Arago: Steamship

August 26, 1872, envelope without contents posted at Youngstown, New York and addressed to London. Letter probably originated in Canada, across the border from Youngstown (an exchange office with Canada), but was taken to the Youngstown post office to avoid paying the Canadian fee. Letter carried by Guion Line steamship “Manhattan” from New York on August 28 to Queenstown on September 9, 1872. A red orange London datestamp shows arrival there on September 10, and that it was fully paid. A red orange circular datestamp on the reverse shows arrival at the London East Central Office on September 11, 1872. The letter was paid 6 cents, the proper rate for a single-rate letter from the US to London, with a vertical pair of 3-cent green ungrilled National Bank Note Company adhesives. The arced U. STATES handstamp was applied at Youngstown, but was used in error. The US-Canada postal convention required this marking to show the country of origin for mail exchanged between the two countries. Perhaps it was used on this letter to show that it originated in Canada.