United States Postal Agencies in the Far East 1867 - 1899
This web page, published by the Military Postal History Society, contains images of the single frame exhibit United States Postal Agencies in the Far East 1867 - 1899. This exhibit was created by, and is the property of the late Al Kugel, and is being supplied by his heirs as a courtesy to the Military Postal History Society.
Introduction
This exhibit is designed to show postmarks of the American postal agencies in Japan and China from the inauguration of service in those countries in 1867 to the end of the 19th Century. Although American commercial activity in Asia increased rapidly starting around the 1850s, mail to the U.S. initially had to be sent through foreign postal services via Europe or irregularly via private sailing vessels at costs ranging from 30 to 72 cents per ounce. Thus, pressure increased from U.S. citizens and businesses for an American postal service that would be both reliable and reasonably priced. President Lincoln authorized the development of such a service in 1865. As a result, during 1867 the first of an eventual six American postal agencies in the Far East were opened in Yokohama and Shanghai. The four offices in Japan were closed in 1875, but Shanghai remained in operation until the end of 1922.
To view the text within these images, see: web page containing the text content of the exhibit frame.
Updated 10/17/2023
Table of Contents
Introduction -- Yokohama, Japan -- Nagasaki, Japan -- Hiogo, Japan -- Shanghai, China -- Tientsin, China
