(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Dec. 4) Palermo, Sicily to New Orleans, La. via London, folded letter carried from Trapani, Sicily to Marseille on French steamship Tancrede of the Malta-Constantinople service, normally picked up at Messina by French Italian coastal steamer but the call was stopped for two months because of an epidemic on Sicily, London "1/3" rating due paid by forwarder and placed in letter bag for New York, carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Southampton Dec. 23 to New York arriving Jan. 3; some minor erosion in redirect notation, red "New-York 'Ship 34cts. Jan 4" cds for 10¢ inland plus 24¢ packet fee, Very Fine. Estimate  $500 - 750. Letter placed in ship letter bag and not posted in British mail system, thereby avoiding the 1 shilling discriminatory charge imposed by the British. Hermann put into Nantasket Roads (entrance to Boston harbor) short of coal. Mails were put off and sent to New York, arriving three days before the steamer. $0 (Image)