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Auction: 21042 - The Opium Wars Collection
Lot: 92

First Opium War
The Eastern Expedition
The End of Hostilities
1842 (22 Aug.) entire letter from Lieut. Kirby "On board the 'Pekin' off Nankin" to his father in the War Office in London "Per steamer, Via Falmouth", rated at 1/- with a good strike of "INDIA" in large oval, the reverse with London arrival c.d.s. (6.12); there is a vertical folding crease.


The letter gives a good account of the preparations for the Treaty of Nanking, "... a Treaty for Peace is now going on ...on the 9th ... the Commissioners appointed by the Emperor very soon found out the Plenipotentiary... Sir Hugh Gough advanced with part of his Troops and his Artillery towards the new wall of the City ... The Chinese have no dread of ships bettering their walls for at Amoy the Men of War fired for several hours and made no impression, but the aspect of the land force was very different to them - the Commissioner came down to the bank and begged most earnestly to be taken off to the Steamer where Sir Henry Pottinger ... was and on the 17th he wrote to the General ... It affords me great satisfaction to have it in my power to inform you that our negotiations with the Chinese High Officers ... have advanced to that stage that the authorizes me to beg that you will consider hostilities suspended ... The demand on the Chinese is 21 millions of dollars, six to be paid here, two and a half more at Woosung. Some possessions will be kept, Hong Kong certainly, and it is said that the British Consuls will be stationed at Amoy, Ningpo, Ching-Keang-Foo...". A remarkable letter from the Expedition


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Sold for
HK$18,000

Starting price
HK$6000