Built as a two-mast schooner by N.F. Hansen, Odense, Denmark for the Danish Custom Service.
Launched as the ARGUS.
Tonnage 74 tons, dim. 21.64 x 5.77m., draught 2.29m.
Schooner rigged, sail area 425m².
Figure-head a crowned eagle with spread wings.
Crew: one custom officer and assistant, constable and five to six sailors.
Oak hull carvel built. Clipper bow.
The stamp shows the last inspection-schooner of a special branch of the Danish Custom Service, the Cruising Custom Service.
Due to widespread smuggling along the Danish-Norwegian coast, the first of these cutters were already launched in 1692, and authorized to stop and examine all vessels in the Danish-Norwegian territorial waters.
After 1814, Norway was no longer part of the Danish crown, but a considerable fleet of revenue-cutters was still maintained.
In 1846 there were still 22 cutters in the eastern waters (Kattegat, Sound and Belts), and 21 cutters in the western waters of the North Frisian Islands and Elbe estuary, supervised by two inspection-schooners.
After 1864 when the Danish crown lost Schleswig-Holstein to Germany, a number of revenue-cutters from the western waters were transferred to the customs authorities of the eastern waters, but only one inspection-schooner stayed in service: the two-masted ARGUS of 1854 built and rigged with the famous yacht AMERICA as model.
In 1895 this vessel was replaced by the schooner depict on the stamp: the new ARGUS. She was in extremely graceful shape, very fast and able in the local waters.
01 April 1904 the Cruising Custom Service was closed down and most of the vessels sold at public auctions.
The ARGUS was bought by the Swedish Baron Dixon for 30.000 kr. and thereafter used as a yacht.
Her fate is not known.
Source: Søren Kaa in Maritime Motiver; Maritime Museum, Kronborg Castle, Elsinore;
Watercraft Philately 29-53.
Denmark 1982 1.60Kr sg 740, scott722.