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Auction: 21042 - The Opium Wars Collection
Lot: 36

First Opium War
The Kowloon Incident
The Outbreak of War
1839 (29 Nov.) entire letter from William Wetmore in Canton to Samuel Wetmore in New York, carried on the "'Albion'". Clean and fine.


The contents include, " ... We are kept in a constant state of uncertainty and doubt - it is impossible to look ahead a day - Changes on the part of the superintendent and the Commissioner recur so frequently ... on his return he became uneasy in consequence of the great freights other vessels were making and determined to hazard a trip in the face of account expected from the Emperor to the report made of the Battle between the two English Men of War and the Chinese Junks. The account may be expected in a week ... had rather forgo the freight than have Mr Richie run the risk of sacrificing the voyage. How does he know but what the Emperor will shut the port against all nations!!! If he gets the ship in, he will be fortunate but has run a risk in which he will not be justified"


1839年11月29日廣州的William Wetmore 寄紐約的Samuel Wetmore信函, 由私人輪船 "Albion" 携帶. 此信函保存狀態良好. 內容講述鴉片戰爭的早期情况, 而提述的 "two English Men of War" 指的便是"窩拉爾號Volage" 及"海阿斯號Hyacinth" , 此两艦發炮嚇退英國商船, 以阻止它們進入廣州河作貿易. 因義律不同意英國商船與清具結簽署承諾函以獲取進入和使用中國港口. 信中也提到道光皇帝可能對所有外國商船封閉禁止使用港口, 最終結果只是針對英商實施.

Sold for
HK$4,000

Starting price
HK$2200