Information Sought

Ship Post Offices—

• Letter to the Editor IN the course of enquiries about Pacific Islands postal arrangements, I was informed by the Postmaster, Ocean Island, in 1935, that there have been op erative, in years past, at least two ship board travelling post offices in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.

One, aboard ss “Archer”, of the Pacific Islands Company, functioned with their super-cargo (who?) as postmaster, from 1-1-1898 to 31-12-1900. What postage stamps were sold, I am not certain.

The other, in charge of Captain Pilling ship’s master, was in commission aboard the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Govern ment vessel, “Tokelau”, 4-2-1912 to 19-19-1912, it being recorded that revenues from the sale of stamps came to the total of £194, Who has photos, with histories, of these ships?

Can any reader tell us what cancellation was applied to letters posted in these shipboard post offices; was the name of the vessel used, either by rubber stamp or penned notation, to deface the postage? lias anyone, now, old letters bearing these shipmarks, to describe for us?

It is understood that there have been, and are even to-day, many instances wherein late and loose letters, originat ing in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, and other Pacific areas, were and are posted directly at shipside, handed to ships' officers who cancel the stamps with their vessels’ names, ho can describe, and send us some such letters?

I am etc.,

Vernon Leyoung Ardipf.

Farmville, Virginia, USA.