The first sole transatlantic U.S. seapost service, under contract with the "American Line S.S. Co.", on the line from
New York to Southampton and Le Havre began on February 25, 1893.
On May 10, 1905, the joint service "US British Seapost" began. The sole service
of the US Seapost merged into it. The "US British Seapost" ended on August 25, 1914, the date of the outbreak of World War I
and the British participation. The sole service of the "US Seapost", however, was continued by the USA until its entry into the war 1917.
The ships of the "American Line" used postmarks with the numbers 1 to 4 in the killer. I show here only covers with the
Postmarks of the American ships.
- No. 1 - S.S. New York 1893 to 1898, 1903 to 1916/17
S.S. St. Paul 03 November 1906
- No. 2 - S.S. Paris 1893 to 1898 (renamed Philadelphia 1902 to 1916/17)
- No. 3 - S.S. St. Louis 1895 to 1898, 1902 to 1916/17
- No. 4 - S.S. St. Paul 1895 to 1898, 1902 to 1916/17
For the period of the Spanish-American War from 1898 to 1900, these ships did not serve this service but were
used as troop carriers.
Source references:
Cockrill, Booklett No 54
Hosking, Seaposts of the USA
Commercial cover with postmark type A3 to Cockrill with the number 1 in the killer, franked as required. Postmarked August 16, 1895 aboard the American Line steamer "New York". Addressed to Litchfield, PA.
Reverse: arrival postmarks of New York, N.Y. on August 16, 1895, Athens, PA. and Litchfield PA. both postmarked August 17, 1895.
Probably correctly franked commercial cover with postmark type A3 to Cockrill with number 4 in the killer. Postmarked on 11 August 1900
aboard the American Line steamer "St. Paul". Addressed to New York, N.Y.
Reverse: Three postmarks of New York, N.Y. dated August 11, 1900.
Underfranked commercial cover with postmark type A3 to Cockrill with the number 4 in the killer. Postmarked July 25, 1915 aboard the steamer
"St. Paul" of the American Line. Addressed to London, England.
Reverse: Arrival postmark of London, England dated July 26, 1915.
