of Good Hope

were used occasionally. Accountancy marks on surviving letters indicate what proportion of the

postage paid was allocated between Britain and South Australia, depending on whether the colony

contributed to the contract cost.

During the 1860s P & O’s 2nd and 3rd contracts omitted a call at Adelaide and mails were forwarded

either to Melbourne, or more usually to King George’s Sound in Western Australia to meet the

steamer. The Adelaide call was reinstated in 1874 when P & O signed their 4th contract.

Local Adelaide letter 25.5.1856

2 x 1d. first issue for town rate.

4

In the 1860s & 1870s several denominations of adhesives were printed locally, and overprinted as

necessitated by rate alterations. The government Departmental overprints were issued for use

from 1868-1874; 54 departments had overprints, but only 78 covers are recorded.

The Telegraph Department merged with the Post Office on 1 January 1870. The Australian Colonies

were in the midst of negotiations to connect with the rest of the world via telegraph cable; the

overland link being within South Australia from Port Augusta to Port Darwin. It was completed in

August 1872 and enabled communications to and from all the colonies via Adelaide.

Further conflicts in Europe in the 1870s necessitated a change in routes and mail was diverted from

Marseilles to Brindisi and later to Naples. However as South Australia prospered, other shipping

lines joined P&O and entered into contracts. The Orient Line began its service in 1877; finally

reliable, frequent carriage of mail was assured.

The Pacific route was not properly organised until 1870, and then via Sydney; earlier attempts at a

viable service floundered because of difficulties in re-coaling and the cost of subsidies to the

colonies. The advent of the Panama Canal, as with the Suez Canal, significantly improved transit

times and popularity of routes.

South Australia joined the U.P.U. on 1 October 1891.

The earliest of 4 recorded

‘P.S.’ Private Secretary

departmental overprint

covers, 11.5.1870.

The 9th of 13 recorded

‘S.M.’ Stipendiary

Magistrate departmental

overprint covers,

8.12.1871.

Adelaide 26.10.1860

to Whitehaven

15.12.1860

Local printings.

5

Frame 1 - Inland Mail

Inland Rates on a variety of mail is included; Town Letters, OHMS letters, Departmental Overprint

Usages (P.S. Private Secretary, S.M. Stipendiary Magistrate, E.B. Education Board, S.G. Surveyor

General, A.G. Attorney General, L.T. Lands Title), Sample Post and The Gold Escort Cover.

The first post office operated from the stores hut on Kangaroo Is., and then from Gilbert’s general

store on the mainland. Local town letters were charged 3d. until 1845, then 2d., including those

between the 2 main townships of Adelaide and Port Adelaide, 7 miles distant. Other letters were

generally 4d., but the rate depended on distance rather than weight. In 1854 the rate for all letters

became 2d. The first stamps (printed by Perkins Bacon in London) were issued on 1 January 1855.

The 3 main routes for mail delivery were the northern route, through Gawler, the Barossa Valley

(named by Col. Light), Clare & Kapunda to Burra and beyond; the eastern route to Mt. Lofty,

Hahndorf (site of the first German settlement), Crafers, Wellington and across to the Murray River;

the southern route down to Morphett Vale, MacLaren Vale, Willunga and Encounter Bay (the latter

being the terminus of the first country mail route established early 1839).

Townships on the coast, including those of Port Lincoln and Port Augusta on the Spencer Gulf, and

Robe, were serviced by local trading vessels with advertised schedules.

POST OFFICE PORT ADELAIDE

The Crown undated handstamp,

used 1841-1851. 2d. rate for

letters between Adelaide and

Port Adelaide from 1845.

The Gold Escort Cover – the only intaglio ‘GOLD ESCORT’ seal recorded on any gold rush mail

worldwide. From February 1852-December 1853 bullion was transported on 18 coach journeys

from Mt. Alexander, Victoria to Adelaide.

Bendigo, Vic. (undated) to Gawler, S.A. 12.8.1852, via Adelaide 9.8.1852.

6

Frame 4 - Overseas Mail via The Capes

Featuring the earliest (Feb 1837) letter from Kangaroo Is., in South Australia and other 1838 India

Letters to Britain. There being no formal contracts for the carriage of mail from the colony, mail

was taken by any ship that called- generally clippers linking with East India packets, or those sailing

via Cape Horn to the east coast of North America or Britain. Throughout the late 1830s and early

1840s deliberations took place between Britain and all the Australian colonies on the necessity,

practicality, cost and manner in which a regular service could be provided. As almost all

communications were by clipper at these dates, the entire process was obviously incredibly slow.

