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Auction: 21042 - The Opium Wars Collection
Lot: 166

The Second Opium War
British Forces in Canton
Prelude to the Northern Campaign
1859 (Oct. and Dec.) two letters to Lieut. Geoffrey Mairis of the Second Battalion Brigade of Royal Marines Light Infantry, "Heights at Canton, China" and sent "Via Marseilles"; both bear 1855-57 6d. with 1d. Red and 2d. Blue tied by Clifton duplex.


The first letter (25 Oct.) with Hong Kong arrival (15.12) on the reverse; the letter includes, "... It is said that the French are about to send 18,000 men to China and our force for active operations will be 10,000 at least, and it is said only report that our government contemplates seizing Chusan and some other place kept secret ..."


The second letter, dated (25 Dec.) with Hong Kong arrival on the reverse (11.2) also includes some military informations including, "... the R. Artillery are to have 2 additional Brigades". A good pair of covers sent when the troops were waiting for all of the military reinforcements to arrive before the fight was taken to the north again (2 covers)

provenance:
John Sussex 'The Opening of China', November 1987 (first cover)


1859年 (10月及12月), 两封由英國Clifton 經馬賽寄駐紮廣州海軍上尉 Geoffrey Mairis 的信函. 他當時在皇家海軍陸戰隊輕步兵第2 營旅服役. 两封上均貼1855-57年6d., 2d. 藍色及1d. 紅色各一枚, 都銷Clifton 戳, 首封是10月25日寄出, 12月15日送抵香港及蓋到達戳於封背, 此信内容提及英法正各自重整軍力, 並計劃攻下舟山作抵押; 次函12月25日寄出, 封背的香港到達戳日期為2月11日 (1860年), 內容都有涉及軍事消息, 例如"….R. Artillery 將得到兩個額外的旅". 兩信函均保存良好.

Estimate
HK$12,000 to HK$18,000

Starting price
HK$8500