D1.8.32: [Untitled]

D1.8.32: [Untitled]

Newspaper Clippings

Bleek discusses postal charges to England and the Imperial Parliament's contract with the Union company which services the Cape and how this arrangement enables them to act unilaterally. This increased rate of one shilling, introduced by Solomon's bill, makes regular contact with Europe inaccessible for the poorer colonists. To remedy this, England arranged a fixed rate for all letters sent by private ships, forgoing a monopoly. The contract with the less-established rival Diamond line is opposed, as the Cape cannot carry the cost and will likely lose the Union service entirely if it pursues an independent mail arrangement. Bleek concedes that competition is beneficial but thinks that the conditions are not suitable for a formal arrangement establishing the Diamond Company's vessels as subsidised mail steamers. He advises non-interference with the British Government's postal arrangements. The English/British Postmaster-General advises against formally contracting the Diamond line at the Cape-which the Cape Government has not done-but takes no issue with their informal service provision. They are restricted to the four-pence-the-half-ounce rate as long as they remain private vessels. Undercutting the Imperial Post Office's revenue may even cheapen ocean postage long-term.

Printed newsprint glued on paper

25 May 1865

One cut-out column of printed newsprint mounted on foolscap folio (warped).

Postage (ocean), steamers (industry competition), freight (sailing vessels charge less), Diamond Company (rival mail steamers), English Postmaster-General (objects to a Diamond line contract)

Pressed clippings of Victorian current affairs opinion pieces by Wilhelm Bleek. Published in Het Volksblad on Thursday, May 25th, 1865.

Van de Sandt de Villiers & Co.