The earliest known SERVICE MARITIME 30 dots cancel we know so far. A set cover to Port Vila. On 10 June 1910 PACIFIQUE was in Port Vila. (seen on Ebay)

The second earliest known SERVICE MARITIME 30 dots cancel we know so far. Postcard with 1d stamp, reverse not known. On 11 July PACIFIQUE arrived at Sydney. (seen in an old auction) (correctly franked)

An here another one from the same PACIFIQUE run: picture postcard with a 1908 French 10cd stamp to the U.S. (correctly franked) (Fred Petit coll.)

3 July 1910

Very nice "every day use" letter to Nouméa, correctly franked 1d, cancelled with Goyns-Klinger type PM5A "SERVICE MARITIME". A darker copy of the cancel and the backstamp Nouméa 2 AOUT 10 are copied into the image at bottom left. The PACIFIQUE left Sydney on 20 July and returned on 7 August - this fits perfectly with the dates of this letter. ("Namba 2" coll.)

Cover with 1d stamp cancelled with "SERVICE MARITIME" Goyns-Klinger type PM5A ( 30 dashes ) to Toulouse, France and redirected to Albi, dép. Tarn. Backstamped SYDNEY AUG 8 / 1910, TO(ULOU)SE HTE GARONNE 11-9 / 10 and ALBI TARN 12-9 / 10. The Messageries Maritimes steamer PACIFIQUE arrived at Sydney on 7 August and (according to her normal journey dates) left Vila on 31 July 1910. (Klinger coll.)

Postcard to France, datelined 19 August 10, the 10c stamp cancelled with SERVICE MARITIME cancel Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. The cancel is repeated on the address side and shows 20      10, the month line being omitted. The cancel was used on an interisland boat between 1910 and 1930. ("JGI" collection).

Postcard ("Guerriers Calédoniens") to London with New Caledonia 5c tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. The year slug is unreadable but the other crds with this handwriting were written in 1910 so I think this one is 1910 too. Image thanks to Prestige Philately, Australia

23 August 19yy (10?)

Postcard to England with correct 10c rate, tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A ("Service Maritime") in blue, with the month of the date slug missing. (Treadwell coll.)

Postcard to England with the correct 10c rate, tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A ("Service Maritime") in blue, with the month of the date slug missing. Same addressee as on the card at left. ("Mele" coll.)

Same sender! Note: Goyns-Klinger type PM5A month block missing like often! Dated 19 Nov 1910. Image thanks to London Stamp Exchange Ltd.

Same sender! Note: Goyns-Klinger type PM5A month block missing like often! Dated 19 Nov 1910.
(unknown coll.)

Postcard to France with the correct 1d rate, tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A ("Service Maritime") in blue, with the month of the date showing again. ("Goron" coll.)

20 November 1910

Cover to France with the correct 1d rate, tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A ("Service Maritime") in blue, with the month of the date very weak.
Image thanks to Lugdunum Philatélie France.

20 November 1910

Dufourmantelle cover to Nice with quite a few traces of a difficult transfer. Image thanks to Gaertner Auctions

17 December 1910

Dufourmantelle cover to Nice, the four 1d stamps cancelled with PM5A. Must have been a heavy letter as colonial letter rate to France was 1d. (ex Millet coll.)

Postcard to Paris. (seen at Delcampe)

cancel

Letter to France with correct 1d rate, tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A ("Service Maritime"), with the date bloc supposedly rotated by 180 degrees. The date could be June 1911 as the cover has two backstamps Fontenay le Comte 23-7-11 and 24-7-11. Addressee is the well known advocat and lepidopterist Daniel Lucas (1869-1968). PACIFIQUE left Vila after a grounding on 5 June 11 pm with some damage and reached Sydney later than planned on June 15. The Messageries Maritimes steamer SYDNEY left Sydney for Marseilles on 12 June. The mail was carried by train to Adelaide I think where the SYDNEY called on June 17. SYDNEY arrived at Marseilles on June 21 and the letter was carried on to Fontenay. So the date on the type 83 cancel should be somewhere near June 3. ("Aore" coll.)

