24c Navy (O43). Well-centered with sheet selvage at left, rich color, tiny margin tear between perfs at right, tied by quartered cork cancel, "Washington D.C. Sep. 11 4PM" circular datestamp on legal-size cover with "Navy Department, Official Business" imprint, addressed to "Commo. C. H. B. Caldwell, Commd'g U.S. Naval Force So. Atlantic Station, Montevideo, Uruguay", red "New York 1.10 Sep. 27" (110 centimes = 22c) credit datestamp, red "London Paid 7 Oct. (76?)" transit datestamp, "20" in circle due handstamp, toned along bottom edge and sealed tear at bottom left

ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS BEARING THE 24-CENT NAVY DEPARTMENT STAMP, INCLUDING TWO TO URUGUAY. THIS COVER FROM THE COMMODORE CALDWELL CORRESPONDENCE IS ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING OFFICIAL COVERS EXTANT.

In an article on Navy Department covers, Alan C. Campbell wrote: "Despite the obvious need for regular communication with station squadrons in foreign waters, little foreign mail from the Navy Department has survived. I record only six covers, of which three were in the Starnes collection stolen in 1983 and may have been lost to philately forever. These were the celebrated pair to Commodore Caldwell (24c to Uruguay, 12c, 30c combination to Brazil) and a 2c, 3c combination on an 1875 cover to Italy." ("Usages of Navy Department Stamps", Alan C. Campbell, Chronicle 193, Feb. 2002, pp. 44-58). This cover was also listed as No. 20 in Campbell's census of high-value Official stamps on cover (Chronicle 188, Nov. 2000, pp. 287-299). Campbell's article was published before the recovery of the Starnes collection and the emergence of other covers from the Caldwell correspondence.

Commodore Charles H. B. Caldwell was the commander of the U.S. Navy's South Atlantic Station (the flagship was the U.S.S. Richmond). As a lieutenant during the Civil War, commanding the U.S.S. Itasca, Caldwell captured the Confederate schooner Lizzie Weston off Florida en route to Jamaica with a cargo of cotton. The following year, the Union Mortar Flotilla under his command opened the bombardment of the Confederate works at Port Hudson, Louisiana.

At the time of mailing, Uruguay was not a U.P.U. member. There were two rates to Uruguay: 23c by U.S. Packet via Brazil and 27c by British mail (effective 7/1/1875 to 7/1/1880). The April 1877 U.S. Postal Guide only lists the 27c rate with a note that U.S. Packet service was infrequent and unreliable. The 27c rate via G.B. included 5c for the U.S. and a 22c credit to G.B. for carrying the letter to Uruguay (the credit is expressed in centimes, as per the U.P.U. regulations). Although underpaid 3c for the 27c rate, this Navy Department cover was treated as fully prepaid.

Ex Starnes

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