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Auction: 21042 - The Opium Wars Collection
Lot: 26

First Opium War
The Opium Trade
The Start of the Troubles
1839 (9 June) river mail entire letter from Macao to Wetmore in Canton from Dadabboy Rustomjee from Macao; there is a light horizontal filing fold.


The letter gives a good account of the opium trade including, " ... they heard of the arrival of the 'Cambridy' from Bombay, she being detained in Singapore for nearly three weeks to hear the favorable account from China but owing to the Good Success arrival then, she had left - all her opium at Singapore under protest and there was 105 chests to the consignment. The Sir Leo Compton, Helas & Sir Edward Rybe the two former with about 1400 chests from Bombay and the latter from Calcutta with only 60 chests for China been detained at Singapore until further order from China and these ships packet has brought in by the Cambridy ... There are 20 chests to your consignment shipped by Ricky & Co. ... Capt. Elliot has not yet granted us the receipts for opium, there are meeting to be held tomorrow to take into consideration about opium receipts, and the result will be duely informed to you by the next opportunity. The Cowagjia is not yet off. She has been detained so long for opium receipt but I think would not be in time for her as I intend to despatch her the day after tomorrow. The Red Rover will soon follow".


1839年6月9日經內河船由澳門的Dadabhoy Rustomjee 寄廣州的Wetmore 信函. Dadabhoy Rustomjee 䢹印度的主要鴉片貿易商之一, 於1827年首次來到中國, 並於1820 至1830年間販賣了大量鴉片. 在鴉片戰爭爆發前, 他向英國駐華商務專員義律交出了一千箱鴉片煙. 1839年5月Dadabhoy Rustomjee 被清政府令遣返回本國, 並禁止再次來華. 但正如本函所顯示Dadabhoy Rustomjee 遣返印度後仍然十分活躍於鴉片販賣事務.

Sold for
HK$3,200

Starting price
HK$3000