The "Royal Mail" Galop. Inscribed to Capt. Triphook.

This edition is arranged as a piano duet. 'The Royal Mail Galop' was composed in tribute to the British Royal Mail service to Australia. Cover lithograph of a paddle steamer leaving a harbour. For over 400 years the British Post Office managed the carriage of overseas mails on commercial ships from Britain. In 1823 the British Government began to transfer responsibility for the mail service to the Admiralty. The P&O Company was founded in 1837, securing a contract to carry mails from the UK. 1851 the Admiralty awarded P&O the contract to carry mails to Sydney, Australia twice a month via Singapore. During the second half of the 19th century the business of transporting mail between Britain and the colonies became a lucrative trade. P&O's first trade route incorporated Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Ceylon, Galle, Aden and Suez. The second route visited Calcutta, Ceylon and Suez, with Australia being added on the line after Ceylon. The arrival of mail was greeted with excitement in the emerging colony, happy to have a regular and efficient line of communication with England. Conditino is good, with the chromolith cover bright and clean. 11pp.…