Sea / Surface Mail
Factors like conquering of nations, industrialization, international trade and heavy immigration a led to a great expansion in the postal sector. Sea mail system is one among them. This was identified as easy and cost-effective. At the beginnings British used Trade ships for mail transport and by 1850, a separate ship was utilized for the purpose.
Sea routes for mail transport were engaged to serve cities such as Landon, Alexandria, Egypt, Suez Canal, Madras, Colombo, Indonesia, Java Island, Sydney and Melbourne etc.
Later foreign ship companies which traveled through several sea routes for mail transport signed agreements with the British Government. Sooner Sri Lanka too entered into such agreements to expand her mail services.
Some sea mail carrying shipping lines were:-
- Peninsula and Oriental Stream Navigation Company
- Messengers Maritime
- Rolando Lloyds
- Oriental Liner
- British - Indian Steam Navigation
- Stormy Wart Mentorship Company, Netherlands
- Organdies Line -Japan