Maritime Mail of Spanish Colonies in America

Puerto Rico Outgoing Mail 1802, Aug. 23. Entire letter from San Juan de Puerto Rico to Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), handstamped on dispatch with Italic "Islas De/Barlovento" postmark (P.E. 19), carried via Havana to Coruna, entering Spain at this port and erroneously struck with "España" straight-line (Kouri type II), which was intended to be used on outgoing and not incoming mail to Spain, therefore being mistakenly treated as mail from the Peninsula and rated "1" real in manuscript at Tenerife. An exceptional usage as a result of the following features: the extraordinary application of the "España" postmark on incoming mail to Spain, one of just three letters known with the "Islas De Barlovento" & "España" maritime handstamps in conjunction, believed to be unique with an erroneous internal rate on incoming transatlantic mail to Spain. Ex Roca.