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Auction: 21042 - The Opium Wars Collection
Lot: 67

First Opium War
The Eastern Expedition
Before the Evacuation of Chusan
1841 (23 Jan.) entire letter from Capt. R. Smith from Ting Hai to Major J.W.J. Puseley of the Mysore Lancers in Calcutta, marked "From China Expedition", without rate mark, the reverse with Calcutta Ship Letter bearing datestamp (11.4) with 4½a. in manuscript for local postage. Clean and fine.


The letter gives the local intelligence, "... What the Admiral can be doing is a mystery to us. Previously to his leaving this, he promised to send off a vessel in ten days after his arrival in Macao, but we suppose by his not having made his appearance, that some accident has befallen him. Capt. Bouchier, the Senior Naval Officer is looking out for the Louisa Steamer daily ... Capt Anstruther is still in prison in Ning-poo, but is better treated that he was at first. He could, he writes, make his escape at any time, but will not forsake his fellow prisoners, fearing they might be sacrificed by the Chinese". A rare and early letter from Tinghai

On 23 January 1841, Captain Elliot dispatched the 'Columbine' to Chusan, with instructions to evacuate it for Hong Kong Island. He declared the cession of Hong Kong to the United Kingdom after a tentative agreement with Chinese Imperial Commissioner Qishan a few days earlier


1841年1月23日定海寄加爾各答的Major J.W.J. Puseley of the Mysore Lancers 信函, 函上有 "中國遠征軍" 的字句, 没有遞送費記號, 信函背面帶加爾各答4月11日的戳記. 並寫上 "4½ " 的當地郵費. 保存良好.

Estimate
HK$20,000 to HK$30,000

Starting price
HK$14000