1904 (June 30) "S.S. Calchas Intercepted" Cover in Russo-Japanese
War A premier example of maritime disaster and war-related
1904 (June 30) "S.S. Calchas Intercepted" Cover in Russo-Japanese
War A premier example of maritime disaster and war-related postal
history, sent from the American Seamen's Friend Society in New York
to Charles Rice in Kobe, Japan. The cover bears a US 5c McKinley
definitive tied by a New York machine cancel. It was caught in the
geopolitical crossfire of the Russo-Japanese War when the carrying
vessel, the S.S. Calchas, was seized by the Russian navy. The front
features a highly significant three-line red instructional
handstamp: "Delayed in transmission having / intercepted by
Russians on / board CALCHAS". The reverse documents a long,
circuitous journey necessitated by the seizure: a New York (June
30) transit, a Tacoma, Wash. (July 5) departure mark, and an
eventual Kobe (Sept 11) arrival cancel—nearly three months after
posting. This cover is a classic "War Victim" of the Vladivostok
Squadron's commerce raiding, illustrating the disruption of neutral
British shipping and the international postal system during the
conflict.
1904年紐約寄日本神戶「日俄戰爭截獲」封,由美國海員之友協會寄出,貼 美國5分麥金利郵票。郵件由英國 S.S. Calchas
號輪船運送,於北太平洋遭俄羅斯海軍海參崴分艦隊截獲,並被強行押往海參崴扣押。正面蓋有醒目的三行紅色說明戳記:「Delayed in
transmission having intercepted by Russians on board
CALCHAS」,是研究日俄戰爭期間中立國郵輪遭截獲及戰爭郵政史的極珍罕實物。