HAWAII, Tahiti to France via Honolulu. Small cover with clear strike of “Poste Aux Lettres (Tahiti) 27 Janv. 55” double-circle datestamp with date in manuscript, neat red “Honolulu * U.S. Postage Paid * Feb. 24” circular datestamp on cover originating in Tahiti and sent to Cognac, France, addressed to “Madame Louis Roy chez M Dalmazy Laine” with original letter datelined “Papeete le 26 Janvier 1855”, “San Francisco Cal. 31 Mar.” circular datestamp, red crayon “28” (26c for transatlantic service via American Packet pus 2c ship fee from Hawaii), red “New-York Am. Pkt. May 2” circular datestamp, Calais transit datestamp (May 15), light strike of “8” decimes due handstamp, Paris (May 15) and receiving (May 16) backstamps, manuscript “1855/7” may be receipt docketing, trivial edgewear

VERY FINE. ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS FROM TAHITI THAT WERE SENT VIA THE HONOLULU POST OFFICE, OF WHICH ONLY TWO HAVE BOTH TAHITI AND HONOLULU POSTAL MARKINGS. THE TAHITI “POSTE AUX LETTRES” MARKING IS ALSO EXTREMELY RARE.

This cover and another to Rochefort with similar markings were carried in the same mail packet, so we shall describe their travels together. They were brought from Tahiti to Honolulu on the steamship City of Norfolk en route from Melbourne to San Francisco via Tasmania, Tahiti and Honolulu. The City of Norfolk left Tahiti on Jan. 28, 1855, and arrived in Honolulu on Feb. 16, where she docked until continuing her trip to San Francisco on Feb. 24. The mail from Tahiti entered the Honolulu post office and the covers were datestamped on Feb. 24. The City of Norfolk arrived in San Francisco on March 19, and from there the mail was carried to Panama on the PMSC John L. Stephens, which departed March 31 and arrived April 13. After crossing the isthmus on the new Panama railroad, the covers were carried to New York on the USMSC George Law (renamed Central America in 1857), which departed April 15 and arrived April 24. At New York they were placed on the Collins Line’s Pacific, which departed on May 2 and arrived at Liverpool on May 13. After the channel crossing to Calais, they entered the French mail system and were delivered to the addressees (8 decimes due for ship-letter postage).

Mail between Tahiti and Hawaii was exchanged in accordance with a postal treaty signed on Nov. 24, 1853, and printed in The Polynesian on Dec. 10. The impetus for negotiating a postal treaty between Tahiti and Hawaii was Honolulu Postmaster Whitney’s desire to be reimbursed for U.S. postage he paid to San Francisco on letters and newspapers sent between the U.S. and Tahiti via Honolulu. Accounts were maintained between the three postal entities which facilitated reimbursement.

Three covers from Tahiti to Honolulu are recorded. One is a newspaper wrapper from Tahiti to R. C. Wyllie in Honolulu, which he forwarded to the United States outside the mails, probably by diplomatic pouch (ex Pietsch). Only the two covers to France dated Jan. 27 have both Tahiti and Honolulu postmarks. The other (addressed to Rochefort) was recently offered in our auction of the Golden collection (Siegel Sale 1009, lot 97).

Illustrated and described in the Gregory book (Vol. 1, pp. 316-317). With 2001 Sismondo certificate.

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