Falmouth Packet Archives 1688-1850 | home
Spain - Corunna, Gijon, Vigo, Cadiz | Packet Routes | Portugal, Lisbon, Faro & Oporto | Mediterranean - Gibraltar, Malta + | Portugal: Madeira & the Azores | Barbados, Jamaica & Bahamas | Leeward Islands | Trinidad & Tobago | Pensacola & Charlestown | Surinam | Guyana | Mexico | Florida, Carolinas, Virginia | New York | N. Atlantic, Halifax & Bermuda | Brazils - Perna, Bahia & Rio | Argentina (Buenos Aires) & Uruguay (Montevideo) | Egypt & India (via Malta) | Branch Packets | Other Packet Routes - Europe | Ionia (via Malta)
Branch Packets
Branch packets were employed to distribute the mails between arrival and departures of the scheduled packets on established routes. For convenience, they are listed by region.
SM 2/10/1739: Mr. Morphey, late tending to the woolen manufacturers, was introduced to the Lords of the Admiralty and presented their Lordships with a plan for building Advice Boats, to be sailing to and fro between our Plantations and Colonies in the West Indies. He plainly demonstrated the absolute use and necessity for such to be of great service on several accounts, either in peace or war, and we hear he was well received.
[In 1745, the Post Office, under pressure from merchants, reintroduced a service from Falmouth to the Caribbean, along the lines of Dummer's original 1702-1711 plan.]
Caribbean
West Briton 14 April, 1825: "London News". Gales in Barbadoes. On March 7th, mail boat, Maria Whitney, from St. Thomas to Barbadoes was lost on Sandy Isle, Antigua. Only the mate and one man were saved. Five Methodist Preachers, their wives & children were on board. (Phil A/4/2.) [ref: Branch Packets.]
Brazil & Argentina Rio - Buenos Aires & Montevideo
River Plate
Hornet (1832)
Spider (1836)
Sparrowhawk (1837?)
FP 17/3/1838: By Lyra, left at Rio, H. M. Schooner Packet Spider. Cockatrice sailed for Buenos Ayres with mail on 3/1/1838, Sparrowhawk was hourly expected with mail from the River de la Plate.
North Atlantic Halifax - Bermuda
Mediterranean 
Acheron (1838) H.M. Steam Packet (Branch Packet, Mediterranean)
India
Mediterranean
India
Caribbean
FP 16/1/1836: Steamers Flamer & Meteor to be on Barbados - St. Thomas branch service.
FP 23/1/1836: Meteor sailed ex Portsmouth 30/11/1835 for St. Thomas. [ vice Flamer or Colombia ?]
FP 14/5/1836: Meteor Steam-vessel, such injury by fire on passage from Kingston to North Jamaica as to render her incapable of repair.
FP 28/5/1836: Meteor steamer under repairs 8-10 days Jamaica - missed Lapwing (H.M.P. Brig) mails at St. Thomas 22 March, 1836.
North Atlantic
River Plate