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Auction: 21042 - The Opium Wars Collection
Lot: 30

First Opium War
The Kowloon Incident
1839 (8 Aug.) long, cross-written letter on two sheets to Henry Silverlock in Chichester from his son in Macao and marked "Via Marseilles to England pr H.M.B. Algerine to Suez, Bombay 5th December 1839", with "2/8" rate mark and "INDIA" in large oval. Carried privately to Bombay, the flap with Richie Steuart manuscript forwarding note and London c.d.s. (27.2); there is some trivial soiling and a repaired split in the back flap.


The long and interesting contents include possible postal routes, " ... a few hasty lines to you in hope I might be in time for the overland mail, this and by the American vessel via New York are the only other means we have ..." and concerning the political situation, " ... the Commissioner Lin has demanded and Englishman to be given up to the Chinese as a compensation for the life of a Chinaman who was killed by accident some weeks since this of course could not be complied with, the man has been by an English Jury and found not guilty. The consequence to British residents is very annoying, our provisions are stopped all our servants taken away and the Portuguese threatened the same if they afford us any assistance. Every Portuguese and other families (not English) have to send in a paper stating the number in family and the quantity of the different sorts of food they require the market is supplied accordingly ... something must be done on our part we must either take by force provisions which we can do in some of the many islands, of course paying the natives or go to Manila ...". A very important letter which gives a good account of the problems the English were facing at that time.


Any mail carried on one of H.M. ships is scarce to rare


1839年8月8日由居於澳門的兒子寄給英國Chichester 的父親信函, 此信先以私人携往孟買, 上標記於1839年12月5日輪船由孟買, 蘇伊士及馬賽而送出, 遞送費為"2/8", 有大㰐圓型 "INDIA" 戳記, 封舌上有2月27日倫敦日戳. 信函上有些久歴風霜的痕䟢, 及曾修補. 而信的內容大致上講述 "因英國水手在九龍尖沙嘴打死農民林維喜, 清大臣林則徐為捍衛主權而要求義律交出兇犯, 但遭拒絕, 並自行在英船上開庭對五名兇徙輕判. 林則徐就下令停上供應英人柴米食物, 並再下令禁止英人一切貿易. 更派兵開進澳門, 將英人逐出澳門, 撤回英商顧用的中國工役及職員."

Sold for
HK$12,000

Starting price
HK$7000