3-047-036 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Voyage to China: bringing the letter-bags on board a mail steam-ship at Brindisi, 1872. 'Since the establishment of steam navigation across the Indian Ocean...the distance from London to Hong-Kong, which looks enormous on the map, is reduced to 10,000 miles, and the time to a few weeks, instead of months, as it was formerly, in sailing round the Cape...On the day when our Artist stopped at Brindisi [on the Italian coast], having come down the Adriatic from Venice in the Peninsular and Oriental Company's vessel, 357 bags of letters and papers were put on board. This quantity included the Indian mails as well as letters for Australia and China. The sacks are brought from the railway in vans, and the sailors carry them on board. They are then slowed away below and counted, and a receipt is given to the Post Office official, who belongs to the Italian authorities. The word "Brindisi" is on each sack, and "Hong-Kong," or "Calcutta," or "Bombay" as well, so that the sacks can be sent to their proper destination. The sacks are of canvas. As soon as the last bag is on board and the receipt signed, the ship's bow is turned round towards the entrance to the harbour, and away she goes direct to Alexandria'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.