Packet trade facts for kids
Imagine a time before planes and fast trains. How did important letters, valuable goods, and people travel across oceans? They used special ships called packet boats. These boats were part of the packet trade, which was a regular, scheduled service for carrying cargo, passengers, and especially mail.
The word "packet" originally meant a small bundle of important letters or valuable items that needed to be delivered quickly. So, a "packet ship" was a vessel whose main job was to carry these mail packets for governments and businesses. Over time, the term grew to include any ship that followed a regular schedule, carrying both people and goods.
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A Look Back: History of Packet Services
For hundreds of years, countries and organizations needed reliable ways to send important mail and valuable items across the seas. This was especially true for secret government papers or precious metals. During wars, these regular shipments faced dangers from enemy warships. Even in peacetime, pirates could be a threat. For example, in 1829, a pirate named Mansel Alcantra attacked the packet ship Topaz, overpowering its crew and taking its valuables.
In Britain, the Post Office Packet Service started way back in the 1500s. They used small, fast ships that were lightly armed. These ships carried official government papers to places overseas on a set schedule. This service continued until 1823, when the British Navy took over. During big wars like the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars, packet ships were often targets. But even though some were captured, others fought back bravely. By the 1850s, the Post Office started hiring private companies to carry the mail instead.
Other European countries with colonies far away also created their own packet mail systems. Eventually, large commercial steamships began to offer regular international trips. These ships often got contracts from governments to carry mail, along with passengers and valuable cargo. Their services kept the name "Packet."
Famous Packet Shipping Companies
Many companies became famous for their packet services. Some of these included:
- Baltimore Steam Packet Company
- Black Ball Line (trans-Atlantic packet)
- City of Dublin Steam Packet Company
- Cunard Line
- Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
- Liverpool Packet
- Swallowtail Line (trans-Atlantic packet)
- Woolwich Steam Packet Company
- Robert Kermits Red Star Line
The Black Ball Line Story
In 1818, ships from the Black Ball company started making regular trips between Britain and the United States. These "packet ships" were well-known for always sticking to their schedules, no matter what. This meant that sailors had to work very hard, and the ships sometimes earned the nickname "bloodboat" because of the tough conditions.
The first Black Ball Line was started by a group of people called Quakers in New York. Later, a different company in Liverpool also called itself the Black Ball Line, even though the original company protested.
Packet Trade Around the World
Packet services were important in many different parts of the world.
Packet Ships in the United States
In the United States, "packet trade" often refers to the ships that traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and Africa. But smaller packet boats were also widely used inside the country during the 1800s. They carried mail and offered scheduled trips on rivers and canals. For example, the Erie Canal cut travel time across New York state in half. Other important canals included the Pennsylvania Canal and the James River and Kanawha Canal.
Before the early 1800s, ships carrying cargo, passengers, and mail between Europe and America would only sail when they were completely full. But as trade with America grew, having a regular schedule became much more important.
Australia's Early Packet Services
The very first ship built for sea travel in Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) in 1812 was called the Henrietta Packet. It got this name because it offered a regular passenger service between Hobart, Tasmania and Sydney. From the 1830s, the term "steam packet" was commonly used for early steamship services that aimed to be regular and reliable. You can still see this today, with many places in Australia named "Steam Packet Inn" or "Steam Packet Hotel."
Fast sailing ships and early steamships that had mail contracts between Great Britain and Australia were also often called packets. This included several ships from James Baines' Black Ball Line and the Orient Line.
Dutch Packet Boats: Beurtvaart
In the Netherlands, from the late 1400s to the mid-1500s, a system called the beurtvaart developed. This was a similar system mostly for travel on rivers and canals. Beurtvaart ships carried passengers, animals, and goods along set routes. They had fixed prices and scheduled departure times. Cities organized this system, and it grew into a large and dependable network. Some cities even arranged international sea connections.
In the late 1800s, the government stopped being so involved. Many steamship companies started up, offering similar services. Some carried only goods and animals, while others focused on passengers, becoming more like public transportation. They would call their service "beurtvaart" or sometimes use the word "packet," like the company Alkmaar Packet.
Cape Verde's Packet Connections
Because many people from Cape Verde moved to America, especially to New Bedford, Massachusetts, strong connections grew between these places. This migration was influenced by whaling and several times of drought in Cape Verde. A strong packet trade developed between New England and Cape Verde during the early to mid-1800s.
Packet Trade Today: ePacket Delivery
In the 21st century, a new kind of "packet" delivery became available through the US Postal Service. This is called ePacket delivery. It's a special agreement with postal services in China, Hong Kong, and Korea. This deal helps support online shopping between East Asia and the United States.
Sellers in these countries can send goods directly to American customers. They often get delivery rates that are even lower than what US sellers would pay to send the same package within the US. These low rates and the lack of special taxes on imported goods from these countries make the service a bit controversial. Some people think it gives foreign sellers, especially from mainland China and Hong Kong, an unfair advantage in the growing online market. The USPS has said it has trouble negotiating prices with the Chinese postal services and was losing money on the service in 2013.
More to Explore
- Post Office Packet Service
- Isle of Man Steam Packet
- Packet boat
