48 January 2002 La Posta
Figure 2 A small blue R on
an EL, flanked by orange
BOSTON. PAID, and 20
markings, dated Nov 5,
1850, presumably 1850,
given its worn condition.
Note the number 65 in the
lower left.
Exceptions to the rule are a handful of manuscripts:uniform fee of five cents –the first special service to
“Registered No. x;” lone, presumably registry, num-the public. This was a separate cash transaction, not
6
bers on apparently important covers; a manuscript “R,”subject to the use of a five-cent stamp on envelopes.
etc.For the expense the sender received only special han-
dling. There would be no liability for loss, no indem-
8
In James W. Milgram’s recent book, there is a variety
nification.
of 1855-1863 registered letters shown, but none, curi-
ously, from Philadelphia. This proves nothing exceptThe markings that accompany this 5-cent rate are vir-
that the author probably wanted to show the wide-tually non-existent in Philadelphia. There are no inked
spread use of registry in small American towns. How-registry markings for eight years or more.
ever, there are not many accounted for from Philadel-
In the Instructions to Postmasters sent a month and a
phia anyway, and Milgram’s choice happens to un-
half before commencing the new system, much is men-
derscore this fact.
tioned about securing and accounting for registered
letters, but not one word about placing the word regis-
Straight Lines
tration on the letters themselves.
It seems a part of nature that mankind will begin new
Why the paucity of display? Perhaps it was under-
postal projects with straight lines. So, too, with Phila-
stood that reasonable clerks would equally mark let-
delphia registry markings. One could argue that the
ters and the accounts books with a code number. And
“R’s” are in fact, very short straight lines.
the fact that these letters were to be wrapped and se-
cured with sealing wax when forward-
ing to the next office might suggest
that an obvious service marking
wasn’t at first though necessary.
It might simply be that there was
enough work to be done in following
the new 1855 regulations: fill out the
newly called-for receipts, enter them
in the Receipt Book, account for them
in the Account of Registered Letter
Sent (and the Account of Registered
7
Letter Received). Further handiwork
might be prohibitive —why write
more upon the envelope when the re-
Figure 3 The small red R on an Elkton MD cover with “Registered/18” to
ceipt and accounts were complete?
Philadelphia. The year date is anywhere between 1851 and 1854 or 5.
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