With the establishment of the East India Company (E.I.C.) in 1600, a need arose for a faster passage of mail between India and England. Sometime in the mid 1600's, some of the official mail went from Bombay to the Persian Gulf, to Basra, Baghdad and from there by the Desert Route to the Mediterranean Coast and on to Europe. In 1724 a permanent office of the E.I.C. was opened in Basra. Three 18th century private letters are recorded, the earliest dated December 1783. The official name for this service was "Dromedary Dak" - Camel Post. This mail route was in existence for two centuries, together with the British Consular Post. In 1887, the Turkish Government demanded the final closure of the British service. This closure did not last more than two years before the route was re-established. As for the Turkish Overland Mail service, information relating to its beginnings and its operation is almost non-existent. The following information is known: in the 1840's, mail from Baghdad to Istanbul went north to Mosul, then by "Tartar Post" to Diarbekir in Eastern Turkey and west to Istanbul, with a branch from Maras south to Aleppo. In 1872, Camel (Dawk) Post was established with a special seal – the postmark of Baghdad reading: "Hecin - 1" (Camel) Post - Baghdad. This route went straight from Baghdad west to Aleppo and Iskanderun, and then by ship to Istanbul. In 1881, the Turkish Camel Post to Beirut was established.