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Auction: 21042 - The Opium Wars Collection
Lot: 50

First Opium War
The Eastern Expedition
The Blockade at Canton
1840 (18 July) entire letter to John Gladston's in Liverpool, from Turner & Co., Macao and sent "pr Blakely", rated "8" and with a fine strike of "liverpool/ship letter" on the flap; there is a vertical filing fold.


Apart from general business matters, the letter includes. "... but even should the whole coast of China be sealed by an impenetrable Blockade, Manila is a port of ready access at all seasons ... The Chinese naturally ascribe it to our want of power so much so that it is generally believed that the Viceroy is preparing to assume the offensive and he is levying a considerable force for the purpose of attacking either the men of war now lying with the fleets at Capsuigmoon, or the British residents at Macao - besides by means of his threatening and abusive edicts and his offer of rewards for the capture of Englishmen, dead or alive, he is exciting the lower orders of his countrymen against all foreigners. Even the few Americans who are still on Canton are treated with great insolence, in consequence of this excitement a more rigorous policy would have checked this insolent spirits at the outset, and we ar persuaded it would have facilitated any after attempt to negotiate ... Up to this date so far as we know, the Chinese have only lost a few salt junks and one Mandarin boat since the arrival of the expedition, for all the private junks are merely stopped at the Bogue and allowed to go up the inner passage, that entrance of the river not having been attempted to be blockaded".

provenance:
Eddie Lawrence, September 2014


1840年7月18日澳門Turner & Co. 寄英國利物浦John Gladston's 信函. 以私人輪船 "Blakely" 携送, 遞送費為 "8" , 封舌蓋 "Liverpool/Ship Letter" 戳記. 信函有些摺痕. 此信内容除一般業務事項外, 該信函還包括: “…但即使中國的整個海岸被難以逾越的封鎖, …..馬尼拉也是一個四季皆宜的港口……" 及一些廣州的情况等.

Sold for
HK$5,500

Starting price
HK$3000