In 1844 the Toulmin brothers began a service from Britain to Sydney with return packets operating

from 1846; the South Australian Post Office directed that mail be forwarded from June 1847 to

Sydney. This service terminated in 1849 and it was not until 1852 that contracts for steamer

services were eventually agreed with the Australian Royal Mail Steam Navigation Co. (via Cape of

Good Hope every 2 months) and the Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. The A.R.M.s

Australian was the first steamer to leave Adelaide on 5 October 1852. The contract was shortlived

- less than a year- although non-contract sailings continued into 1853. P&O’s service, connecting

with its already established India route, was more successful and several further contracts were

negotiated into the 1880s. Early examples to Hanover, France, Canada and USA feature.

The earliest cover overseas from South Australia – from S.A. Co.’s bookkeeper Charles Hare,

on Kangaroo Is., 27.2.1837 to London 23.8.1837.

No outward rate marked.

Adelaide 30.12.1846 to

Nelson, NZ 7.3.1847 via

Wellington.

Crown Paid datestamp

used Nov 1846-April 1852.

9

The earliest recorded cover

to Canada

Morphett Vale 27.3.1846 to

Montreal 23.10.1846, via

Cape Horn to London.

Large oval GENERAL POST

OFFICE ADELAIDE S.A.

1st cds used

Feb 1842-May 1846.

The Toulmin Packet


London 28.8.1847 via

Cape Horn.

Port Adelaide 28.9.1853 to

Bordeaux 15.12.1853 via

Cape of Good Hope to

Falmouth.

Non-contract A.R.M. sailing.

Colonies & C. Art 13.


Hanover 4.7.1853 via

Cape of Good Hope to

London.

A.R.M.s final contract

voyage.

10

Frames 5 & 6 - The Crimean War Period Clipper Mail & Overland Route

The first P&O contract dated 1 January 1853 provided a service to and from the Australian colonies

linking at Singapore (later Galle) to the already existing route; the Chusan was their first vessel to

leave Adelaide on 13 April 1853. Concurrently other single voyage contracts were negotiated with

the General Screw Steam Ship Co., Gibbs Bright, White Star and others to fill the gaps created by

the termination of the Australian Royal Mail contract. There were also several ‘non-contract’

voyages used to carry mails. A formal longer contract with G.S.S.S. Co. which again provided a

service every 2 months was eventually signed in March 1854.

However, when the British Government recalled the steamers from the Australian routes to carry

troops during the Crimean War, P&O and G.S.S.S. were unable to fulfil their contracts. In order to

provide a mail service to the colonies, short-term and then longer contracts were negotiated with

clipper lines, mostly using the longer Cape Horn route.

In June 1855 the Black Ball Line and White Star Line contracted for monthly sailings until December,

thus providing 2 services each month. These contracts were renewed for a further year, but none

called at Adelaide and mail had to be forwarded to Melbourne.

South Australia refused to contribute to the cost on all the contracts (some being for one voyage

only), and so accountancy marks on letters denoted the share of postage due to Britain- either 5d.

of the 6d. rate if Britain paid, and 1d. if paid by the colony. If the cost was equally shared, 3d. was

noted. Multiple rate covers show accountancy marks of ‘6’ or ‘10’ (only one recorded of the latter).

During 1856, with hostilities in the Crimean War coming to an end, the Admiralty sought to reinstate

contracts using steamers on the Australian route. The European & Australian Royal Mail Co. was

awarded the contract, but due to logistics and economics and bad luck (their vessels Oneida and

Emeu both encountering difficulties), could not sustain the service and it was taken over by the

Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. from 1 July 1858. Neither company provided a call at Adelaide, so

again mails were forwarded to and from Melbourne. The route was via Suez and overland, with

ships landing mails at either Southampton or Marseilles. Mail via France attracted additional

postage and prepayment of postage was compulsory.

The increased speed and convenience of calling at Nepean Bay in South Australia was proposed and

eventually when P&O’s second contract was negotiated in 1859, South Australia regained a direct

overseas mail route but only until the following year, when it was again abandoned.

The earliest stamped

overseas cover


London 17.3.1855 on

G.S.S.S. Argo.

Strip of 3 first issue

(1 Jan 1855) 2d.

printed in London by

Perkins Bacon.

11

Black Ball Line contract

sailing of Marco Polo.

Greenock 17.3.1856 to

Hanover 24.5.1856.

1st issue 2d. and 6d.,

pen cancels!

Adelaide 22.9.1855

to Bury St. Edmunds,

Black Ball Line

Donald Mackay.

