Merdeka
Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:34 pm
Through the courtesy of Mr. Basoeki Diatiasmoro. Assistant to the Financial and Trade Representative Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia at New York, U.S.A., I am enabled to show a page of ship stamps of the Indonesian Republic which are unique.
It will be recalled that the Republic was granted de facto recognition by the United Nations, the United States, Great Britain, France. Australia, India, New Zealand and other major governments of the world. The stamps illustrated were issued on December 15, 1948, to celebrate three years' resistance to the Dutch blockade of that part of the Netherlands Indies under Indonesian Republic control.
This set of stamps is one of the most interesting issues for some time in view of the fact that four of the designs depict a present-day blockade-runner, the steamer Merdeka. The name of the ship can clearly be seen on the stamps. I am told that she is a vessel of 1,000 tons and is owned by an Indonesian merchant, but I have no further particulars. She is one of the largest ships running the Dutch blockade.
The vertical stamps, 15 sen and 60 sen. respectively, depict native dock workers preparing for .the loading of the Merdeka. The central design is in claret on the 15 sen, with the value, frame and wording in grey; on the 60 sen the centre is in green and the balance in violet. The vignette on the 50 sen, an air stamp, depicts a native boatman looking at the approaching Merdeka, while a sampan keeps clear of her, and overhead is one of the blockade-running aircraft.
One of the most unusual map stamps I have seen is the 25 sen value of the set. The Dutch East Indies are shown, with the parts claimed by the Republic as under its control being shaded in black, and a rather optimistic fleet of blockade-runners is depicted making for the islands. The value, ships, frame and wording are in black, and rest of the design in blue and grey: The same design is used for the 10 sen stamps in light green and grey. Perhaps the most attractive stamp of all is the 1 rupiah value showing the Merdeke, broadside-on, passing an old-time East Indiaman sailing ship with painted ports. The picture is in green with remainder of the stamp in orange.
As the Indonesian Republic is not a member of the Universal Postal Union, doubts have been expressed about the validity and status of these stamps. In some philatelic journals they have been stigmatised as Labels. I think that they will come under the same classification as the stamps prepared for the French Colonies by the Petain Government at Vichy — "prepared for use but not issued"—unless, of course, the Dutch decide to recognise the Republic.
However, whether or not they are recognised as officially issued, I am sure about one thing. Every ship stamp collector will want this set, even if the stamps do not achieve catalogue status. If any readers have come across this set on envelopes which have been through the post I should like to hear from them. Mint stamps are being sold in New York at $1.25 per set for the blockade series, but I do not know where they can be obtained in the British Isles.
Sea Breezes 7/49