FRANCE and COLONIES PHILATELIST January 2010 Whole No
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FRANCE and COLONIES PHILATELIST January 2010 Whole No. 299 (Vol. 66, No. 1) Pre-Cursors of the French Post in Morocco See page 3. The Spanish Patrol See page 22. Gems from the Sacher Collection See page 20. 2 No. 299 (Vol. 66, No. 1), January 2010 France and Colonies Philatelist CONTENTS FRANCE and COLONIES PHILATELIST USPS #207700 ISSN 0897-1293 ARTICLES Published quarterly by the FRANCE AND COLONIES PHILATELIC SOCIETY, INC. French Post Office In Morocco: Affiliate No. 45, American Philatelic Society Précursors to 1893 (Larry Gardner) ............. 3 The France & Colonies Philatelist (FCP) is the official journal of John J. Sauer Revisited (Jeff Ward) ...................9 the France and Colonies Philatelic Society, Inc. Permission to reprint material appearing herein is granted provided that Deconstructing Catalogue Numbering proper credit is given to the FCP and the Editor is notified. (David L. Herendeen).................................. 16 Dues for U.S. addresses $20.00 per year ($22.00 using PayPal) The Spanish Patrol (Le Croisière d’Espagne) Dues for others: $25.00 per year ($27.00 using PayPal) (1936-1939) (Stan Luft) .............................. 22 Dues include a subscription to the FCP All communication about membership, subscriptions, publications, back issues, activities and services of the Society SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS should be sent to the Corresponding Secretary: Joel L. Bromberg From Nowhere to Nowhere P.O. Box 102 (Stephen T. Tucker)..................................... 12 Brooklyn, NY 11209-0102, USA The John Sacher Collection of All contributions to and questions concerning the contents and policy of this periodical should be sent to the Editor: West African Postal History....................... 20 David L. Herendeen 5612 Blue Peak Ave Las Vegas, NV 89131, USA OTHER FEATURES Phone: 702-658-8582, e-mail: [email protected] Pearls Before Swine ........................................... 8 OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY Book Reviews.............................................. 13, 21 President Kenneth R. Nilsestuen FCP Index to Volume 65 .................................. 14 e-mail: [email protected] Show Reports.................................................... 21 Immediate Past President David L. Herendeen Vice President Dr. Norval Rasmussen Member to Member .......................................... 25 Treasurer William W. Wallis SOCIETY NEWS Corresponding Secretary Joel L. Bromberg (address above) e-mail: [email protected] Membership Notices......................................... 21 Recording Secretary Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski President’s Letter ............................................. 26 Editor David L. Herendeen 2010: Big Year for FCPS? Associate Editor Vacant (David L. Herendeen)................................. 26 Assistant Editor (Colonies) Dr. Edward J.J. Grabowski Advertisers ....................................................... 27 Assistant Editor (Modern) Vacant Webmaster Kris Haagblom e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.FCPSonline.org Our Annual Meeting DIRECTORS OF THE SOCIETY is 19-21 November 2010 in Class of 2010 Class of 2012 Chicago, IL. Kay Gaetjens Dr. John H. Bloor John E. Lievsay Jeffrey C. Bohn For Details: Louis K. Robbins Dr. Martin F. Stempien, Jr. CHICAGOPEX.COM Periodical Postage paid at Publications office, P.O. Box 102, Brooklyn, NY 11209-0102 Mark Your Calendar Now!. An additional entry office at Platteville, WI 53818 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Publications Office noted above France and Colonies Philatelist No. 299 (Vol. 66, No. 1), January 2010 3 French Post Office In Morocco: Precursors to 1893 Larry Gardner (FCPS 3061) ost FCP readers may immediately think of French Morocco when the M subject of Morocco arises in the context of France and her colonies. However, prior to the French taking over the Cherifien Post in 1912, the French established a postal agency within the French Consulate Office at Tanger in 1852. This article presents a study of the precursor cancels and covers1 used until 1893 when the French Post Office opened nine Postal Agencies2 in Morocco. At that point, Tangier became the Recette Principal (first class Post Office) and the stamps of France were surcharged in Spanish currency: pesetas and centimos. Figure 1. Dated 29 Sep 1852, this is the earliest known cover from the Consular post office in Tangier. As was the normal policy for these times, each of the British and French Consulates provided cover is cancelled 21 August 1880, fully 28 mail service, both incoming and outgoing, for years after the introduction of the cancel. their respective countrymen until an official Desbat3 indicates he has seen an 1879 cover Agency was subsequently opened. Fig. 1 shows with this mark and the letter within says “at the earliest known cover from the Tangier that time there were only 30 French people Consulate Post Office