‘6’ paid in cash.

‘d5’ accountancy.

AUSTRALIAN PACKET

PAID LIVERPOOL cds.

Mt. Remarkable 3.9.1856

(m/s) to Catterick 30.12.1856

on White Star Line Red Jacket.

‘3d’ accountancy.


Exeter 22.9.1855,

Black Ball Line

Boomerang.

Registered (‘6’ paid

in cash); ‘5’ red m/s

accountancy.

12

Gibbs Bright Line sailing


Edinburgh 18.10.1857.

‘d1’ accountancy,

6d. local printing.


Mauritius 24.8.1864,

via Galle & Aden on P&O

from King George’s Sound.

1s. double rate, local printing.

European & Australian Royal Mail

Co. contract sailing


Devizes 9.10.1857.

‘d5’ accountancy.

Adelaide 10.3.1857

to Preston 9.5.1857.

Double rate, with

only recorded ‘d10’

accountancy.

This, and cover above, carried

on same voyage of

E.A.R.M. Co. European.

13

Frame 7 - Overland Routes via Southampton/Plymouth

Shortly after the commencement of P & O’s second contract, the Adelaide call was again terminated

after the June 1860 sailing. Mail was forwarded to King George’s Sound or Melbourne. The

situation did not change until the fourth contract in 1874. The route continued via Galle to Suez,

overland to Alexandria and on to either Southampton or Marseilles. Letters addressed to Britain,

Germany, Denmark and USA are included, along with Cross-Border (S.A. & N.S.W.) combination

covers to Britain. The Orient Line commenced their operations in 1877, with a call at Adelaide

and onwards via Suez to Plymouth.

The only recorded S.A./N.S.W. combination cover

with imperforate issues.

Moorna N.S.W. 21.7.1859

to Bristol 15.10.1859 via

Adelaide 4.8.1859.

The only recorded double rate

S.A./N.S.W. combination cover.

Wentworth N.S.W. 30.9.1872

to Scotland 5.12.1872

via Adelaide 2.10.1872.


Leipzig 22.7.1866.

2d. overseas printed

paper rate,

‘1’ credit from S.A.

14

Frames 8 & 9 - Overland Routes via Marseilles, Brindisi & Trieste

The early East India steamers connected with P & O steamers; mail being taken overland, and then

onwards to Marseilles. This same route (as an alternative to the Southampton service) was used

by the European & Australian Royal Mail Co., and the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. following the

Crimean War. Most mail for north America was carried on this route also, then by Cunard or Allan

Lines across the Atlantic as it was faster and more frequent than early trans-Pacific sailings.

The rate for the faster route was higher, and mail was endorsed ‘via Marseilles’.

In late 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War mail was diverted to either Brindisi or Trieste. Italian

steamers were used and the rate increased to 1s.1d. until December. Only 2 sailings were affected

from Australia.

In 1871, with the opening of the Suez canal and the adoption of the Brindisi route by P&O, the rate

was reduced to 9d.

Crafers 7.10.1876 to

London 30.11.1876.

Underpaid, hence 1/- hs

struck in Adelaide

(unrecorded).


Denmark 27.12.1879 via

Plymouth & London.

The earliest recorded cover to

Denmark.


London 28.4.1856.

MORE/TO/PAY

Franked 1s.8d. with

5d. due;

‘6/10’ accountancy to

Britain, ‘8’ to France.

15

Adelaide 11.3.1858

to London 4.5.1858.

1s. local printing.

Adelaide 11.11.1858

to Glasgow 5.1.1859.

Local printings 1d.,

2d. & 6d.

The earliest recorded

Late Fee cover.

3 x 6d. for 6d. rate +

French transit + 6d. late

fee to catch connecting

steamer to P&O Jeddo at

King George’s Sound.

Adelaide 26.7.1861

to Chipping Norton

16.9.1861.

1s.9d. triple rate.

16


London 31.10.1870.

1s.1d. rate required for

Brindisi route but

franked 10d. op. on 9d.


Buckeburg, Germany.

Franked 2s. for 1s. double rate

+ 1s. Austrian postage; 1/- in

red accountancy to Britain,

6 (Austrian schillings) inland

postage due.

Only 2 covers recorded

‘via Trieste’.


Wemyss Bay 22.3.1870.

Faint MARINE P.O.

Late fee 9d. + double 10d.

rate.


Pennsylvania, via

London & Boston.

