Early GB Cover, United States Legation, Madrid

This cover is WAY out of my knowledge base, but I picked it up cheaply in an APS Circuit Book. This is damaged Scott 59b, Plate 12 on a letter to Albany, New York. There is nothing on the reverse.



What does the "United States Legation, Madrid" hand stamp signify?


And, is there any significance to this hand stamp?


As you can see, not an area of my expertise. Thanks in advance for your comments.

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proc...gency-london

The New York red CDS is curious"...ALL" ?

General Francis C Barlow
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Francis_C._Barlow

Rod, thanks for your quick response, but the link is a Member's only area, so I can't read more than the first two sentences. Here is the Red CDS rotated to show, New York, Feb 8th, ???


I forgot to note that the envelope contained a nice surprise at the bottom. 10 copies of Scott 220a, the cap on left two, plus 4 copies of Scott 220c, cap on both twos.

That is a lovely cover, I would be, personally, tempted to join or sign in, to get that information.

Finally got the Red CDS = "PAID ALL"

The Image of General Barlow in the wiki link is just marvellous
(The guy with the checked lumberjack shirt)
What a talented and brave human being.

Legation:
A legation was a diplomatic representative office of lower rank than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an ambassador, a legation was headed by a minister. Ambassadors outranked ministers and had precedence at official events.Wikipedia

Mission history: The U.S. diplomatic mission in Madrid was established in February 1783, originally as a legation. The legation temporarily closed in April 1898 but reopened in April 1899. In October 1913, the legation changed status to an embassy.

https://www.embassypages.com/united...madrid-spain

Lots of reference PAID ALL here at SCF
Employ "search"
https://goscf.com/t/47033

Rod, in your wikia link for General Barlow, I saw the following information:




I wonder what he would think of the 2020 US Presidential Election?

Nice cover. I know the mark from the US legation. I have a Spanish domestic cover from 1877 with the same mark - although with a datestamp inside the oval. Your cover traveled in a diplomatic bag from Madrid to London where the "Bearer of Dispatch" put it in the regular mails, probably because it was a private letter, not official business. A couple links:

https://www.abps.org.uk/competition...matic-pouch/

https://2009-2017.state.gov/documen...n/176706.pdf

Thanks for adding more information to this thread.

The B.F. Stevens Despatch agent markings have been written about many times, including in American Philatelist. This is an unusual use for that marking, which usually appears on mail originating in the US and destined for US naval vessels in and around Europe.