to Oran. It is dated 29 living in Tangier.” That is precisely the reason September 1852. This is one of only four for the scarcity of covers during this period. known outgoing covers with the Tanger/* cancel. There is also a single discovery copy of As mentioned above, the consular office its use as a receiver. This cover was exhibited handled both incoming and outgoing mail. at the International Exhibition in Malaga, Illustrated in Fig. 3 is an example of a Spain, in 2007. forwarded letter written from the shipping company Pastré Frères in Marseille to Carried by commercial ship, the manuscript “3” represents a disembarkation charge. In addition to the consular cancel, a mobile maritime cancel Tanger/Oran-21mm double circle was in use from 1852 to 1881, and struck on unstamped letters. In all probability, the cancel was applied en route. At this time, Tangier was subordinate to the bureau at Oran. Fig. 2 shows this cancel on an unstamped letter to Oran. This cover was rated 5 decimes upon arrival. Cancels are in black or red, this is one of four known covers with this cancel in red. Note that this Figure 2. The Tangier cancel in red. 4 No. 299 (Vol. 66, No. 1), January 2010 France and Colonies Philatelist Casablanca. Written 2 May 1856, it was sent to Gibraltar and forwarded by Horatio Sprague to Tangier and the French consulate. It was endorsed on the front by H. Cotelle who was either the acting Consul Général or the acting Chargé d’Affaires, according to the historical text archive on the internet by C. R. Pennell.4 The name Charles Jaggerschmidt appears beginning in 1853 along with H. Cotelle whose name appears as acting chargé d’affaires. In 1855, Jaggerschmidt was replaced by Gustave Figure 3. Forwarded letter dated 2 May 1856 from de Castillon. No date of arrival for de Castillon Marseilles to Casablanca via Gibraltar. is noted and no replacement for Cotelle is mentioned. Because of the endorsement on this letter, it has to be assumed he was still in one of the positions or both on a temporary basis until the arrival of Castillon. The Tangier Post Office was now a bureau de distribution using the Tanger/Algerie perle cancel as seen in Fig. 4. The 24mm dotted outer circle in black was used from 1856-1884. This cover was routed via Oran which explains the use of this cancel. There are only three known copies in private hands and two in the famous Zoumeroff collection at the French Postal Museum. The cover is backstamped Oran/Algerie 15 March 1873 and Marseille 20 March 1873 and is rated 10 upon arrival. Fig. 5 shows a letter from a French soldier to Figure 4. Letter showing the bureau de distribution his sister relating a battle during what is cancellation of Tangiers known as Napoleon’s third campaign, some of Figure 5. French military letter relating a battle during what is known as Napoleon’s third campaign, some of which took place in Algeria. France and Colonies Philatelist No. 299 (Vol. 66, No. 1), January 2010 5 sent by the British Post overland to France, thus no French cancel was applied. This points out the cooperation between consuls at this time. Transit cachets are Madrid 26 September and Bordeaux F. Arrival at Marseille 28 September 1872 and 6 decimes payable by the recipient. France in 1795 decimalized their currency to 1 franc=10 decimes=100 centimes. In addition, decimes were to be marked in black and centimes in red. Thus, the amount due in black is 6 decimes. The cover shown in Fig. 7 illustrates how a Figure 6. Illustration of 6 décime overland rate. letter either posted at sea, posted at the docks, or handed to the ships captain was handled. It which took place in Algeria. For a few weeks was cancelled with the maritime marking the French troops crossed over the Algerian Outre-Mer and the port of entry. The red boxed frontier to hunt down rebels who had taken PD indicates postage is paid to destination. refuge in the area of Oudja in Morocco. The Written in Tangier 8 November 1873, it is above cancel was used by the Corps. for this cancelled in Marseille upon arrival with the short period of time. The franking has been Outre-Mer Marseille 15 November 1873 receiver lost but indentations on the cover indicate the and the stamp cancelled with the gross chiffre killer cancel CEMA in lozenge form had been (GC)2240 of Marseille. It was then entered into struck on the missing adhesive. The cover is the regular mails with final arrival Bordeaux backstamped Oran Algerie 5/Nov/59 and has 17 November. a Paris receiver dated 14/Nov/59. The Yvert catalogue5 previously reported the When sent overland, as in Fig. 6, the Tangier Agency using the GC5106 lozenge appropriate taxe was 6 upon arrival in France. cancel until 1876. They noted the usage of this The letter in this case was sent to Gibraltar cancel on four stamps between the years 1882- and handled by Luis Dasol and subsequently 1885. However, none of these were on cover. Figure 7. Letter showing mail docketing when sent by ship. 6 No. 299 (Vol. 66, No. 1), January 2010 France and Colonies Philatelist Excelmans oldest stamped cover dated 1875 also had a Cérés No.