Evening star., 1936-08-23
Stamp Collectors Prize Envelopes
Postmarked by Liners on Voyages
By Montgomery Mulford.

Y YOUNG stamp collectors who
" wish to develop an interesting
side line to their hobby should
4 try collecting postmarks of
ships of the United States Navy and
ocean liners at sea. This is an mex
pensive pastime and one that will
produce many interesting items.
The United States Navy has postal
system all its own. and many Of the
ships have their own post offices on
board. Mail is Cancelled on board and
then sent on land to its destination.
You may obtain envelopes with the
postmarks of many Navy ships some
times in foreign waters and often
printed in colored ink for only the
cost of postage, three cents each way.
For example, last year the U. S. s.
Trenton was at Galapagos Islands,
South America. These islands near
Ecuador were made famous by Charles
Darwin, who visited them on a scien-
tific expedition SO years ago. While
there the U. S. S. Trenton postmarked
mail with rubber-stamped cancella-
ton reading "Galapagos-Islands, S.
A." in two lines, June 81, 1885. On
January II, 1896, the u. S. S. Pike
inaugurated a post Office on board and
the cancellation on letters that day
announced the fact. Most of these
postmarks carry some inscription
which is attractive and which collec-
tors seek.
NAVAL collectors 60 about getting
such postmarks in various ways.
In the first place, when you want to
get an envelope to ship you must
know where to send it. Letters are
not sent directly to the ship, but to
postmaster. either at New York or
perhaps San Francisco, depending
upon where the ship Is stationed at
the time.
The Postal Bulletin or Guide will
usually tell you where a certain ship is
stationed, and following the report of
the bulletin you mail letter addressed
to that ship in care of the postmaster
of the city nearest it. In brief letter
you tell him you want the inclosed
envelope sent to the specified ship dt
must be addressed to yourself. with
three-cent stamp attached). The letter
is then forwarded, postmarked aboard
the ship and returned to you, as ad-
dressed.
IF THE ship is bound for some for
eign country it may be postmarked
from there. The cover" or envelope,
will show by its postmark where 1t
went. Or, if it is postmarked upon a
special holiday, it may carry mes
sage about that holiday. Postmarks
have shown inscriptions tying up with
Columbus day, Navy day, Christmas
and New Year.
In collecting these postmarks, save
the full envelope. 1t Is better than
cutting out the postmark. Mount them
in blank albums, preferably with loose
leaf pages, and use art corners. II you
are able to get an envelope aboard
half a dozen of our Navy's ships in
time for some holiday. perhaps you
will get holiday postmark" from
each. Have a direction in the enve-
lope (unsealed) for the Navy P. o.
clerk, asking him to cancel it on that
holiday. This will make nice array
of-fostmarks.
Merchant ships that sail the seven
seas also have, their own post offices
on board. Ships not only of American
lines. but of several foreign lines, are
included. There are many collectors
who save these postmarks from the
merchant ships of the world.
ENTHUSIASTS may obtain these
postmarks themselves, too. In Sc
curing such postmarks, letters are sent
to the purser of each ship, with brief
note requesting that an inclosed
stamped envelope be Cancelled on
board the ship. Or you can write to
the main office of the steamship COM
pany. When writing, inclose the brief
note of directions and the three-cent
stamped envelope with your own name
and address upon it. Leave it un-
sealed, and the clerk aboard the ship,
when he receives 1t, will postmark it
from that ship and mail it back to
you.
When you hear of a new ship about
to be launched by some merchant