The Origin Of The
p. 70 · Read in the full issue
"Tin Can Mail"
Letter to the Editor THE article “Tin Can Mailman,’’ pub lished in your January issue wants an exolanation. Mr. C. S. Ramsay, manager for Morris, Hedstrom Ltd., at Haapai, never claimed to be the maugu rator of the famous “Tin Can Mail at Niuafoou. Nor did Mr. Arthur Tmdale adopt this mail system.
Twenty years before Mr. Tmdale came to Tonga as a salesman for W. Barnard, at Nukualofa, a Mr. W. Travers was trad ing at Niufoa for the firm of Ostermann Dervy & Co., Sydney. He arranged with the Tongan Government that Mr. w.
Hettig, Senior . should solder the mail m a kerosene or a biscuit tin, and tnat cap tain Croshaw, of TS “Opulu” would drop the tin overboard when close to tne landing-place at Niuafoou and that natives would swim out for the tin.
Mr C. S. Ramsay was the only Euro pean, while living in Niuafoou who swam out to the steamer, and who delivered and accepted the mail. Mr. who used to trade for B ur n s Pliilp (SS) Co., Ltd., at Niuafoou, established the “Tin Can Island Postal System, which became world-famous.
I am, etc.,
F. T. Goedicke-Van Asten.
Haapai, Tonga, 11/3/48.