Lot 51546 – 1854 (16 June) Single rate entire from Mahé to Rome, prepaid 1s to Alexandria

1854 (16 June) Single rate entire from Mahé to Rome, prepaid 1s to Alexandria. The letter was carried to Mauritius, red oval PACKET LETTER/MAURITIUS struck to confirm carriage by a P&O British packet to Suez, from there placed on P&O steamer ‘Vectis’, disembarked on Sept 16 at Marseille where ‘INDES OR / MARSEILLE’ ds applied, disembarked on Sept 19 on packet ‘Bosphore’, disembarked at Civitavecchia on Sept 22, 52 bajocchia charged on arrival, disinfected en route with slits.

Letter contains a long correspondence from a Papal Emissary during his tour of the Indian Ocean, reporting on the state of competition between the Papal, English and French missionaries. Addressed to his Eminence, The Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred College of Propaganda Rome.