Lot
1198 
(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Jun. 22) Manchester, England to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter with red Manchester (6.22) cds and red manuscript "1" shilling packet rating, Liverpool (6.23) backstamp, carried by Cunard Line Caledonia from Liverpool Jun. 24 to New York arriving Jul. 8, red "New York, 'Ship 29' Jul 9" integral due rating for the 5¢ inland rate plus 24¢ packet fee; some erosion on bottom, Fine, Carried on the first Cunard mail voyage to the United States under the retaliatory order. Estimate $600 - 800.
In retaliation for a British discriminatory practice of charging the full British packet postage on letters carried to Great Britain by American contract steamships, Congress passed an act on June 27, 1848 to charge the same fee on all letters to or from the United States by foreign steamships as was charged on U.S. mails. This went into effect on June 29, 1848.