UNIQUE(?) COVER RECOVERED FROM THE SEA IN A CANISTER (A BOTT...

Estimate

£700 - £1,000

UNIQUE(?) COVER RECOVERED FROM THE SEA IN A CANISTER (A BOTTLE?) - FROM AN OFFICIAL TIDAL FLOW EXPERIMENT; 14 Aug. 1858 EL headed "On Public Service" and addressed to the Naval Academy London with contents headed "High water, 2.30 pm 1858 - Flood just made/Re Harbour Ramsgate Northwest. 1 pm/August 14h 3 miles distant/Any persons finding this, be pleased to/write down the time when and place/where and forward it to its address by/Post or to nearest consuls Office, as it/is intended to show the Setts of the tides/for the benifit of navigation generally" signed by the Ramsgate Harbour Master. The letter also has a later addition; "Neiport/Near Ostend /28 Aug 1858 /Sir/The enclosed has just/been brought to me 6 P.M. /having been picked up in/the course of the afternoon at the/same place, or very near thereby" and signed by "Lloyd's Vice Agent". The letter was then resealed and sent to London, has a fine "NIEUPORT" cds and smudged examples on face and reverse of the Nieuport Consular intaglio seal. It was charged "8[d]" incoming Ship Letter rate and has an uncancelled 1d Red 'stars' (understandable wrinkling) which was to pay the return postage if the letter was found on a UK beach. It is believed that the navy used this method to trace tidal flow and the letter was placed in a cylinder (a glass bottle?) before being dropped in the sea. A most interesting story - it was in the sea for 2 weeks - and the only example that we have seen. Probably the earliest surviving tide-experiment letter in existence. [Illustrated in BPPP, p.564.] [Ex Cavendish Sept. 2015 auction; lot 1843, realised £1,800+BP.] Cross Reference: 1854-65 1d REDS, BELGIUM, KENT, G.B. USED ABROAD STAMPS & COVERS