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Auction: 20040 - Stamps and Covers of Southern Africa
Lot: 81

Cape of Good Hope
1840-50 Ship Letters
1842 (26 Aug.) entire letter from Cape Town "Per John Bagshaw", a ship under command of N. Reddington from Calcutta, to London, unfortunately wrecked in Table Bay during a storm on 9 September with this letter probably carried by H.M.S. Hyacinth leaving Cape Town on 12 September, rated "8" and showing light Crowned "cape town/cape of good hope" and London "ship letter" (S36), arrival datestamps on reverse; interesting contents including "we now have a row with the Boers at Port Natal, who it seems were put up to it by the deserters from the different regiments on the Frontiers. When Capt. Smith and about 200 men had arrived overland at the old Camp at the Bay of Natal, he sent word to the Boers that he came to take possession of the bay & surrounding Country in the name of the British Government" and much further content on a failed attack Smith made at night with much loss, the 25th. Regiment subsequently being sent along the coast to deal with the Boers. An interesting account of skirmishes at the time and shortly before Natal was proclaimed a British Colony on 8 August 1843

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Sold for
£70

Starting price
£70