French intercolonial rate 1d (10c) to France, the two %frac12;d stamps canelled with Goyns-Klinger type PM5A which was used on the steamer PACIFIQUE. (Réf.: Fréd. Petit)

Another dd MAI 11 cover to France. The mixed 20c + 1d stamps are cancelled with GK Type PM5A. Backstamped B.DU RHONE 22 7 11 PACIFIQUE arrived at Sydney (after a 5 days delay in Vila having run aground) on 15 June 1911. The letter was carried by train to Adelaide (17 June) to FMS SYDNEY and arrived at Marseille on 22 July and was cancelled there on the same day. (Blinco coll.)

This is a 1d overpaid ship loose letter to the UK (should be 2d, not 3d). The letter was carried by the Burns Philp steamer MAKAMBO, which arrived at Sydney on 24 August 1911. (unknown coll.)

Letter to France, the 1d stamp cancelled with SERVICE MARITIME cancel Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. The cover was carried by the Messageries Maritimes steamer PACIFIQUE. She left Sydeny on October 11 and returned on October 29. The steamer OCÉANIEN left Sydney on October 30 to Marseilles and arrived there on December 8. I suppose that the letter was brought from Suez to Port Said by train and then with a fast boat to Brindisi and then by train to France. Backstamped Nantes Dec 2 and Campbon 4 Dec 11. ("Mele" coll.).

A nice cover from George Naturel of Valesdir (Epi) to the American furniture Co. Brooks in Saginaw, Michigan. Rate of 25c is correct. The English 2d and French 5c stamps are cancelled with the 30 dot SERVICE MARITIME cancel. The center of the cancel is inverted and the "2" of the year is inverted again. At that date the Messageries Maritime steamer PACIFIQUE was in Port-Vila. No backstamps but two mirror images of the cancel from the next cover. A nice imprint of VALESDIR - see at left. (Coll. F. Petit)

Correct rate to New Caledonia, the 10c stamp cancelled with SERVICE MARITIME cancel Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. The "12" is head over again but the December "12" below is of an other kind than on the June and August covers. But the 1921 type 83 has a correct year date, so it is 12 I think. (Goron coll.).

Picture postcard to Germany. One 5c stamp is placed on the address side as the sender was German and was used to do this but it did not pay the non-colonial postcard any text length rate so another 5c stamp was placed on the picture side of the card.
Postmark is GK type PM5A (Service Maritime) in blue as ususal. A Sydney machine cancel says 8 July.
The text ells us that the sender sent 3 other cards together with this one. (coll. Fred Petit)
The cancel shows the date 21 JUIN 12 and the card is manuscript dated 30 June 12. So the cancel was not set correctly. PACIFIQUE left Sydney on 18 June and cannot have been in the New Hebrides on 21 June. She returned to Sydney on 6 July 1912 which was a Saturday so the card was cancelled on 8 July. Same sender and addressee as on 12 November 1913 below.

Letter to France, the French 10c stamp cancelled by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A SERVICE MARITIME. The sender is the French settler Auguste Lançon (1873 - 1936), born in Chambéry, Savoie. His main place was in Nelson Bay on API and had the name "Les Allobroges".
Seen in the March 2006 auction of Lugdunum Philatélie. (The top right part of the picture is graphically completed).

Postcard to Nouméa with correct 10c. rate (1910 provisional series French issue) tied by PCH 83 service maritime in blue with the rotated 2 in the year block 1912. Another impression of the cancel was applied to the address side. The postcard was carried by the PACIFIQUE. She left Sydney on Dec 4 and was back on Dec 23. This was exactly in time for the Messageries Maritimes steamer ARMAND BÉHIC which left Sydney on Dec 24 and arrived at MARSEILLES on Jan 31. As usually the card may have been transported from Suez to Port Said by train and from there by a smaller ship to Brindisi and from there to France by train. ("Sesi" collection)

15 December 1912

Picture postcard dated 27 April 1913, the French 1910 10c stamp cancelled with Goyns-Klinger type PM5A SERVICE MARITIME in blue on 30 April 1913. Sydney machine transit cancel. ("JGI" coll.)

30 April 1913

Picture postcard to France, the 10c New Caledonia cagou stamp cancelled with NH PM5A. (ex Millet coll.)

