Havana to New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, April 10, 1783. Clear strike of red "YNDIAS" straightline handstamp applied at Havana, on ship register of the Paquebot San Juan Nepomuceno, which sailed from Havana to Spanish New Orleans, dated April 10, 1783, no rate markings as this predated their treatment as regular mail, overall soiling and wear, few tears confined mostly to back

FINE APPEARANCE AND EXTREMELY RARE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST KNOWN INCOMING COVER TO SPANISH NEW ORLEANS WITH POSTAL MARKINGS IN PRIVATE HANDS. IT IS ALSO ONE OF ONLY FOUR RECORDED SHIP REGISTERS SENT FROM CUBA BEFORE THE ROYAL ORDER OF OCTOBER 1784.

The directions on the cover translate to "Register of the Packetboat named Saint Juan Nepomuceno, dispatched from this General Post Office of Havana for New Orleans. Its master, Mr. Antonio Arnaud, must bring it to the city's Customs Administrator / Given on 1 April 1783."

The Spanish Royal Order of Oct. 24, 1784 mandated that ship registers containing a list of their cargo be sent prepaid in the sealed mail boxes that travelled with the vessels. They received the same postal markings as regular correspondence. There are only four recorded ship registers from the Americas prior to the Royal Order, ranging in dates from 1779 to 1783, with postmarks but no rate markings.

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