Teochew Letters 潮州僑批
Cross-Border Regulations 跨國界僑批管理
Delivery of the Teochew Letters was subjected to various cross-border regulatory checks in different times of history. These include routine processing by the letter/remittance agencies and the Post Office, surveillance across frontlines during war and peacetime inspection by the maritime customs.The multiple stamps on the covers leave behind traces of the examinations carried out on every Teochew Letter in its passage between two lands.
僑批運送在不同時期有不同的管理, 如批信局和郵局的日常檢查, 戰爭時期雙方交戰地的嚴密勘察, 建國後海關的反復查驗。由僑批上的蓋印, 可以看出當時社會對僑批遞送的管理。
Words written on the top left of the letter cover to inform the recipient about the remittance amount were pasted over by postage stamps. The postmarks on this letter confirm that it successfully escaped detection by the Sarawak authorities and arrived in Swatow on 20 December 1950, before reaching its addressee a day later. 圖中這件僑批俗稱暗批,由於批款處貼蓋郵票,外觀與普通信件沒有區別,只有撕開郵票才露出真相。批局正是用此種簡單的辦法避開沙撈越(今屬馬來西亞)當局耳目,將批款匯往故鄉。封背蓋1950年12月20日汕頭日戳和1950年12月21日庵埠到達戳。
The back cover of this 1952 letter shows the words "medicinal power within". The inspecting customs officer in Swatow noted this and wrote: "Small amount of Chinese medicine found. Considering this is the first time and the quantity, the letter is allowed to pass with a warning issued. This should not be repeated". The customs office chop is stamped over this notice and the cover opening. 这封1952年的僑批封背右上角寫有"內有藥粉"文字。該批因內夾藥品,被汕頭海關查驗,工作人員在封背書寫"經查出內有中藥散少許,姑念初次,且數量不多,准警告放行,並在拆封處蓋上海關藍色圓形查驗章。
The postmark on this cover shows that the letter arrived at Swatow on 1 December 1958. It was opened for inspection by the Swatow Customs and Postal Union on suspicion of containing other items, but was eventually allowed to pass. 由封背郵戳可見,批信到達汕頭時間是1958年12月1日,此僑批是夾帶違法信。該批也是因夾帶其他物品被汕頭海關及郵局聯合檢查組拆封檢查,貼上檢查條後放行。