5¢ Brown, 10¢ Black (1, 2), 5¢ large margins to clear, two 10¢ (Positions 53R and 52R) with large margins to just in, slightly overlapping, manuscript m-shaped cancels, blue "Baltimore Md. May 28" (1849) circular datestamp on blue folded cover from Thomas R. Matthews to Robert Noble in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 5¢ tied by scarce "s/d 1/ 1-1/2 Cy" in circle due handstamp (1sh sterling=1sh1-1/2d currency), sender's directive "pr. Steamer Canada via N. York", "UD. STATES/HALIFAX/JU 2 1849" Halifax receiving backstamp

Very Fine; slight toning along vertical file fold away from stamps. This is a rare and spectacular combination 5¢ and 10¢ 1847 Issue franking, used on a cover to Nova Scotia and intended (in error) to pay the 24¢ treaty rate applicable to letters carried from the United States to Great Britain via Halifax, Nova Scotia. To correct the USPCS 1847 census, there are only two covers with 5¢ and 10¢ 1847 combinations addressed to Robert Noble. The listing for a third cover with a 5/24/1849 date (no. 2787) is unverified and probably duplicates the entry for this cover (no. 2788).

The Noble 1847 combination covers, mailed after the Retaliatory Rate period, reflect confusion over how the new 24¢ U.S.-British treaty rate was to be applied to letters to the Maritime Provinces. This situation is explained by David D'Alessandris ("1847 Covers to the Maritime Provinces: An Update," Chronicle 238):

In January 1848, the Cunard Line began operating a second transatlantic route between Liverpool and New York. Like the Liverpool to Boston route, the Liverpool to New York steamers stopped en route in both directions in Halifax. However, by September 1850, Cunard stopped calling at Halifax on the Liverpool to New York route, probably to increase the speed of the crossing to better compete with United States steamship lines.

As noted earlier, the Cunard Line rates to Halifax were not widely known, were not listed in the United States Mail and Post Office Assistant until 1863, and were not listed in the Postal Laws and Regulations until the 1866 edition. Moreover, the Cunard packet rates to Halifax, after the implementation of the U.S.-U.K. postal treaty, were illogical. Letters destined for the same Cunard steamer paid different postage based upon the destination. A letter to England could be paid 24¢ to destination, but a letter to be carried on the same Cunard steamer to Halifax, in a British Province, could only be paid to the port. Moreover, letters carried pursuant to the British open mail provisions of the United Kingdom treaty were charged a uniform 5¢ inland postage regardless of the distance to the port of debarkation, while letters to Halifax, not covered by the British open mail provisions, were still liable to charges of 5¢ or 10¢ depending upon the distance to the port. Letters from Halifax were also subject to confusion. At the start of the treaty period, letters arriving at Boston or New York from the United Kingdom were rated 1 shilling (24¢) to destination. However, letters arriving from Halifax, which were carried on the same ship (but a much shorter distance) were prepaid the same 1 shilling packet postage, but were charged ordinary inland postage of 5¢ or 10¢ to destination. Given these illogical rates, it is no surprise that there was confusion.

Ex Rep. Ernest R. Ackerman, Henry C. Gibson, Sr., Capt. Edward R. Wood, Jr., Philip H. Ward, Jr., John D. Pope III and Henry Stollnitz. Illustrated in Brookman, The 19th Century Postage Stamps of the United States (Vol. 1, p. 33). With 1985 P.F. certificate.

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