y be distinguished by postmarks (_Figs._ 11-17).

[Illustration: 11 12 13 (Constantinople)]

[Illustration: 14 15 (Smyrna) 16 17 (Beyrout)

_Postmarks of British Post Offices in Turkish Empire._]

The first three are from Constantinople, the fourth and fifth from
Smyrna, and the last two Beyrout. There are also "S" Stamboul, "B01"
Alexandria, "B02" Suez, as well as ordinary date stamps of all these
places.

The following are illustrations of samples of the stamps which were in
use at the British post-offices in Turkey at the time of the abolition
of the Capitulations. (_Figs._ 18, 19).

[Illustration: 18 19 20]

Special arrangements were also made for maintaining postal
communications with the British Fleet in the Baltic, the stamps
used being distinguishable by postmarks of diamond-shaped internal
configuration (_Fig._ 20). It is possible that date marks of Dantzig
may also be found on British stamps of this period; they appear on
the covers of letters bearing British stamps with the diamond
cancellations. In the early part of the naval campaign letters were
transmitted exclusively by war vessels or transports, but in the
beginning of May, 1854, when the greater part of the Fleet had reached
its destination the Admiral commanding in chief was directed to
establish regular weekly communication by steamer between the ships
under his command and the port of Dantzig. Mails for the Fleet were
despatched from London every Tuesday to Dantzig, under cover of a bag
addressed to Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at that port, who handed
the bag over to the commander of the steamer which was timed to arrive
at Dantzig each Friday. This arrangement, while satisfactory in respect
of speed and regularity, involved the charging of the high foreign
rates of postage, as the route was through Belgium and Prussia, but,
as often as facilities offered, mails were made up for transmission by
Government transports passing to and from England and the Baltic, by
which soldiers and sailors were able to send and receive letters at
their privilege rate of one penny each.

ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION. The following is the type of date stamp used
by the British post-office corps accompanying Sir Robert Napier's
successful expedition to Abyssinia in 1867-1868 (_Fig._ 21).

[Illustration: 21]

The Indian Government sent an army postal corps to Abyssinia, the
mails to and from the United Kingdom connecting up with the vessels
carrying the Indian