Panama

38814 — n. p. n. d. Ca 1877. Bit of discoloration at top. Adhesive residue along verso edges. Period date of "5/18/77" in recto lower margin. A VG copy. Pale blue card stock printed both sides. Typographical border. Card verso with departure dates for Japan Hong Kong Sydney Auckland & PNW ports. 5-13/16" x 3-1/4" <br/><br/>The Pacific Mail Steamship Company was founded in 1848 as a joint stock company under the laws of the State of New York. The company founders had acquired the right to transport mail under contract from the United States Government from the Isthmus of Panama to California. The company initially believed it would be transporting agricultural goods from the West Coast but just as operations began gold was discovered in California and business boomed almost from the start. During the California Gold Rush in 1849 the company was a key mover of goods and people and played a key role in the growth of San Francisco California. In 1867 the company launched the first regularly scheduled trans-Pacific steamship service with a route between San Francisco Hong Kong and Yokohama and extended service to Shanghai. This route led to an influx of Japanese and Chinese immigrants bringing additional cultural diversity to California. A rare survivor from the era documenting the firm's Far East routes. unknown books