17

Frame 10 - Overland Route via Brindisi

Further mail to Britain, Germany, Norway, France, USA and Canada carried under P&O’s 4th and

5th contracts and the Orient Line services. Covers with multiple frankings and overprints, cross-

border combinations, the hand-illustrated cover to Redditch and the unique Dead Letter packet

addressed to France are included.

The rate was reduced to 8d. from 1876 – 1882 and thereafter was 6d. Mail to north America

attracted an additional 2d. transatlantic postage. In 1883 the cholera epidemic briefly forced a

route change to Venice.


Norway via Bologna & Leipzig.

9d. rate + 4d. registration fee.

The only recorded cover to

Norway.

The only recorded Dead Letter Packet.

Adelaide 21.2.1880 to Paris 2.4.1880 via London & Calais.

Registered OHMS.

Adelaide

5.9.1878 to

Wemyss Bay

21.10.1878.

4s.8d. (op)

for 7 x 8d.

18

Adelaide 19.1.1882 to Redditch 28.2.1882.

2s.4d. for triple rate plus 4d. registration fee.


Caledonia, Lower Canada.

10d. op for 8d. rate plus

transatlantic 2d.


Prussia 28.10.1880.

3d. op.

Adelaide 26.6.1880

to London.

19

Frames 11 & 12 - Overland Routes via Brindisi & Naples

Includes mail addressed to Britain, Germany, Austria, Denmark and Russia, with newspaper

wrapper and printed papers, the book parcel from the Botanic Gardens and registered letters

carried by P&O (their 5th & 6th contracts) via Brindisi. In 1877 the Orient Line commenced their

service to Europe via Naples; thus South Australia had a twice-monthly steamer service for

overseas mail. The route via the Cape of Good Hope was therefore terminated in 1880 although a

‘long sea route’ was introduced in 1889 with a cheaper rate of 4d. for letters going direct to

Plymouth rather the quicker route via Naples. Other shipping lines also commenced operations,

such as the Norddeutscher Lloyd in the late 1880s.

In 1882 the Egyptian War caused steamers to be diverted temporarily from Naples to Plymouth.

The far north of the colony, the ‘Northern Territory’, had a permanent settlement from 1869;

originally called Palmerston but also known as Port Darwin. The construction of the overland

telegraph from Port Augusta had necessitated surveys and the establishment of a township on

Australia’s northern coast so as to facilitate the cable link with Netherland’s East Indies. The

overland telegraph line was completed on 22 August 1872, but mail addressed overseas was

generally sent via homebound steamers on the Torres Strait route to Sydney, and thence to

Adelaide to catch Orient Line or P&O vessels.


Tunbridge Wells 1.11.1886.

O.S. overprints replaced

departmental overprints in

1874.


Hannover 8.9.1883.

One of 3 disinfected

covers recorded.

20

Port Darwin, Northern

Territory 6.11.1886 to

London 3.1.1887 via

Sydney & Adelaide.

Via coastal steamers

to Adelaide for Orient

line Cuzco to Suez,

P&O Mongolia to

Brindisi.


Bethany, West Virginia USA

23.5.1882, via Plymouth,

London & New York.

8d. overprint for 6d. rate via

Plymouth +2d. transatlantic.

INSUFFICIENTLY STAMPED

VIA BRINDISI.


Copenhagen 19.8.1889.

The only recorded

registered cover to

Denmark.


Larnaca 24.3.1886,

via Suez & Port Said.

SHIP MAIL ROOM

ADELAIDE duplex.

The only recorded

cover to Cyprus.

21

Frame 12 - Overseas Mail to the Far East & the Pacific

Early mail to the East Indies and Far East was carried by sailing ships and then steamers to connect

with the existing P&O service. Two examples, including the only recorded pre-U.P.U. cover from

Adelaide to Hong Kong, are displayed.

In the 1840s-1860s letters addressed to the north American continent were carried on ships either

via Britain or occasionally direct across the Pacific on the infrequent sailing vessels. Steamers faced

the logistical difficulty of re-coaling and so early attempts to provide a viable service failed. It was

also faster to send letters addressed to the American east coast (including Canada) via the

transatlantic route prior to the opening of the New York-San Francisco railway in 1869. The Pacific

islands became strategically significant from the late 1860s onwards not only for their trading

potential, but also because of the safe harbours and coaling possibilities. Samoa was an example;

British, German and US interests all vied for dominance and established consuls and ports.

