A POSTAL HISTORY OF ZWOLLE

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

From the Netherlands:

Via France

Franking could be done up to the French-Spanish border. The rate in the Netherlands became the Dutch domestic rate + the transito rate through France, see the section on the domestic rates and the French rates. In Spain, the addressee then had to pay the postage from the Spanish Border Post Office, see above.

Circular 68 mentions the rate as per 18 December 1815 between the Border post Office with Spain, Saint Jean de Luz and the border office Valenciennes: up to 6 grams: 11 décimes.

In November 1853, a regular steam service was established between Nantes and Lisbon, departing on the 15th of each month. As a result, the Paris-Lisbon route takes 85 hours, while letters by land take eight days. The rate is the same (Circular 482).

On 18 June 1860, it is announced that use can be made of the packet boat connection between Bordeaux, Lisbon and Brazil, departing every 25th of the month (Circular 568). Letters for Portugal by this route should be marked Over Bordeaux. The rate is higher than overland, which remains the same as in April 1852. The Ligne du Brésil of the Compagnie des Messageries Impériales (MI) maintained this connection between 24 May 1860 and 1866 and then became the Ligne J.

MI "Guienne" was the first packet on the Ligne du Brésil.

On 1 April 1 1852, the postal treaty between France and the Netherlands of 1 November 1851 comes into force. The rate up to the French-Spanish border will be 40 cents per 7½ wigtjes (Circular 458). The Dutch rates for franked mail in cents were:

Via England

From 10 July 1815 to 24 July 1815 the road through France was blocked (Circular 59). The mail went via Southampton, where the mail bags were transported to the Iberian Peninsula on British ships. The rate for incoming letters in the Netherlands was up to 1 lood in stuiver:

Mail was first transported by private ship.

Since 1835, the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company (PSNC) has provided regular connections between Gravesend, Falmouth, Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Oporto, Vigo and back. On 22 August 1837, they received a contract for the carriage of the mail. The ports of call were Falmouth, Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz and Gibraltar in 1838. In 1840 the name of the company was changed to Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), as they also received a contract for the postal service with the Far East. 21 September 1843, Falmouth was replaced by Southampton.

The P&O "Braganza" sailed to the Iberian Peninsula between 1837 and 1843.

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (RMSP) was awarded a contract for mail to the West Indies beginning in late 1841, and also called at Coruña in northern Spain. The mailbags were made up in London.

On 1 January 1844, the Dutch rate for mailing via London for a letter up to 16 wigtjes (from 1 September 1850 to 15 wigtjes) became in cents (Circular 332):

An overview of the Dutch rates from September 1850 for franked mail (to Spain only possible until March 1863) in cents:

Via Germany

Mail could be franked up to its destination via Germany. This route was preferred by the Postal authorities (Circular 627). Unfranked mail was also possible.
From 1 July 1864 (to Spain possible until 15 August 1870) the Dutch rates for postage, whereby the mail was transported via Germany, were in cents:

*) rate for sent prepaid / received unfranked. Unfranked was not allowed for Porugal.

Via Belgium

From 1 January 1869, mail could be sent via the Belgian postal administration from Antwerp to Portugal (Circular 739). To Spain from 15 August 1870. The Dutch rates were in cents:

*) rate for sent prepaid / received unfranked.

Directly to Spain, closed mail

In July 1872 there was a direct postal connection between the Netherlands and Spain (Postal Treaty Netherlands-Spain of 18 November 1871). Until October 1872, mail could be brought to Portugal via this route to Spain and then overland to Portugal. The Dutch rates were in cents:

In Spain:

Until 11 November 1815, the rates were expressed in reales.
From that date until 1865, the rates were in cuartos. 1 real de véllon = 8½ cuartos.
From 1866 the rate was in céntimos or cuartos. 1 escudo = 1000 milésimas = 100 céntimos = 10 reales = 85 quartos = 2½ pesetas.
From October 1872 it becomes 1 peseta = 4 reales = 100 céntimos.

The weights were first expressed in adarmes. 1 ounce = 16 adarmes = 28¾ grams. The basic rate for letters was up to 4 adarmes or 7,16 grams.

For outgoing letters in Spain the domestic postage was counted as far as the Spanish-French border. The rates were from 16 November 1807 in reales:

From 11 November 1815, the rates are in cuartos. The regular Spanish inland rate was increased by 3 cuartos for letters to the border offices Irun, Junquera or Jaca.

The inland rates for letters were from 1850 to 1876:

On 4 July 1853, 9 reales per 4 adarmes are counted for letters from the Netherlands. On 1 May 1855, this was reduced to 4 reales per 4 adarmes.

Under the Postal Treaty between the Netherlands and Spain of 18 November 1871, direct transmission becomes possible in closed mailbags. This treaty was ratified by the King of Spain on 1 February 1872.
The rate in Spain for letters up to 10 grams is: 50 céntimos for franked and 70 céntimos for unfranked letters.

In Portugal

The rates were expressed in réis. 100 réis = 2½ reales.
The distances were in leguas (leagues). 1 legua = 5 km.
The weights in Portuguese ounce. 1 Portuguese ounce = 28.695 grams = 8 oitavas. 1 oitava = 1/8th ounce = about 3½ grams.

For outgoing letters in Portugal the domestic postage was counted up to the Portuguese-Spanish border.
The domestic rate from 24 March 1801 to 30 June 1853 in réis, distance in leguas and weight in Portuguese oitavas:

The rate for letters transported by ship from England was per 2 oitavas: 70 réis.

In 1805 a list was published with the rates of postage for letters coming from England, in réis:

From 1838 to 30 June 1859 the rates for letters from England arriving by British packet in Lisbon (with the domestic rate from Lisbon to Oporto up to 30 June 1853) were in réis:

From 26 April 1850 to 30 June 1853, a surcharge of 5% was charged on letters from abroad of over 100 réis.

On 1 July 1853, the domestic letter rate up to 3 oitavas becomes: 25 réis + for every 2 oitavas more: 25 réis.
From 13 September 1861 up to 15 grams: 25 réis + for every 7½ gram more: 25 réis.

Last update 10.09.2024 6:00 PM

Copyright © 2019 - G.L. van Welie FRPSL
Secretary of the Nederlandse Academie voor Filatelie
Representative of the Royal Philatelic Society London for the Netherlands

Nothing from this website may be copied, distributed and / or published without written permission from the author.

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