NEW BOOK The French Post Offices in Egypt, Part 1 (Before 1876), by Pierre Louis Grech. (Part 2, 1876-1931 , due in June 2013, will cover the period from the UPU to the P.O.s' closure in 1931).

The first in-depth study of the French Offices at Alexandria, Suez, Cairo and Port-Saïd, with their locations, personnel, all known postmark varieties and copy of official documents relating to their opening and closure. Their story is that of the French Maritime Post, the Overland Route, the Posta Europea, the Railway, the Egyptian Post, the Suez Canal and its stamps; all of these are sketched and have their relationship to the French P.O.s recounted in a historical and postal setting. The complex pre-philatelic postal rates of 1837-1849 are covered as are rates to 1876, together with a description of registered and insured letters and mixed frankings. French Entry Marks and Maritime Postmarks (octagonal cachets, BM) relating to the Egyptian ports are tabulated and detailed. The trading background between France and Egypt and Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign (postal organisation, rates, markings) serve as an introduction. This A4 sized soft-cover book is illustrated throughout in full colour with rare letters, stamps, maps, paintings and documents. 172 pages. Price to ESC Members £45 (£55 to non-members) plus postage & packing: UK £5 ; Europe £9 : USA/ROW £13 . Contact Peter Grech care of egyptstudycircle@hotmail.com To members of the Egypt Study Circle Pierre (Peter) needs no introduction, they will be familiar with his many scholarly and detailed article over the years. His article French Forces in Egypt during World War One in QC 229 of June 2009 was taken from a draft of Part 2 of this book. It was a worthy winner of the Macarthur Award. Anyone with an interest in Egyptian or French Philately will be in for treat amongst the carefully researched details, many introduced to the philatelic world for the first time.