The Hong Kong 'China' Overprints

British Post Offices in China from 1917 - 1930

Postal Rates

The area of postal rates in use during the time period is fascinating as, again, few records exist. The following table has been constructed from a number of sources to ascertain the rates during the period.  As Wei Hai Wei (Port Edward and Liu Kung Tau) were colonies, their rates were slightly different from those of the other Treaty Ports,

Postal Rates from the Treaty Ports and Wei Hai Wei 1917 to November 30, 1922

2 Cent Printed Matter/Newspaper Rate Although the N5 2 cent newswrapper was printed, no used copies are known to exist. This newspaper wrapper from Shanghai to Seattle, WA, USA, dated September 2, 1920 is a very fine example of the Printed Matter rate and the SG 2 2 Cent adhesive is cancelled with a Webb type L Index D cds.

1 2 cent Printed Matter Rate SG 2.jpg

1 ½ Cent Local Postcard Rate Until February 15, 1918, the local postcard rate between the Treaty Ports and also to Hong Kong was 1 ½ cents. This postcard from Port Edward, Wei Hai Wei to Shanghai dated July 20, 1918 was franked with two SG1 1 cent stamps, which overpaid the rate by ½ cent. The adhesives are cancelled with a Webb Type G Index C CDS.

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4c Overseas Postcard Rate (until 1921/1922) The rate for postcards for overseas destinations was 4 cents until sometime in late 1921 or early 1922 at which point it increased to 6 cents. It is known that an internal G.P.O memo in October 1921 refers to unspecified and unknown changes in postal rates and there are recorded usages of the 4 cent rate until 15th May 1921 and usages of the 6 cent rate are recorded from 18th February 1922. (Perrin) This postcard, dated July 19, 1920, correctly paid the 4 cent overseas postcard rate from Tientsin to the United States and was franked with a SG3 4 cent stamp and cancelled with a Webb Type B Index A CDS.

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4c Overseas Postcard Rate (until 1921/1922) This card, dated April 21, 1921 from Shanghai to Great Britaion is also franked with an SG 3 4 cent stamp which correctly paid the 4c overseas postcard rate and is cancelled with a Webb type L Index B II cds.

3a 4 cent overseas postcard rate.jpg

6c Overseas Postcard Rate (1921/1922 until 1923) The short lived 6 cent overseas postcard rate is unusual in that it is unknown as to the date it was implemented and the date it ended and rates reverted to the previous 4 cent rate. This postcard, dated October 12, 1922, correctly paid the 6 cent overseas postcard rate from Tientsin to Norway and was franked with a single SG21 6 cent stamp and cancelled with a Webb Type B Index D cds.

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6c Overseas Postcard Rate (Underpaid) As previously stated, there was much confusion surrounding postal rates during this period and this postcard, dated September 1, 2933 was underpaid by 2 cents and franked with one SG 20 4 cent stamp and cancelled with a Webb type C Index C cds. Somehow the incorrect franking was never caught and the card continued through the mail system to its destination, whereupon it was forwarded onward to London.

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4c Overseas Postcard Rate (1923 onwards) This postcard from Liu Kung Tau (Wei Hai Wei) to London, franked with a single SG 20 4 cent adhesive, paid the 4 cent overseas postcard rate, which reverted from the short-lived 6 cent rate at some point at the beginning of 1923. It is cancelled with a Webb type E Index A cds dated September 10, 1926.

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4c Overseas Postcard Rate (1923 onwards) This postcard from Port Edward (Wei Hai Wei) to the United States, franked with four SG 18 1 cent stamps (one is on the other side), paid the 4 cent overseas postcard rate, which reverted from the short-lived 6 cent rate at some point at the beginning of 1923. It is cancelled with two Webb type H Index B cds dated September 3, 1929.

6a 4 cent overseas postcard rate.jpg

4c Overseas Postcard Rate (Underpaid) This remarkable postcard, dated August 12, 1929 from Port Edward, Wei Hai Wei to England, was underpaid by 2 cents. The adhesive, an SG 19 2 cent green is cancelled with a Webb type H, Index A cds. The additional marking, a large "T" in circle mark was overlooked in England and no charge was raised for the underpayment. (Ex Chan)

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10 Cent Registered Letter Fee The registered letter fee was 10 cents throughout the period 1917 - 1930. This registered envelope, Type G, Sub-Type C1, dated February 11, 1918, from Shanghai to England, was franked with one SG6 ten cent stamp in addition to the 10 cent value of the envelope, for a total of 20 cents which paid the 10 cent registered letter fee plus 10 cents for the first 20 grams to UPU countries and Great Britain and her Possessions. The stamp is cancelled with a Webb type R4 registration handstamp, which was sometimes used in Shanghai in lieu of a cds and a faint Webb type R5 boxed registration handstamp.

