No Mail to Spain in 1898 War
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In
war time all mail communication
with the enemy ends automatically upon a declaration of
hostilities.
Nevertheless, many unthinking citizens have attempted to mail letters
to
enemy territory. We've seen examples from the Civil War
period; also,
during the recent World War, when such covers were handstamped and
returned
to the sender. I have before me a cover from a large Wall
Street banking
house, to a firm in Havana, Cuba, during the Spanish-American
war.
It is postmarked at New York, April 20, 1898, directed, "Via
Tampa."
It never reached Havana, of course. The Post Office at New
York affixed
a printed label to the piece, inscribed, "Despatch to Spain or Spanish
Colonies
Prohibited on Account of War." The envelopes was then
handstamped,
"Do not post again in this envelope or wrapper." These labels
attached
to their proper covers are comparatively scarce.
-
George B. Sloane
Sloane's Column Stamps May 28, 1949 Posted July 28, 1999 Editor's
Note: Sloane subsequently
noted another hand stamped marking "Return to Sender.
Despatch to Spain
or Spanish Colonies Prohibited on Account of War. N.-Y.P.O."
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