1795 (May 23) Entire letter from Paris to Kent with fine first type "HASTINGS / SHIP LRE" (S.1, nine years later than recorded in any book), charged 8d, very scarce. Photo on Page 66. (Image1)

1804 Entire letter from H.M.S "Trident" at Madras, and an entire, both to London with oval "Ship letter / (crown) / HASTINGS" (S.2), both charged 10d, file folds, the letter with fault and staining to lower right corner. A scarce ship letter handstamp. (2). Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

1816-28 Entire letters from Calcutta or Demerara with "HASTINGS / SHIP LETTER" (S.3) in black, the first redirected to Edinburgh with "POSTAGE TO LONDON / NOT PAID"; and 1847 entire from Bahia to London "per Francis", with type S.3 ship letter handstamp in blue. (3).

1819 (Mar 25) Entire letter from Cape of Good Hope to England "p. James Selkirk" with superb "SHIP LETTER / HASTINGS" (S.4), charged 1/7. A surprisingly scarce ship letter handstamp, rarely seen as it was used in 1819-40 when most letters landed at Hastings were India Letters.

India Letter Error - China. 1838 (Sep 6) Entire letter from Canton to London "p. Parkfield" handstamped boxed "INDIA LETTER / HASTINGS (In.1) in black in error, though correctly charged 4/-. Sent to the London Ship Letter Office where the incorrect India Letter handstamp was cancelled by a red crutched cross, replaced by the same type In.1 India Letter handstamp in red, again cancelled by a red crutched cross, finally replaced by the correct "SHIP LETTER / HASTINGS" (S.4) in red. An extraordinary double error by both the Hastings Post Office and London Ship Letter Office. Photo on Page 66. (Image1)

Macao. 1839 (Jan 8) Entire letter from Macao to London "per Hindostan" backstamped with superb "SHIP LETTER / HASTINGS" (S.4) in red, applied in the London Ship Letter Office, charged 1/4. A fine letter from Macao. Photo on Page 66. (Image1)

Exempt Ship Letter. 1839 (Apr 8) Entire letter from Porto to London containing a Bill of Lading for eight pipes of port carried on the "Braganza", the letter endorsed "Consignees of part of the Cargo p. Braganza". Handstamped "HASTINGS / SHIP LETTER" (S.3) with superb red "(crown) / EXEMPT SHIP LR" (Ex.1) applied in London, charged 1/4 (double inland rate) and exempted from the ship letter charge. A fine and very scarce pre-1840 exempt ship letter. Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

India Letters. 1830 (Apr 12) Entire letter from Cape Town and 1838 (Oct 10) entire from a Missionary at Umpukani (Cape or Natal?) both with Cape Town datestamps, both to London with boxed "INDIA LETTER / HASTINGS", the first in black, the second applied in the London Ship Letter Office in red. The Cape Town letter endorsed "per Mount Stewart Elphinstone", marked "1oz" and charged 3/-. (2)

India Letters. 1831 Entire letters from army officers at Madras or "on the Ganges", one sent "per Zenobia", both with black boxed "INDIA LETTER / HASTINGS"; and an 1838 entire letter from Madras to the London Missionary Society "By the Wellington" with red boxed "INDIA LETTER / HASTINGS" applied in the London Ship Letter Office, marked "4½oz" and charged 16/-, all fine. (3).

India Letter. 1831 (May 31) Entire letter to London from a Missionary in Sydney, backstamped "HASTINGS / SHIP LETTER" (S.3), a black boxed "INDIA LETTER" (In.9) applied in the London Ship Letter Office. Very unusual and scarce. Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

India Letter. 1831 Part entire (side portions removed) from Tasmania to Edinburgh backstamped black "HASTINGS / SHIP LETTER" (S.3), overstruck by red boxed "INDIA LETTER / HASTINGS" in the London Ship Letter Office with a second strike alongside, charged 1/6, a little edge staining but unusual. Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

India Letter. 1835 (June 9) Entire from Sydney to Glasgow "P. Albion", backstamped "HASTINGS / SHIP LETTER" (S.3) in black, overstruck by red boxed "INDIA LETTER / HASTINGS" applied in the London Ship Letter Office, a second strike alongside. Seal torn from flap, otherwise fine and unusual. Photo on Page 68. (Image1)

India Letters. 1837 (Feb 8) Entire from Ceylon to London "Per Tigris" with crowned "GALLE / POST PAID" datestamp, and 1839 (Mar 16) entire letter from Vineyard, New South Wales, to Scotland, both with boxed "INDIA LETTER / HASTINGS", the first applied in red in the London Ship Letter Office, the second in black, both fine. (2).