General characteristics:
| Heading and notes: | No form number. TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE in the top rectangular frame with decorations as for the two previous formats. |
| Message area: | Blank. |
| Reverse side: | Blank with seal on flap. |
| Colours (text & envelope): | Various shades and tones in blue on cream. |
| Size of envelope overall: | 79 × 138 mm. |
Distinctive characteristics of the form:
- TELEGRAM, IMMEDIATE in rectangle ;
- CHARGES TO PAY in lower left corner;
- seal printed on the reverse flap has the central oval uncoloured;
- colour of printing varies considerably from light green to blue-green;
- the main distinctions amongst the five formats are:
5A: the colour is light blue, the first line of text is in serif font and the flap of the reverse is pointed;
5B: the colour is light blue, the first line of text is in sans serif font and the flap of the reverse is rounded;
5C: the colour is slate, there is a dot after TELEGRAM and there is no distinct horizontal bar on the G of CHARGES;
5D: the colour is slate and there are instructions about the proper use of the envelope in the top right corner;
5E: the colour is green and the G of CHARGES has a distinct horizontal bar.
NC-EO-5A.
Sydney to Maine via San Francisco, U.S.A.
8 April 1875.
Has a 6d violet sideface paying the foreign letter rate to the U.S.A.
Sydney to Maine via San Francisco, U.S.A.
8 April 1875.
Has a 6d violet sideface paying the foreign letter rate to the U.S.A.
Characteristics:
- colour of text and frame is light blue;
- letters and dots in the lower left corner are indented into the paper;
- has serif letters for those words in the "CHARGES ..." line in the lower left corner;
- M is aligned under C of CHARGES;
- has 6 rectangular dots after MESSAGE and 5 after PORTERAGE.
NC-EO-5A (reverse):
Seal on the flap on the reverse side.
Seal on the flap on the reverse side.
Has an embossed decoration.
Characteristics:
- flap is pointed;
- has colour on the inside of the inner oval;
NC-EO-5B
Mudgee to Guntawang Station
21 August 1885.
Used to deliver a NC-DO-7C telegram form to Mrs Moran.
Has two 1d orange to pay intra-colonial postal rate.
Characteristics:
Mudgee to Guntawang Station
21 August 1885.
Used to deliver a NC-DO-7C telegram form to Mrs Moran.
Has two 1d orange to pay intra-colonial postal rate.
Characteristics:
- colour of text and frame is light blue;
- as sans serif letters in the lower left corner which are thin;
- all three "G"s in CHARGES section have a distinct and thin horizontal bar;
- M and P under CHARGES are aligned near the centre of H;
- possibly 15 round dots after PORTERAGE.
In March 1886, a tender was placed for the supply of 3 million telegraph envelopes measuring 5.375 × 3.25 inches - although it is not known whether these envelopes were of format EO-5B above. The timing seems to indicate it would have been.The cost was 3s 1¼ d per thousand.
NC-EO-5B (reverse):
Seal on the flap on the reverse side.
Seal on the flap on the reverse side.
Characteristics:
- flap is rounded;
- has a thin band of colour on the inside of the inner oval;
NC-EO-5C.
Sydney to Noumea.
2 December 1894.
Johnstone Collection.
Sydney to Noumea.
2 December 1894.
Characteristics:
- colour of text and frame is blue-green;
- letters in the lower left corner are thick;
- first "G" in CHARGES section has no horizontal bar;
- M and P in CHARGES section aligned with right upright of H;
- 4 dashes after PORTERAGE.
- Has the same type of seal on the flap as for NC-DE-5A.
Johnstone Collection.
NC-EO-5D.
Addressed to the Ship Macquarie in Sydney Harbour with the tied telegram dated 30 December 1898 at the Postal & Tel. Dep, Sydney, N.S.W.
Has accompanying delivery form NC-DO-10B - also listed in Colonial ship deliveries.
Characteristics:
Addressed to the Ship Macquarie in Sydney Harbour with the tied telegram dated 30 December 1898 at the Postal & Tel. Dep, Sydney, N.S.W.
Has accompanying delivery form NC-DO-10B - also listed in Colonial ship deliveries.
Characteristics:
- colour of text and frame is slate-green
- has the same formatting characteristics as for EO-5B;
- top right corner has instructions for the proper use of the envelope.
Delivery envelope for a type NI-DO-4C form to Lismore.
NC-EO-5E.
Used for a telegram received "via Pacific" at the Sydney Station from Auckland NZ.
17 September 1906
(INC-DO-3).
Colour of printing is green.
Details of use and rarity.
| Form sub-number |
Schedule number | Earliest recorded date | Rarity rating |
| EO-5A | None. | 21 August 1885 at Mudgee. | RRR |
| EO-5B | None. | 2 December 1894 at Sydney. | RR |
| EO-5C | None. | 21 December 1894 at Sydney. Also an envelope with no date stamp but accompanying a telegram dated 15 May 1891. |
RRR |
| EO-5D | None | 30 December 1898 at the Postal & Tel. Dep, Sydney. Also has the delivery form NC-DO-10B. |
RRR |
| EO-5E | None. | 17 September 1906 at Pacific Cable Board, Sydney Station. | R |