Today in Postal History

Hong Kong to Germany
March 8, 1902

This picture postcard was sent without a stamp from Victoria, Kong Kong, to Rolandseck.
Rolandseck is a village on the Rhine about 46 km south of Köln (Cologne) and 7 km north of Remagen.

The postcard was written March 2 in Shanghai but not mailed until the sender arrived in Hong Kong.

When it arrived in/at Rolandseer on April 9 it was forwarded to Anvers (Antwerpen), Belgium.
It arrived in Anvers on April 10 and was delivered the same day.

The card was postmarked with a single Victoria CDS in Hong Kong
and marked with a circle T and and script /2½ to indicate postage due of 2½d
which would have been the UPU rate for a postcard going abroad.

When the postcard arrived in Anvers the value was converted to 20c as shown by the crayoned blue 20.
A 1895 20c.  postage due stamp was also added (Scott J6).

Upon delivery and payment the postage due was cancelled with a clear Anvers CDS.

The circle 50 postmark is, I believe, a Belgian postman's mark.

The illustration is of a teahouse in the native city of Shanghai.
Note the zigzag bridge.

The message is in French and appears to be a typical traveler's message
from "De la Capitale de l'extréme orient" - capital of the far east.

*Thanks to Helmut (seestern) for identifying the destination of this cover.

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