Beschreibung:

1897 New Currency Surcharges Small Figures Surcharge Covers Incoming Mail 1896 (16 Dec.) envelope to the French Legation in Peking bearing France Peace and Commerce 25c. tied by Fourmies despatch c.d.s. On arrival to China and 4c. on 4ca. rose-pink was applied to pay the internal postage which has been cancelled by Customs Shanghai c.d.s. dated "JAN 23/1897" c.d.s. and, on the reverse, a good strike of "i.g. of customs/peking" struck in blue. A fine and rare cover. All mail used before the official opening of the Imperial Post Office and the introduction of the new currency stamps are extremely rare with only about fifteen covers or fronts so far recorded. Photo Although the Imperial Post Office wa officially open on the 2nd February 1897, the Small Figures Surcharge stamps were on sale in Shanghai from 2nd January . A number of stamps were cancelled by favour during this interim time, most bearing the Customs Shanghai c.d.s. applied in blue. However, some covers bearing the new currency stamps were sent through the post, the majority being addressed to M. Merteaux in the French Legation in Peking. Some of these covers were sent from the French consulate in Shanghai but several, such as this cover, had the stams applied in transit. Richar Pratt, in his book Imperial Post suggests that this surcharge on incoming mail may be to pay for the 4c. Special Winter Courier Service, however, a recently discovered cover from France to Peking bears an additional 2c. on 2ca., which would imply the stamps were added to pay new internal postage rate (in this case for under a quater of an ounce). This requiremant for internal postage was a hang over from the old Customs Post system. I wonder if this group of mail was passed to the French consulate in Shanghai for the additional postage to be added there.