Postcard to Germany, 10c rate, the stamp is cancelled with PCH type 83 (same date as the image in PCH). Machine cancelled in Sydney. (seen on Ebay)
Same addressee as on 21 June 1912 above.

Reverse

Cover to Australia, the 1911 10c stamp cancelled with GK PM5A.
(Image thanks to Sandafayre Auctions August 2017

Picture postcard written on Malicolo to France. The French 1911/12 10c stamp is cancelled with GK Type PM5A in blue with the month slug inverted. Correct 10c long message French colonial postcard rate.
Image thanks to Gaertner Auctions

12 December 1913

Picture postcard to France. The French 1911/12 10c stamp is cancelled with GK Type PM5A in blue with the month slug inverted. Correct 10c long message French colonial postcard rate.
Image thanks to Steve Drewett incorporating Empire Stamp Auctions.)

Service Maritime Goyns-Klinger type PM5A on a cover to Lyon. The two French 10c stamps pay the rate above 15g. The cover was carried to Sydney by the Messageries Martimes steamer PACIFIQUE, Captain Charvin. She left Sydney on 13 July and returned on Friday 31 July. The cover is backstamped Sydney on 1 August 1914 and Lyon on 7 September 1914. (Klinger coll.)

2d Queensland stamp used in New Hebrides. Only recorded cover of this kind so far. SERVICE MARITIME cancel Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. Maybe a case of "deep in the wallet buried stamp" recycling of some QLD settler.
Adolphe-Auguste Barrau was a merchant in Nouméa from 1890 on and some years later associated with J.L.Daly, G.Olivaud and Gabriel Barrau under the name "A. Barrau et Cie".
What makes me a bit meditative is the fact that this company was renamed "Maison Barrau" in 1923 according to O'Reilly's book "calédoniens" and this name is used on this cover in 1914. On the other hand, it is quite normal to use the term "Maison" for a trading company in French. Comments on this letter from all readers are welcome. (Goron coll.)

Letter to France with a French 10c stamp tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A SERVICE MARITIME cancel. Arrival cancels POITIERS GARE and POITIERS 18-2/15 on reverse. (Klinger coll.)

Letter with French 10c as the correct rate to New South Wales cancelled with Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. ("Aore" coll.)

Letter with French 10c for the colonial letter rate and 25c registration fee cancelled with GK type PM5A. Registration cachet GK type NR1C.
Image thanks to Lugdunum Philatelie

Letter with French 10c for the colonial letter rate to Paris redirected to Angers. Jacquier is mentioned in Stewart's Hand Book of the Pacific Islands - New Hebrides 1918 as planter in Malo and Santo.

23 April 1915
(new 1/2021)

Letter with French 10c for the colonial letter to Crzé, Maine et Loire, France cancelled with GK type PM5A.
Backstamped Sydney 26 July hence carried by S.S. PACIFIQUE which arrived in Sydney on 26 July and Seiches sur Loire on 3 September. Image thanks to Lugdunum Philatelie

Letter to Paris. Correct French colonoal 15g letter rate. GK type PM5B in violet. Backstamped Sydney 11 January 1916. (ex Millet coll.)

3 January 1916

Letter to N.S.W., the French 1911/12 10c stamp is cancelled with PCH type 85. Image thanks to Prestige Philately, Australia

Postcard to Saint Donat (Drôme) France The 1d. stamp tied by PCH type 85 service maritime with year block 1916 in black, stamped St Donat 4-8-16 in arrival. ("Sesi" collection)

Correct British COlonial Letterrate to Sydney cancelled with Goyns Klinger type PM5B. Image thanks to Lugdunum Philatélie France.

Letter to Paris showing the Service Maritime Cancel on the British 2d stamp with the year in full. This is Goyns-Klinger type PM5B. (PACIFIQUE) Backstamped on transit in Sydney on 12 April 1917. (Klinger coll.)

