1848, Victoria 2p. blue, horizontal strip of four, touched at bottom right and left, tied by oval grid cancel "12" to folded letter with adjacent "SHIP-LETTER LONDON DE 8 1848" and endorsement "per Private Ship" to Philadelphia with blue "6" cent due octogonal handstamp, minor aging otherwise fine and attractive retaliatory period cover, the ship letter is much scarcer than the usual 1s. packet letter rate
