1813 Pre-Philatelic Letter from Heligoland to England during the Napoleonic War's Continental Blockade. Pre-stamp folded lettersheet written December 12th 1813 on Heligoland (as stated in the letter) then sent by Packet Ship to be routed via London where it received the arrival marking "FOREIGN DE 23 1813" then departed for Hull, Yorkshire the same day receiving the transit date marking "B DE 23 1813". A Major Heligoland Rarity. ÷ The correspondence between Heligoland Merchant William Graham and his supplier George Malcolm of Hull, England represents the very beginning of Heligoland Postal History. Along with the early British Arrival & Transit postal markings, there is the hand scripted "5" on the front of the letter representing the Postage Fee charged for mailing the letter using the services of a Packet Ship. [The Packet Rate for Heligoland to London was 1s8d, then the 231 miles from London to Hull would be rated at 10d for a total of 2s6d. Thus the "5" indicates that this was a Double Rated Letter.] Though the outside of the letter shows the usual signs of wear for an item of this age, including some paper loss (a common occurrence when opening letters with wax seals) the interior of the letter is clean and the text is complete and unaffected. A month later on January 14th 1814, Britain was awarded Heligoland at the Treaty of Kiel. The Continental Blockade ended 11 April 1814. Royal Philatelic Society London Certificate. ÷ 1813, FRÜHER HELGOLAND BRIEF MIT EINEM POSTSTEMPEL. Helgoland December 12 1813 vollständiger Faltbrief nach Hull (England) mit 0 Shilling (zweite Gewichtsstufe) taxiert, rückseitig sehr seltener Transit-Stempel der London Foreign Branch "FOREIGN / DE 23 1813 . FRÜHER HELGOLAND BRIEF DER EINDEUTIG PER POST BEFÖRDERT WURDE - GROßE RARITÄT DER HELGOLAND POSTGESCHICHTE. Attest RPSL.