See RED TEXT ABOVE for world wide BANK TRANSFERS by WISE, PayPal also available. Contact on WhatsApp on 0066 0823715197
| Country: USA plus Consuls Clear Subject: COVER with STORY Clear | Sort: Newest listed first |
;) | MAIL TO CO-FOUNDER OF THE UNITED FRUIT COMPANY, Jamaica postal history 1891 cover with U.S. 5c with SWAMPSCOTT MAY 13 1891 to Capt. L.D. Baker, Port Antonio, Jamaica with Boston (MY 13), Kingston (MY 23) and Port Antonio (MY 24 91) b/stamps, reverse stained. The actual history of the UFCo does not start until its foundation in 1899 but the “legend” of the Company goes back to May 1870 when Captain Lorenzo Dow Baker, a well-known Yankee sea captain and owner of the two-masted schooner “Telegraph” arrived in Jamaica from his home port of Wellfield, Massachusetts and filled spare deck cargo space for his return trip to New Jersey with 160 stems of bananas purchased at 14 cents each. On arrival in Jersey City he found they readily sold on the quayside at $2 per stem, and so began Captain Baker’s interest in the banana industry. Six years later in 1876 Captain Baker joined forces with Andrew W. Preston to found the Boston Fruit Company. Some 20 years later forces were joined with Minor C. Keith who had built a railroad in Costa Rica and was using it to transport bananas from the plantations. The three men, each giants in their own field, evolved plans to form a new Company, and on the 30th March 1899 co-founded a new firm, to be called the United Fruit Company, with assets of some 213,000 acres of land in the Central American Republics, some 110 miles of railway, a small fleet of ships and approximately $11,000,000 in capital. Captain Baker’s initial 160 stems of bananas turned into 17,000,000 stems being shipped annually for consumption in the USA by 1899. £140 |
;) ;) ;) ;) ;) | CONFEDERATE sloop-of war transfers YANKEE P.O.W.s to DANISH brig, St. Croix postal history 1863 letter written April 13 by semi-literate Dudley K. Dow to his "mothere" Mrs Thomas Dow, Deer Isle, Maine, USA stating that he had been taken by the Felardy (his hearing/understanding for the Florida) and "Cent in to Cante Croix", his postscript in ink confirms that his stay on the island has been dull "the times hire is dool" but mentions "we shell leave here to day For home", posted in small envelope, slightly trimmed at left, with handstruck SHIP and "5" (due) in black and landed with red BOSTON/MY 6/MASS d/ring. On March 12th 1863 the Danish brig “Christian” took into St. Croix prisoners recently transferred from the Confederate States Steamer (C.S.S.) “Florida”. The “Florida” was a sloop-of-war serving as a highly successful commerce raider in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. She was built in Liverpool and departed England 22 March 1862, and after a collision with a United States Army Transport troop ferry sank on 28 November 1864. The Florida captured 37 prizes during her short impressive career. Two books cover this event: “The Life and Services of John Newland Maffitt” (captain of the C.S.S. Florida). On Page 283 of the journal is mention of capturing the bark M. J. Colcord from New York bound Cape Town on 30 March 1863, and their transfer to the Danish brig Christian some 37 hours later on 1 April 1863. “The High Seas Confederate” book, Page 83, confirms that Maffitt captured “a propaganda” ship, the M.J. Colcord on 30 March 1863, transferring provisions from the prize, that the master of a Danish brig agreed to take all the remaining prisoners, and that Maffitt burned the M.J. Colcord. £6500 |
;) | Mail to the "U.S.S. Michigan" (Fenian Raids/Canada), MALTA postal history 1872 cover marked "Via Italy & Germany" to a U.S. Naval Lieutenant on the U.S.S. Michigan, Erie, Pennsylvania with GB QV 1d, 3d, 6d pmk'd Malta "A25" duplex dated B/NO 18 72 showing London Paid (NO 26) but without arrival backstamps, small corner fault. U.S.S. Michigan was the first iron-hulled ship in the U.S. Navy and was built in response to the British Government arming two steamers in response to the Canadian rebellion in the late 1830's and operated on the Great Lakes out of Erie, Pennsylvania. Irish immigrants in the Fenian Brotherhood, after the American Civil War, saw their opportunity to attack the British Empire at their weakest point on the borders with Canada, and seize a sufficient portion of Canada to form a belligerent government recognised by the United States. In early June 1866, 850 Fenians led by Col. John O'Neill crossed the Niagara River. Battles with Canadian Volunteer Forces and British regiments were fought at Ridgeway and Fort Erie, and with some 2,000 to 3,000 re-inforcements unable to cross from Buffalo the raid was effectively over. In 1866 the 'Michigan' intercepted and interned the army of the Fenian Brotherhood as it returned from its invasion of Canada near Buffalo. £625 |
;) ;) ;) | Wreck of the 'Schiller' (Hoboken N.J, Scilly Isles, Germany's "Titanic"), Canada postal history THE ONLY RECORDED WRECK COVER ORIGINATING FROM CANADA marked "Via United States" with Small Queen 2c green x 2, QV 6c brown x 2 pmk'd HALIFAX N.S. A/AP 22 75 duplex to The Manager, The Imperial Bank, Lothbury, London taken from the wrecked S.S. Schiller on the Retarrier Ledges, Scilly Isles to London where red London Paid 10 MY 75 cds applied, reverse with handwritten contemporary endorsement of "This Envelope was down in the Sr. Ship Schiller wrecked on a rock off the Scilly Isles in the month of May 1875". Accompanied by a wonderfully easy to read pre-owned copy of "The Victorian Titanic". £3000 |