When contract negotiations and route discussions for the Australian service were being held in the

late 1850s, the route via Panama and across the Pacific was proposed as an alternative (or

additional) to the existing route via Suez. Rowland Hill campaigned against it, arguing that Victoria

received the greatest proportion of Australian mails and Melbourne was geographically closer to

Britain via Suez, than via the Pacific. It was also more economical given the coaling logistics, and

faster if mail went via France. The idea was abandoned and it was a decade later that the Australian

colonies agreed with New Zealand to fund a service across the Pacific and contracted with the

Pacific, New Zealand & Australian Royal Mail Co. Steamers left Sydney approximately monthly

from June 1866-December 1868 when the service ended due to the heavy subsidies and non-

profitability.

In 1870 the US consul in N.S.W. agreed with the New Zealand Postmaster General to establish a

regular Sydney-Auckland-Honolulu-San Francisco service and a contract was signed with the

Californian, New Zealand & Australian Mail Line. Letters were to be prepaid, 6d. per ½ oz. This

service lasted until 1873.

Further short-lived arrangements were made until 1875 when the Pacific Mail Steamship Co.

contracted to provide a service for 10 years. Mail was forwarded to Sydney to catch the steamers,

which called at Auckland, Fiji, Honolulu and San Francisco.

South Australia prematurely adopted the U.P.U. rate in 1 Jan 1891 for 37 days. On 1 October they

were formally admitted and the 2 ½ d. rate became a reality.


Hong Kong 23.6.1878.

2 x 3d. overprints + 2 x 9d.

for 2s. rate above ½ oz.

The only recorded cover

to Hong Kong.

22

Adelaide 30.4.1882?

to Apia, Samoa.

The only recorded

cover to Samoa.

Kapunda to Ontario,

Canada 22.5.1871, via

Sydney & San Francisco.

N.S.W. 6d. single rate,

10c US postage due.

Carried privately to

catch Californian, NZ &

Australian Mail Line

steamer from Sydney.

The only recorded S.A.

cover sent on this

service.

Adelaide 5.9.1887

to South Carolina

9.10.1887,

via San Francisco

1.10.1887.

Top Camp N.T.

25.1.1891 to

Wimbledon 9.5.1891.

‘TOO LATE’ at

Camooweal.

23

Inland Rates

Date Destination Rate to ½ oz.

1839 All town letters (Adelaide) 3d

Encounter Bay (first mail route) 6d

1841 Town letters (to 4 oz.) 3d

Local letters (up to 15 miles) and letters delivered by sea (eg. Pt. Lincoln) 4d

Morphett Vale (up to 20 miles) 5d

Gawler, Willunga, Noarlunga (up to 30 miles) 6d

Kapunda (up to 50 miles) 7d

Encounter Bay (up to 80 miles) 8d

Burra (up to 120 miles) 9d

OHMS and newspapers Free

1845 Town letters (to 4 oz.), Adelaide to Pt. Adelaide 2d

All other towns 4d

1854 All inland letters, inc. OHMS letters 2d

1882 Newspapers ½d

Intercolonial Rates

Date Route Rate

1838-1841 No outward rate marked 3d inwards N.S.W.4d inwards Tasmania

1841 Ship letter 6d to ½ oz., 3d per ½ oz. to 2oz.

1853 Ship letter or overland 6d

1861 Newspapers Free

1870 Ship letter 3d

1874 Ship letter or overland 2d

1882 Newspapers 1d

Overseas Rates

Date Route Rate

1838-1841 No outward rate marked

1841 All destinations, via Cape Horn or Suez direct to UK

6d to ½ oz., 3d per ½ oz. to 2oz. + inward rates

1854 Printed papers 2d

1839-1843 Via Marseilles to UK 2/8d per ½ oz. inc. French 10 dec.

1843 Via Marseilles to UK 1/4d per ½ oz. inc. French 10 dec.

1857 Via Marseilles to UK 1/- per ½ oz. inc. French 6 dec.

1863 Via Marseilles to UK 10d per ½ oz.

1869 Via Brindisi to UK 1/1d per ½ oz.

1870 Via Brindisi to UK / to France 9d per ½ oz. / 1/3d per ½ oz.

1876 Via Brindisi to UK / to France 8d per ½ oz./10d per ½ oz.

Via Brindisi or Naples to USA 8d per ½ oz. + 2d transatlantic

Pacific route to USA 8d per ½ oz.

1882 Via Naples to UK 6d per ½ oz.

Via Naples to USA 6d per ½ oz. + 2d transatlantic

Pacific route to USA 6d per ½ oz.

1889 Long sea route direct to Plymouth 4d

1891 All routes – U.P.U. 2½d per ½ oz. Postcards 1d

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The Application form for the New olony in South Australia ...

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Transcript of The Application form for the New olony in South Australia ...