1856 (16 Feb) entire letter to Scotland bearing imperf 6d 'Woodblock' (2, one just touched at top) endorsed 'Per 'Hellespont'/Via Singapore'. P&O withdrew Contract ships during the Crimean War, thus the only way in which mail could be routed to UK via the Far East was to link up with the P&O Far East service, ships destined for India or the East. The 'Hellespont' and 'Kennington' are the only two voyages identified which made the journey, and as the former off-loaded mail at Singapore (rather than the P&O Ceylon connection), the British P.O. imposed additional charges, indicated by circular 'MORE/TO/PAY' applied below stamps, with adjacent mss. '6' and '8'. A new discovery of an item carried on this highly important routing, and perhaps the finest of the very few recorded
Lot 134
Estimate: $200
1865 (24 Apr) cover to England bearing 6d 'Netted Corners' and Laureated 1d and 2d tied by Melbourne duplex, underpaid by 1d, small circular 'MORE/TO/PAY' and 'Deficient Postage (mss. 1d)/Fine___' in blue, arrival backstamps, minor blemishes
Lot 135
Estimate: $125
1869 (29 Jan) cover to England bearing Laureated 2d strip of three with frame varieties tied by two strikes BN '40' (type A2) of Echuca, transit and arrival backstamps
Lot 136
Estimate: $150
1881 (16 Feb) cover Melbourne to Boulogne via Brindisi bearing Bell Perf 12 1/- Deep Blue/blue and ½d Rosine, arrival backstamp
Lot 137
Estimate: $125
1888 (13 Aug) cover to Switzerland bearing 6d Blue tied by '314' duplex of Lilydale, backstamps of Melbourne, Napoli, Locarno, Devio and straight-line arrival of Linescio, minor blemishes. Scarce village destination
