“This cover has a loose ship letter mark (type 1383)dated 1898 from Darwin, then in South Australia. This is struck on a stampless ship cover wich has been taxed, and subsequently adorned at Sydney with five-pennyworth of New South Wales postage due labels, elegantly cancelled with blue crayon crosses: it is comforting to note that this century-old tradition is maintained to this day by the British post office. I’m not aware of any further maritime usage at Darwin until the standard framed paquebot type of the 1930s.” by R.Hosking (Source: TPO-Journal, Summer 2007)
Collection R.Hosking