cover ASHBURTON: 1811 (10 July) entire from Portsmouth, New Hampshire and addressed to London, privately carried by ship to Devon and handed to the post office at Ashburton where manuscript "Ship Letter" (in red) and "ASHBURTON/194" milage handstamp were applied, from there transmitted to the Ship Letter Office in London where the oval framed "SHIP/Crown/LETTER" h.s. was struck, rated "1/2" (10d. inland charge, 4d. ship letter fee, and no Captain's gratuity). A remarkable ship letter from a town 15 miles from the nearest channel coastline. Photo