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10 Cent Registered Letter Fee with 10 cent plus 6 Cent Treaty Port/UPU Rate (1917-1922) This registered letter, dated March 30, 1920 from Shanghai to Great Britain, was franked with one SG2 two cent stamp and three SG6 ten cent stamps for a total of 32 cents which correctly paid the 10 cent registered letter fee along with 22 cents for a letter weighing under 60 grams. The stamps are cancelled with two faint Webb type R4 Index A registration handstamps and a blurred Webb type R5 boxed registration handstamp.

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10 Cent Letter Rate from the Agencies to UPU Countries The letter rates from the Agencies to all UPU countries from 1917 until January 1, 1922 was 10 cents for the first 20 grams and 6 cents for each additional gram of weight. This envelope, from Canton to the USA, dated March 6, 1917 was franked with one SG3 four cent and one SG9 twelve cent stamp, which correctly paid the rate for letters under 40 grams. The stamps were cancelled with two Webb type Eii Index B cds.

c 10 Cent Agencies to UPU.jpg

10 Cent Letter Rate from Wei Hai Wei to UPU Countries The letter rates from Wei Hai Wei to all UPU countries from 1917 until 1930 was 10 cents for the first ounce and 6 cents for each additional ounce of weight. This envelope, from Port Edward, Wei Hai Wei to the USA was franked with a strip of five SG2 two cent stamps which correctly paid the rate for letters under 1 ounce. The stamps were cancelled with three Webb type G Index E cds.

d 10 Cent Wei Hai Wei to UPU.jpg

4 Cent Letter Rate from Wei Hai Wei to British Possessions The letter rates from Wei Hai Wei to Great Britain, British Possessions and Egypt from 1917 until 1930 was 4 cents for the first ounce and 4 cents for each additional ounce of weight. This envelope from Liu Kung Tau to England dated September 6, 1929 was franked with one SG20 four cent stamp which correctly paid the rate for letters under 1 ounce. The stamp was cancelled with a Webb type E Index A cds

e 4 Cent Letter Wei Hai Wei to GB.jpg

10 Cent plus 5 Cent Letter Fee Rate from the Agencies to British Possessions On January 1, 1922, the rate decreased from the Treaty Ports to UPU Countries. (Wei Hai Wei, being a colony, remained at the 10+6 cent rate.) The existence of this short lived rate is controversial as few covers have been discovered using this rate, but the following three covers appear to prove that this rate existed although there appears to have been some confusion as the rate appears to have not been strictly enforced. This registered letter dated Aprtl 5th, 1922, from Tientsin to Switzerland, is franked with one SG18 one cent, one SG20 four cent and a pair of SG23 10 cent stamps for a total of 25 cents, which paid the registered letter fee plus the 10 cent plus 5 cent rate for a letter under 40 grams. The stamps are franked with two Webb type B Index C cds and there is a Norton type C registration handstamp on the other side.

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10 Cent plus 5 Cent Letter Fee Rate from the Agencies to British Possessions (Earliest Known Usage of the 10+5c Rate, Earliest Known Usage of the Proud R10 Registration Handstamp) This remarkable cover from February 12, 1922 from Shanghai to Switzerland is unique in several ways. It is franked with one SG1 one cent, one SG3 four cent and one SG8 twenty cent stamp for a total of 25 cents with paid the 10 cent registered letter fee plus the 10 cent plus 5 cent rate. It is the earliest known usage of the 10c+5c rate. The stamps are cancelled with two Webb type R4 registration handstamps and, in addition, the boxed registered handstamp, Proud type R10, which was unknown to both Webb and Norton, is the earliest known usage of this handstamp.

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10 Cent plus 5 Cent Letter Fee Rate from the Agencies to British Possessions This registered envelope, Size H, sub-type C1, dated March 17, 1922 from Shanghai to England, is franked with one SG1 one cent stamp, one SG3 four cent stamp and one SG8 twenty cent stamp for a total of 35 cents, which paid the 10c registered letter fee and the 10 plus 5 cent letter fee for letters weighing under 3 ounces. The stamps are cancelled with two Webb type R4 registration handstamps and there is an overwritten boxed R5 registration handstamp.

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4 Cent Agency to Agency Rate This very rare cover, from Hoihow to Canton, is franked with one SG3 four cent stamp, which paid the 4 cent Agency to Agency rate. This is a rare origin with an even more rare destination. The stamps is cancelled with a Webb type Hii Index F cds.

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4 Cent Agency to Hong Kong Rate Throughout the entire period, the rate for regular letters from any of Agencies to Hong Kong was 4 cents for each 20 grams of weight. This cover, dated July 13, 1919 from Liu Kung Tau to Hong Kong was franked with one SG3 four cent stamp and is cancelled with a rare Webb type C Index E cds.

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