Canadian Pacific Steamship
and Pan American Clipper
In 1936, Mr. Hy.C. Holloway of Honolulu, Hawaii, embarked on a steamship voyage from Hawaii to North America on board a Canadian Pacific steamship. Upon the ship's arrival in Seattle, a letter written by Mr. Holloway and addressed to Mrs. Marie Holloway in Hawaii entered the U.S. postal stream.. The letter was franked with Canadian stamps and correctly accepted by the Seattle post office as "Paquebot" mail. The letter was forwarded to Hawaii "Via Clipper Mail".
Seattle to Honolulu, Hawaii, September 3, 1936
50 cents paying the double weight step Clipper air mail rate
Mr. Holloway's return address
1. Steamship to Seattle (Mr. Holloway)
Postal historians with access to shipping tables would be able to identify the Canadian Pacific ship on which Mr. Holloway sailed. The ship would have been one of the "Empresses" which provided trans-Pacific service. The Empress of Japan is shown in the photograph below:
Empress of Japan leaving Vancouver – 1933
2. Air Mail : Seattle to Hawaii (Mr. Holloway's Letter)
a) Paquebot Mail
The Seattle post office accepted ship mail franked with the stamps of the ship's country of origin. The paquebot cancellation would have alerted transit and receiving offices that the letter was properly franked.
Seattle Paquebot marking
b) Clipper Mail
The endorsement on Mr. Holloway's envelope reads "Via Clipper Mail"
50 cents paying the 1 ounce letter rate
Pan American Airways Clipper "Flying Boats" provided air mail service for the 2390 mile flight from San Fransisco to Hawaii.
Hawaii Clipper
