COVER N. 388 - FRANCE - DROM-COM - NOUVELLE CALÉDONIE

Postmark: Nouméa Ag.ce Philatélique - Nevlle Calédonie 08-12-2023

Posted on 8 December 2023; received on the 12th January 2024 

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My list of mail from France's "Départements et Régions d'Outre-mer et Collectivités d'Outre-mer", DROM-COM, for short, keeps growing, thanks to the care and kindness of French friends. 

Um grand Merci pour Roland et Pierre, pour les sensationnels plis de Nouvelle Calédonie, reçues hier!

Super!

Nouvelle Calédonie is a territory comprising several archipelagos and islands in the South pacific, which came under French "possession" in 1853, through a simple annexation declaration made by a  rear-admiral Febvrier-Despointes... those were the days.....

In time the Island that gives the name to the territory would be transformed into a penal colony, from 1864 onwards, and amogst all those that were exiled to the distant Oceanic colony were no fewer than 5000 Communards, many of which would return to France after an amnisty in 1880.

The rise of self-determination and independence ideals in colonised nations that ensued out of the ashes of the second world war was also felt in Nouvelle Calédonie and even if the territory has gained ever growing authonomy following years of sometimes violent clashes during the 80s of last century, this is still at large an unsettled matter, which is reflected in the Administrative classification of the Territory as a suis generis collectivity, with the right to self-determination recognised by the central Adminsitration.

The Postal Services of Nouvelle Calledónie - Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Nouvelle-Calédonie (OPT-NC) - were present in the 76th Salon Philatélique d'Automne, held in Paris, between 8 and 10 November, last year.

This was the occasion chosen for my French friends to send me the two much appreciated Nouvelle Caledónie covers which I am posting on my blog, as attested by the very beautiful cachet with a swimming turtle on the envelope.

The Amédée lighthouse, a 56 metres high cast iron tower, whose 30,000 candela light can be seen from some 20 nautical miles away, is located in  Amédée Island, Nouvelle Calédonie.

The iron structure was built in Paris in 1862 and then transported by ship to Le Havre from where it embarked on its final journey to its destination, its local assembly being completed in 1865.

The stamp on the cover, illustrated with a magnificent rendition of the Amédée Lighthouse, carrying no face value but including a legend "International", which I believe is an indication of its intended purpose, although the release notes on La Poste site indicate that it is only to be used on mail originating in new Caledonia destinated to the DOM (départments d'Outre Mer) and Metropolitane France, was isued on 24JUL2023.

The Postmark hails from the Philatelic Agency of Noumea, the capital of Nouvelle Calédonie.