New York to Dublin, Ireland via First American Packet. May 31, 1847 folded letter to Dublin, Ireland, carried on maiden voyage of the Washington, which was the first sailing of the Ocean Steam Navigation Company Line, red "New-York Jun. 1" circular datestamp with matching "Paid" arc, endorsed "p Washington Str.", London June 15 and Dublin June 17 receiving backstamps, manuscript "1/-" one-shilling discriminatory due marking, contents related to relief for victims of the Irish Potato Famine, accompanied by a second duplicate letter carried on the Cunarder Britannia on the same day, also charged "1/-" for ocean postage but properly since this was a Cunard steamer

VERY FINE PAIR OF COVERS SENT BY COMPETING PACKET SHIPS ON THE SAME DAY, INCLUDING ONE ON THE JUNE 1, 1847, MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE WASHINGTON, CHARGED ONE-SHILLING DISCRIMINATORY POSTAGE DUE IN ENGLAND. THESE WERE THE OPENING SHOTS OF THE RETALIATORY PERIOD.

The so-called Retaliatory Period resulted from Great Britain's effort to maintain its monopoly on transatlantic mail carriage through the subsidized Cunard steamship line, which operated without competition from 1840 through 1846. In response to the emergence of subsidized American Packets in 1847 (the Ocean Line), the British issued an order (effective June 9, 1847) authorizing its receiving offices to collect the usual British Packet postage on letters carried to England by American subsidized steamers. This effectively allowed England to collect 24c packet charges for every inbound letter, whether or not any service had been performed. Examples from the Washington's maiden voyage are very scarce, and this pair of duplicate letters, sent by both competing packets to ensure delivery, is a wonderful way to demonstrate the issue.

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