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Where is Niuafo'ou?
Niuafo'ou is a tiny island in the Tonga group. It is an active volcano that thrusts steeply out from the ocean floor. There is no safe anchorage for ships.
Because of its unusual geography, Niuafo'ou used unconventional means to receive its postal communications known as "Tin Can Mail."
These interesting letters, the envelopes of which are called "covers" by collectors, often bear a myriad of cachets and other colorful markings. They are highly prized by stamp collectors...but they are also a very affordable addition to any stamp collection.
The Tale of Tin Can Mail
When copra traders set up operations on the island near the turn of the century, a method of communications became necessary. At one time passing steamers would seal incoming mail for the island in ship's 40-pound biscuit tins which were then thrown overboard to native swimmers. The swimmers had maneuvered a mile or more through the turgid surf, towing the outgoing mail that had been carefully soldered in tins. The swimmers and ship would exchange mail containers and each would be on their way. From this unique method of mail delivery, the island became known as Tin Can Island and the letters carried thus are called Tin Can Mail.
The swimming mail lasted until 1931 when a shark killed a swimmer. From then on, mail was brought in by outrigger canoe.
Two European copra traders were living on Niuafo'ou in the 1920's and 30s, and they played an important part in the Tin Can Mail service. Walter George Quensell is most associated with the Tin Can Mail since he is the one who began applying the numerous and colorful rubber-stamped cachets that later cover liberally display. However, Charles Stuart Ramsay actually swam for the mail during his employment at Niuafo'ou.
Following a violent eruption during September 1946, the 1,330 inhabitants were evacuated eventually resettled at Eua island, south of Tongatabu.
After twelve years absence, more than 200 former residents returned to Niuafo'ou and began rebuilding their homes and villages. By January 1962, the island had been repopulated and Matson Cruise Lines once again added Niuafo'ou to their itinerary.
In 1983, an airstrip was completed eliminating the need for Tin Can Mail.
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Niuafo'ou는 어디에 있는가?
Niuafo'ou는 통가 왕국 그룹에 있는 작은 섬이다. 해저에서 가파르게 밖으로 미는 활화산이다. 배를 위한 안전한 묘박지가 없다.
그것의 특별한 지리학 때문에, Niuafo'ou는 사용했다 "양철 깡통 우편물로 알려져 있는 그것의 우편 커뮤니케이션을 받는 자유로운 방법을."
봉투가 수집가에 의해 "덮개"에게 불리는, 이 재미있는 편지는 수시로 봉인과 다른 다채로운 표하기의 무수를 품는다. 그들은 우표 수집가에 의하여 높게 입상… 이다 그러나 또한 어떤 우표 수집든지에 아주 적당한 추가이다.
저가 당신이 나의 페이지에 대하여 생각하는 무슨을 알게 하십시오. 여기에서 눌러서 우편물을 보내십시오.
These books are available only to members of the Society of Australasian Specialists/Oceania. If you wish to become a member, contact the Membership Chair SAS/O Henry Bateman for more information.
Collections of Articles, Extracts and Pamphlets
Tonga: History and Geography Tear Sheets and Pamphlets (114 Items) Vol. I and Vol. II
Tonga: Philatelic References Tear Sheets and Pamphlets (88 Items) Vol. I and Vol. II
Niuafo'ou: Tin Can Mail Tear Sheets and Pamphlets (88 Items) Vol. I and Vol. II
Niuafo'ou (Tin Can Mail Island) History Tear Sheets and Pamphlets (37 Items)
Tindall, Ramsay & Quensell and Miscellaneous Tear Sheets and Pamphlets (45 Items)
Unbound Works and Other Media
Niuafo'ou - Tin Can Island Study of illustrated covers
Greg Jorgensen. Mail Delivery at Niuafo'ou 1927 to 1947. 96 pgs. Detailed graphic account of methods of delivery, rates and routes of Tin Can Mail. Best of Show Award for T/TCMSC MAILPEX II, June 1988. Copy of exhibit. Unbound book.
Charles Stuart Ramsay & Charles R. Plumb. Tin Can Island. A Story of Tonga and the Swimming Mail Man of the South Seas 320 pgs. (photocopies) Ramsay's book. Published by Hurst & Blackett. Date unknown. Also Danish Version. Unbound book.
Tin Can Mail History. 80 slides, script, and audio tape.
De La Rue Engraved Definitives of Tonga. 55 slides, script, and audio tape.
Tin Can Mail Re-enactment. VHS Tape.
A Fragile Piece of History. VHS Tape. Mail delivery by S.S. Canberra.
Tonga Royal. VHS Tape.
Tonga Tin Can Mail Drop
Brian Cook, Tonga Photos
Hempl, William, Tin Can Island - Photographs. Computer Slide Show and Manual.
Books
Klug, J., Tonga Definitives of 1897-1953. Copy of Gold Medal exhibit PIPEX 1988.
Klug, J., Catalog of Tin Can Mail Cachets, 1st Edition, 19xx.
