Page 41 - The Sideways Experimenatal Duplex 1852-1858

FALMOUTH TYPE II

There was just one sideways duplex issued to this office on the 1st April 1857. It is recorded used between the
9th April 1857 and 28th November 1859. The cover below is addressed to Christenstad Finland a rare destination. It
passed through London then Ostend and onto Aachen where a stamp dated 24th June 1859 was struck in red reading
"Aus England per Aachen" it then went onto St Petersburg Russia. The date stamp received there was dated 18th June
1859 by the Julian calendar which is the 30th June 1859 by the Gregorian calendar. The boxed "ANK" is a receiving
mark from the German "Ankunft" meaning "arrival". It was likely struck in Helsinki where these marks have been
seen used though it could have been struck in Christenstad. It is dated the 22nd June 1859 and it has code A

J

"i'
' ·
l(_r

The rate of 2d is a strange one as it travelled by the preferred route to Finland, the rate being 111/2d up to 1/2oz.
Prepayment was optional and there was no fine on underpaid mail until 1863. Underpaid mail was treated as if it was
unpaid. The charge was split between the countries as follows: Paid Mail: UK. retained 4d from whichl/2d was paid
to Belgium, Prussia received 71/2d from the UK. and passed 31/2d to Russia. Unpaid Mail: These letters are usually
stamped in the U K. with a black 31/2 GROSCHEN which is the amount to be repaid to the UK. by Prnssia. All
unpaid letters are marked in blue with either 4/3 or 3/4. The currency used in Finland in the1850's was the rouble and
the kopeck, 100 kopecks =1 rouble = 3s2d. On the letter the British P.O. failed to claim the 31/2 GROSHEN but they
did not stamp it with a red P indicating the postage was paid in the UK. There is a blue 4/3 on the front, applied by
the Prussians who would be seeking to obtain the unpaid postage from the Finns. On the reverse of the letter is a red
33. I suspect this might be the Finnish charge of 33 kopecks the equivalent of 1/-. It is possible that as 2d was put on
the letter that the P.O. did not claim the 31/2 CROSHEN nonnally claimed on unpaid letters.