1854 (Oct. 18) Olympia, Wash. Terr. To Paris, France, buff cover with "Olympia Ogn Oct 18" cds with matching "Paid" handstamp and "26" cent rating for the British Open Mail rate to France by American packet. Carried by PMSS Columbia to San Francisco, where it was transferred to the steamship John L. Stevens for the passage to Panama. After crossing the Isthmus to Aspinwall, it was carried to New York aboard the U.S. steamship George Law, red "New York Am. Packet Nov 20" exchange cds, the Collins Line Atlantic to G.B. The London Foreign Office processed this letter, then forwarded it to France at the 1 shilling 8 pence per ounce closed mail bulk rate established under the current Franco-British Convention. red Paris (12.3) arrival and "16" decimes due rating for 7½-15 gram letter; some toning and large tear at right, Fine, West Coast letters sent to France from anywhere other than California are most uncommon during this period. Estimate  $300 - 400. Beginning 1 July 1851, changes in the U.S. internal postage rates affected the fees imposed on those mails sent to France from the West Coast (California and Oregon). Although the U.S. postage on internal letters sent to or from the West Coast was reduced to 6¢ per ½ ounce, the adjusted rate under the existing U.S.-British Convention was established at 10¢ per ½ ounce (twice the normal 5¢ per ½ ounce Treaty rate). Initially, the San Francisco Post Office mistakenly collected only 22¢ per ½ ounce (6¢ U.S. + 16¢ sea transit) for prepaid letters sent in the British Open Mails to France by American packets. By the fall of 1851, however, this error was rectified, and the correct rate of 26¢ per ½ ounce was instituted. Note that this letter bears the "Olympia, Ogn" datestamp, left over from the time when Olympia was part of Oregon, prior to the establishment of the Washington Territory. $0 (Image)