What is a PAQUEBOT COVER?
A PAQUEBOT COVER is a cover that has been posted on a merchant ship while on the high seas. A cover posted while the ship is in port, or posted on shore and delivered by the ship, is not considered paquebot and is referred to as ship's mail.
The paquebot rules were established by the Universal Postal Union to regulate mail posted on the high seas by ship's passengers and crew. The Purser or the ship's designated representative was assigned the responsibility to personally deliver the mail to the Post Office at the port of arrival. Upon verification that the mail originated on the high seas, the mail would receive paquebot status from the Postmaster.
Paquebot covers (and post cards) became very popular with collectors, and soon collectors were sending prepaid or stamped covers to ship's Pursers with a request to post at sea. Pursers, although not required to post mail for those who were not passengers or crew, almost always complied as a courtesy.
U.P.U. convention stated that the postage of the ship's Flag of Registry must be used on the covers at that country's first class rate. However, the U.P.U. recognized that stamps were sometimes difficult to obtain while at sea. Member nations, therefore, have made it common practice to accept paquebot mail with franking from the country of the port of origin, or the country of port of arrival, or the country of the Flag of Registry, or any combination of the three.
In my store, you will find a variety of PAQUEBOT COVERS and PAQUEBOT POSTCARDS. Some appear plain, while others have mixed franking, interesting transit and paquebot postmarks, fancy ship's cachets, and sometimes even the Purser's or Master's signature.
I hope you have found this information interesting and helpful. It is referenced from the booklet:
HOW TO COLLECT PAQUEBOT COVERS by Harold P. Faust
Published by Van Dahl Publications, Inc., Albany, Oregon 1952
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