1856 (Aug. 18) Washington, D.C. to Spezia, Sardinia, cover with "Washington D.C. Aug 18" cds and red "Paid" h.s., black "N. York Br. Pkt. '23' Aug 20" debit exchange cds, carried by Cunard Line Asia from New York on Aug. 20th to Liverpool arriving Aug. 31st, Aachen (9.2) and Genoa (9.7) backstamps, Genoa added postage due label, Spezia (9.8) arrival backstamp; Very Fine and unusual, letters with original Sardinian postage due labels are very scarce. Estimate  $300 - 400. Washington, D.C.'s faint PAID handstamp not seen by New York and letter sent unpaid in the Prussian Closed Mails. Aachen marked 45 kreuzer debit in bright blue and sent letter thru Baden and Switzerland to Milan, Austrian Lombardy. Aachen debit in error and was properly 38 Austrian kreuzer. Milan struck VIA DI SVIZERRA to show letter arrived via Switzerland, added 3 kreuzer Swiss transit, and debited Sardinia 48 Austrian kreuzer. Genoa added pink postage due label which showed 2.29 Lira due in Spezia. $0 (Image)