French balances for southern mints feared lost.
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
February 27, 1838
Excerpt from letter to the New Orleans Mint regarding large balances.
“Complete sets of large balances, with many other articles ordered in France, were sent from L'Harvre in the packet ship Formosa to New York and I am sorry to say that much alarm is entertained for her safety as she has been 75 days out, and is not heard of. Her loss would be a severe misfortune to the new Branch Mints.”
The order consisted of four large cases (crates) on board the ship Formosa which sailed December 16, 1837. Fortunately, the ship arrived safely in New York March 5, and the new US Mint balances began their slow journeys to the new mints.
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Comments
Using SmartPost back then too huh?
Is there any information available regarding the extended journey time? Almost three months crossing is certainly worthy of comment somewhere.... either diversion to another port or ship problems..... Cheers, RickO
NY newspapers reported at the end of February that several other ships were also late arriving and speculated they would all dock at about the same time. No reason was given for the late arrival.