Auction # 70 - The “Skywalk” Collection of Nova Scotia Stamps and Postal History

1795 (Mar. 18) British Occupied Detroit to Andover, Hants, England via Halifax. Folded letter datelined "Detroit March 18th 1795" and bearing four-line "HALIFAX/ SHIP LRE/ JUN 18/ 95" datestamp, carried by British packet Cateret to London, overinked Bishop mark on reverse and manuscript "1/1" rating crossed out and re-rated "1/5" to Andover; some internal splits along the folds, Very Fine, ex-Denton, John E. Young, Siskin, Dr. Robertson.
Estimate; $7,500 - 15,000.

A SPECTACULAR CROSS-BORDER USE FROM DETROIT, CARRIED BY INDIAN COURIER TO FORT NIAGARA, THEN TO ENGLAND VIA HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA.

This letter is from a British Army officer stationed at Detroit. The text references his destination as Fort Niagara "for the remainder of the year" and states that the letter "takes its conveyance with one of our tawny friends, an Indian who is going across the country but as he bears a tolerable good character, think it has a chance of reaching you". After reaching Fort Niagara, it traveled up the St. Lawrence River, entered Halifax as a ship letter and sailed by packet to England.

The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the Revolutionary War and ceded territory that included Detroit to the United States. However, the British continued to control Detroit until 1796, after the Jay Treaty was signed.