Reverse

Military mail to France, big cachet "MARINE FRANCAISE - SERVICE A LA MER", written in Port Sandwich. No stamp or cancel. ("JGI" collection)

27 May 1917

(date of backstamp or letter inside - I don't know but Hubert Goron knows what he says!) Maritime dumb cancel, recorded during WWI and scarce on the 5c, rare on the 10c. (Goron collection)

Letter to Nouméa franked with a British 1911 6d stamp (rate 1d !) and cancelled with the Service Maritime GK type PM5B, backstamped Nouméa (a PACIFIQUE run). Image thanks to David Moss and Northwich Philatelic Society | Northwich, Cheshire.

Letter to Nouméa franked with a British 1911 5d stamp (rate?) and cancelled with the Service Maritime GK type PM5B. (a PACIFIQUE run) (This cover was sold at Victoria Stamp Company in their Dec. 1 2001 auction for US$425) ("RW" coll.)

Correct rate cover to South Australia. The cancel Goyns-Klinger type PM5c 85 (with a full year slug) is from 1916 to 1918. (PACIFIQUE) (Klinger coll.)

Maritime letter to Monsieur Balande Fils négociant à Nouméa. 10c. stamp cancelled with Service maritime PCH type 85 with year block 1918 in black. Backstamped Nouméa 4 Juillet 18. Most likely carried from Vila to Nouméa by the Messageries Maritimes steamer PACIFIQUE. She left Sydney on 20 June and returned on 11 July. The Nouméa Sydney run usually took 4-5 days so everything fits fine. ("SeSi" coll.)

30 June 1918

Correct rate cover to Sydney. The cancel type 85 is known with a full year from 1916 to 1918. I found this image in the 1995 Christies Australia auction catalogue. The cover was sold then for 160 A$. The cover was carried by the Messageries Maritimes steamer PACIFIQUE. She left Sydney on 30 Nov and returned on 21 Dec 1918.

Letter from Malekula to New York The 25c. French issue tied with PCH 83 or 85 service maritime in black (partially stamped). Backstamped with machine cancel HELP REPATRIATION BUY WAR SAVING CERTIFICATES SYDNEY NO 26 1911 in transit. The sender Martin JOHNSON was a famous US ethnological film director ( Cannibals of the south seas (1916), On the borderland of civilisation, Head Hunters of the south seas (1922-23).) According to the PACIFIQUE's timetable the cancel should have the date NOV 14.("Sesi" collection)

PPC to France, the 1d stamp cancelled with Goyns Klinger type PM5C. Date block inverted. French colonial postcard rat was 5c for a short message, 10c for a long message. So 5c would have been enough here. (Klinger collection)

Superb maritime registered cover to Sydney NSW. Franking with a block of 4 5c/50c French issue, two 1d/5- and one 1d/2- British issue. Correct 5d colonial registration rate. Stamps tied by PM5C, registration cachet type NR1A. Backstamped "Registered Sydney 22 NO 20" on arrival. PACIFIQUE arrived on 22 November 1920 in Sydney. ("SeSi" coll.)

reverse

Letter to New Caledonia. The 1921 20c could tell us that the rate increased to 20c. It is cancelled with the Service Maritime type 84. ("RW" coll.)

Letter to Paris. The 1911 20c stamp cancelled with PM5C. Colonial letter rate was 2d so the cover is correctly franked.

Letter to Sydney. The 1911 2d stamp cancelled with PM5C. Colonial letter rate was 2d so the cover is correctly franked. (Klinger coll.)

Top of a cover to Rev. T. Watt Leggatt at a Synode in Collins Street, Melbourne. (Klinger coll.)

Ashley cover registered to Sydney. Picture thanks to Corbitts auctions

1924 stamps on a Service Maritime cover to Sydney. From my 2006 archive)

Letter to the U.S.A.: a total of 50c cancelled with GK type PM5C. Overpaid 20c or underpaid 20c as a heavy letter. (image thanks to Lugdunum Philatelie)

Letter to England, the French 20c stamp pays the rate and is cancelled with PCH type 84 (36 dashes). (Pacifique) (Klinger coll.)