Klug, J., Catalog of Tin Can Mail Cachets, 2nd Edition, TTCMSC, 1985.
Klug, Tin Can Mail Cachets of Tonga,
Ledyard, Patricia, The Tongan Past, Government Printing Office, Tonga, 1982. Tongan legends, history, and events.
Rogers, Garth, The Fire Has Jumped, Institute of Pacific Studies, University of South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, 1986. Eyewitness accounts of the 1946 eruption and evacuation of Niuafo'ou, Tonga.
Pacific 97 Handbook, American Philatelic Society, 1997.
Benson, L., The 1d 'Ovava Tree of Tonga, TTCMSC, 1992.
Benson, L., More Quensell Letters, TTCMSC, 1998.
Benson, L., The Letters of Walter George Quensell, Tin Can Mailman of the South Seas, TTCMSC, 1990. A very interesting collection of Quensell's letters.
Benson, L., The 1897 One Penny of Tonga. Copy of Gold Medal exhibit FLOREX 1993.
Benson, L., The 1897 One Penny of Tonga. Copy of Gold Medal exhibit CINPEX/INDYPEX 1996.
Clark, L., Tin Can Mail, TTCMSC, 1983. Complete coverage of the topic.
Crane, E., The Geography of Tonga, Crane Publications, 1974.
The 58th American Philatelic Congress Book, 1992.
South Pacific, National Geographic Society magazine
Stindt, F., Matson's Century of Ships [excerpts]. Covers the cruise ships that stopped at Tin Can Island.
Tonga (Lonely Planet Travel Guide)
Tongan Handicrafts, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1980.
Tonga Development Bank Annual Report 1977
Vissel, Jozee & Olaf Ruhen, The Tongans, Pacific Publications. Sydney 1978. A color pictorial and narrative of life in Tonga.
Walters, E., Tonga through 1896. Copy of Gold Medal exhibit. PIPEX, May 1988 updated in 1990.
Wood, A., History & Geography of Tonga, Wilson & Horton Ltd. N.Z., 1945. Comprehensive description.
Journals
The Informer - Journal of the Society of Australasian Specialists/Oceania
Pacifica - Journal of the Pacific Islands Study Circle
The Tin Canner - Journal of the Tonga/Tin Can Mail Study Circle
All of the above works are available to the general public for supervised study at the Western Philatelic Library premises in Sunnyvale, California.
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양철 깡통 우편물의 이야기
코프라 상인이 세기적 사건의 가까이에 섬에 가동을 설치할 때, 커뮤니케이션의 방법은 필요하게 되었다. 한때는 기선을 통과하는 것은 출생지 헤엄치는 사람에게 그 때 배 밖으로 던져진 배의 40 파운드 건빵 주석에 있는 섬을 위한 들어오는 우편물을 밀봉할 것입니다. 헤엄치는 사람은 주석에서 주의깊게 납땜되었었던 나가는 우편물을 견인하는 붓는 파도를 통해서 마일 또는 더 많은 것을 기동시켰었다. 헤엄치는 사람 및 배는 우편물 콘테이너를 교환하고 각각은 그들의 방법에 일 것입니다. 우편 배달의 이 유일한 방법에서, 섬은 양철 깡통 섬으로 알려지고 이렇게 날라진 편지는 양철 깡통 우편물에게 불린다.
수영 우편물은 상어가 헤엄치는 사람을 죽인 1931년까지 지속되었다. 그로부터, 우편물은 아우트리거 카누로 안으로 주어졌다.
2명의 유럽 코프라 상인은 1920 년대 및 30s에 있는 Niuafo'ou에 살아있고, 양철 깡통 우편 서비스에 있는 중요한 역할을 했다. 그가 최신 덮개가 자유주의로 표시하는 수많고 다채로운 rubber-stamped 봉인을 적용하는 시작한 사람이기 때문에 Walter 조지 Quensell는 양철 깡통 우편물에 연합된다. 그러나, 찰리 스튜어트 Ramsay는 Niuafo'ou에 그의 고용 동안에 우편물을 위해 실제로 수영했다.
1946년 9월 동안에 강력한 발진 다음, 1,330명의 주민은 Eua 섬, Tongatabu의 남쪽에 다시 정착시켰다 최후에 철수되었다.
휴무 12 년 후에, Niuafo'ou에 돌려보내진 200명 이상 이전 거주자는 그들의 가정 및 마을을 재건하는 시작했다. 1962년 1월까지, 섬은 repopulated 이고 Matson 유람 노선은 그들의 여정에 다시 한번 Niuafo'ou를 추가했다.
1983년에, 양철 깡통 우편물을 위한 필요를 삭제하는 임시 활주로는 완료되었다.
통가 왕국 Philately에 돌려보내기 위하여 여기에서 누르십시오.
주석 통조림 제조업자 편집자 Janet Klug 홈 페이지를 방문하기 위하여는 여기에서 누르십시오: TongaJan의 홈 페이지
Tonga/Tin Can Mail Study Circle Library