Page 302 - Sierra Leone to 1961 - The Collection
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The African Steam Ship Company and
British & African Steam Navigation Co. Shared Contract 1873-1879
1874 Weekly Service
29 October 1874 - Birkenhead to Wilberforce, Sierra Leone. Arrival backstamp of 15 November 1874 in Freetown.
Carried by the African Steam Ship Company SS Benin departing Liverpool on 31 October 1874.
Sent to the same addressee as the previous letter, but from a different correspondent. The backstamp shows a
transit time of 15 days.
The d1 accountancy mark was applied in red at Liverpool. This clearly indicates the return to the mail packet
arrangements and contrasts with the Liverpool 3d accountancy handstamp applied during the ship letter
period when the contract was being renegotiated.
From 1 June 1855 until 31 March 1879, the packet rate was 6d per half ounce.