Cover with five 10c overprints to Sydney. Cancelled with PCH type 8 with inverted date slug. It is interesting that there is an impression of PCH 84 (Service Maritime) on the cover below the left stamp with the date 10(?) Nov 24 too. I have no explanation for this. ("RMD" collection)

Ship letter to Sydney. The French 30c and English 3d stamps are cancelled with GK Type PM6, a ship cancel GK Type PM5C too on the cover. No backstamps.
This is an interesting cover: PACIFIQUE left Sydney on 29 October 1924 for her last journey to Nouméa (and the New Hebrides?) and VINCENT DE St. PAUL went back to Sydney and made two more runs until DUPLEIX took over in January 1925. PACIFIQUE left Nouméa on 15 January 1925 for Saigon for scrapping. VINCENT DE ST. PAUL was back i nSydney on 4 November 1924 and sailed again on 12 November, back on 30 November. The solution could be that PACIFIQUE made a last New Hebrides inter-island run still with this postmark on board, marked this cover and then left it at Port Vila PO where it was cancelled and then carried to Sydney with the next VINCENT DE ST. PAUL run.
(Klinger coll.)

Registered ship mail to France. Overfranked 10c and cancelled GK type PM5C. Backstamped Elbauf 19-9-25. Seen at Delcampe.

20c on a cover (= colonial letter rate) to Melbourne handstamped S.S. MAKATEA.
Burns Philp bought the 800 ton MAKATEA in 1925 for the New Hebrides interisland service in 1925, one year later she served in Fiji. It was scuttled in 1933.
Image thanks to Grosvenor Stamp Auctions

The 'Service Maritime' was transferred in 1925 from "Le Pacifique" to "Dupleix" (II) which took over the New Hebrides - New Caledonia - Sydney Messageries Maritimes service on 8 January 1925. The boxed "R" registration cachet was also transferred. 'La Haye' is 'The Hague' in the Netherlands. ("JGI" coll.)

Registered Service Maritime cover to France. 50c pay 30c reg. fee and 20c colonial letter rate.

Correct 1F50c or 1/3d registered rate to France letter franked with a British 5d and a French 1F stamp cancelled with PCH type 84. ("JGI" coll.)

10 May 1927

10 May 1917 postcard to France, the two English 25c stamps cancelled with PM5C. Correct long message colonial postcard rate wa 40c.
But who knew this? he rate was introduced on 1. April 1927 - raised from 10c to 40c! (F. Petit coll.)

10 May 1927

A letter to Switzerland most likely written on a ship and cancelled in Nouméa. The 50c French and 5d British 1925 stamps pay the double weight rate to Europe. Sender was Eugénie Peter, a missionary teacher for the Société des Missions Evangéliques (Paris). She was in New Caledonia from 1923 to 1951 mostly at Béthanie in Lifou.
The ship would be the Messageries Maritimes steamer DUPLEIX (II) which came to Nouméa from the New Hebrides at end of January, went on to Sydney on 31. January or 1. February and arrived at Sydney on 5th February. The Orient Line ORSOVA left Sydney on 4 Feb to London via Melbourne, Adleaide, Freemantle, Colombo, Port Said, Naples and Gibraltar. Mail deadline for this ship in Sydney was 8 Feb to reach ORSOVA at Freemantle. ORSOVA's calls were Colombo 23 Feb, Suez 3 March, Port Said 4 March, Naples 8 March, Gibraltar 11 March and due in London 15 March. Enough time from Naples to La Sagne Switzerland where it was backstamped on arrival on 12 March. ("RW" coll.)

A "Hagen" letter to Nouméa, the French 50c stamp cancelled with PCH type 84. Additionally two vignettes are affixed (and one cancelled too) "1927 - 1928, Le Baiser au Soleil, Comité National de Défence contre la Tuberculose". (Merot coll.)

1F50c on this registered cover pay the 50c colonial letter rate and 1F registration fee. Backstamped Noumea 30 August 1928 (MM DUPLEIX). (ex Millet coll.)

I think that here somebody cut a nice 1925 full set cover apart - cancelled 11 DEC 28 PM5C. (Klinger coll.)

French 75c stamp on a "Compagnie Générale Franco-Hébridaise, Santo" cover tied with Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. Asnières arrival cancel from March on reverse. Picture thanks to former "Simon Andrews Stamps".

