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Suriname

CURRENCY
1873, Dutch.

FIRST STAMPS ISSUED 1 October 1873.
FIRST STAMPS ISSUED AS INDEPENDENT COUNTRY 25 November 1975.

Disputed between Dutch, French and British until confirmed as a Dutch colony in 1816. The labour shortage caused by the abolition of slavery in 1863 was solved by immigration from Asia. An autonomous part of the Netherlands from 15 December 1954 until 25 November 1975 when it became independent.

Postal History
Between 1706 and 1804 mail from the Dutch West Indies, carried by ships of the Geostroyeerde Westindische Coinpagnie, received a characteristic 'Postage Due' mark in Amsterdam; from Suriname three examples are recorded in 1757-69. During the British period, mail bearing handstamps is known from 1805 and 1813. Dutch markings were authorized in 1828; dated stamps exist from 1847 (Paramaribo).

In 1825-34 mail was sent by casual schooner to Curacao to catch the Royal Dutch packets. After 1834 mail between the Netherlands and Suriname was generally routed by British packet via Southampton (later Plymouth) or (after 1865) by French packet (Ligne C) via Saint-Nazaire. A French packet agent was placed at Suriname in 1865. Route instruction marks were applied to letters after 1877. A Dutch packet, restarted in 1883, became fortnightly in 1904 (handstamps were used on board to cancel stamps). Until 1930 the majority of inland letters were also carried by water.