Lot
951 
(TransA - Ocean) (Discriminatory Rate) 1848 (Apr. 25) London, England to Petersburg, Va., folded letter with partial "Fenchurch St" receiving house handstamp, red London (4.25) and red manuscript "1/-" discriminatory packet rating, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Southampton May 6th to New York arriving May 22, upon arrival in U.S. blue manuscript "34" cent due rating for 24¢ American packet fee plus 10¢ inland postage, Very Fine and scarce discriminatory use, ex-Winter. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED COVERS CARRIED ON THE WESTBOUND MAIDEN VOYAGE OF HERMANN.
British charged 1 schilling outgoing packet fee even though letter carried on an American packet and British performed no service to carry the letter across the Atlantic. Americans called this a discriminatory charge since the sea postage was still to be paid in the United States. Continued use of this discriminatory rate on American packet letters caused the Americans to retaliate with a double sea postage (24¢ packet) on letters carried by British contract vessels in the last half of 1848. Since the letter cost was so high due to discriminatory rates, very few letters were sent from England to the U.S. on the American contract mail steamships before 1849.
Realized: $1,000