1 February 1929

Letter to France, the two French 1925 50 c stamps are cancelled with GK type PM5C = colonial letter rate 50 - 100g. "Messageries Maritimes" imprint on reverse. (ex Millet coll.)

DUCOR address: Registered envelope bearing SG47, 5d (50 cent) blue tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A, Service Maritime Registered handstamp not known in PCH (see cover below too). Asnieres arrival stamp on reverse (from August?). ("JGI" coll.)

DUCOR address: Envelope to France bearing a British 5d stamp tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. Underpaid, a French postage due Yvert 37, 50c claret applied and tied on arrival by Asnieres datestamp. As 50c was the correct rate this letter must have had overweight. ("Mele" coll.)
(The part below the towns name graphically restored - "France" should be written there.)

DUCOR address: Envelope to France bearing a British 5d stamp tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. Underpaid 25cg as colonial letter rate was 75cg for an up to 50g cover so tyed 20c. French postage due Yvert 37, 50c claret applied and tied on arrival by Asnieres datestamp. Backstamped Asnieres on 18.08.29. Picture thanks to Harmers Auctions, Switzerland

3 July 1929

DUCOR address: Envelope to France bearing a British 5d stamp tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. Underpaid 25cg as colonial letter rate was 75cg for an up to 50g cover so tyed 20c. French postage due Yvert 37, 50c claret applied and tied on arrival by Asnieres datestamp. Backstamped Asnieres on 18.08.29. Picture thanks to former "Simon Andrews Stamps".

3 July 1929

JAUVIER address: Envelope to France bearing a British 5d stamp tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. Envelope from Messageries Maritimes.

LEGUÉ address: Envelope to France bearing a British 5d stamp tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A.

LACROIX address: Registered (Messageries Maritimes-) envelope to France bearing three British 5d stamps tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A, Service Maritime Registered handstamp on reverse, not known in PCH (see cover above too). Picture thanks to former "Simon Andrews Stamps".

5 August 1929

Letter to England, the mixed language 50c stamps pay the rate and are cancelled with PCH type 84 (36 dashes). ("JGI" coll.)

Letter to England, the British 50c stamp pays the rate and is cancelled with PCH type 84 (36 dashes). (old auction)

Letter to France, the British 50c stamp pays the rate and is cancelled with GK Type PM5C. (old auction)

Letter to France, the British 50c stamp pays the rate and is cancelled with GK Type PM5C. Backstamped Bois Colombes 23.9.29 ("SeSi" coll.)

LACROIX address: Cover to France bearing SG47, 5d (50 cent) blue tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A to France. Picture thanks to former "Simon Andrews Stamps".

DUCOR address: Cover to France bearing three SG47, 5d (50 cent) blue tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A to France. Picture thanks to former "Simon Andrews Stamps".

5 August 1929

JAUVIER address: cover to France bearing three British 5d stamps tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A. Seen on Ebay. Arrival date in manuscript: saturday 21-9-29. The sender is given as Mme P. Gooding (not in O'Reilly), Compagnie Générale Franco-`Hébridaise, Baie des Tortues (Turtle Bay), Spiritu-Santo. The handwriting on the reverse is different from the one on the front.

5 August 1929

Registered ship letter to France. The total of 1F50c stamps cancelled with PM5C. Colonial letter rate 50c and reg fee 1F - correctly franked

Registered ship leter to Indochina. The total of 1F50c stamps cancelled with PM5C. Colonial letter rate 50c and reg fee 1F - correctly franked.

10 September 1929
(new 2/2019)

Envelope bearing SG47, 5d (50 cent) blue tied by Goyns-Klinger type PM5A to France, dateblock inverted. Reverse has imprint "Cie des Messageries Maritimes", sender is given as "Mr. Ledoux, conservateur de la propriété foncière". Backstamped Auxerre 30-11-29. (Klinger coll.)

Registered ship leter to France. The total of 1F50c stamps cancelled with PM5C. Colonial letter rate 50c and reg fee 1F - correctly franked. Backstamped St. Etienne 3-1-1930

Ship letter to Tarn; France. Three english 20c stamps pay 10c more than neede. Cancelled with PM5C.
Image thanks to Chris Rainey