Today in Postal History

 
   
Lebanon to France
March 22, 1903

This neat letter was postmarked at the British Post Office in Beyrout on its way to Paris.
It arrived in Paris on March 29 where it received at PARIS DISTRIBxN CDS.

The British Post Office in Beyrout (Beirut) was opened in 1873
and closed September 30, 1914, with the onset of World War I.

The British Post Offices in the Turkish Empire were
grouped together under the term 'British Levant.'
In addition to Beirut, the British Levant included post offices in
Constantinople, Salonica, Smyrna, and Stamboul (a sub-office in Constantinople).

A number of other countries had post offices in the Turkish Empire.
In addition to Great Britain, France, Italy, Poland, Egypt, Greece, Romania,
Russia, Germany, and Austria all had post offices there.*

The cover is franked with a single 40 PARAS overprinted 2½d. ultramarine from 1902 (SG 8).

All in all, a nice example of mail from this source.

*David Benson reminded me of two nations left out of the list.
Thanks.

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