Page 5 - Sutclifffe-APD_USNavy

U. S. ~AvY AND MARINE CORPS CENSORSHIP
ffANDSTAMPS AND POSTMARKS.

Foster - M-USNC 1.

The firsi o:f -the ce.nsorship markings c·onsiae:red was -the
hl!lndstamp used by Lieut. Kenneth M. Wes-t, the U. s. Naval
Examiner atiached to 1he head o£fice in Kings-l::on o£ the

xrederick Snare Corporation. This Corporation had
received -the Naval Coniract to construct the naval base at

Portland "Bighi, and landed in J""atnai ea on the 15tb March,
1941, ie . before the actual signi:tJg of the Lease Lend

Agreemen-t.
Whilst t.he m.ain contractor's staff were at the site,
all mail to and from the civilian staff was passed through

the Kingston Office, and subjeci to censorship. such mail
also received the Corporaiion•s own receiving dater, which
is referred to under the designa~ion H-USFS 1 sho~n below.

The censorship hands-\amp comprises a five line 'hands-tamp
in a lbt.ixed variety of type, and even includes the name of
the ~xaminer. It should be rememPered, however, that at

t he time when the handsiarnp was firsi used ine United states
was no-\:. a-t war, and its forces were not then security minded.

The handstamp also includes ihe wordin~, ''U . .S. tiavy Cont.
NOy- 4162 (Ja) 11 , the Navy's Contract reference with -the
11
Corpora-tion, and the le-tters J'a", indicating J"amaica.
The handstamp has only been recorded struck in blue and
besides appearing on the civilian mail it also appears on

the mail to and from members of the U.S. Marine detachment,
the maiL in respect of' -this unit also passing through 1.be
Corporation's Xingston Office.

EKD: 19/3/1941 LRn: 23/9/1943