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Auction: 8029 - Soldiers' Rates of the BE - Gerald Sattin Collection
Lot: 40

Mauritius 1844 (18 May) entire letter "From 982 Private Absolom Hewitt 1st. Btn. 12th. Regt." from Mahebourg to England, countersigned by the Commanding Officer and showing a fine strike of the unframed "soldiers & seamans letter/by ship/4" h.s. (In. Sol. 7) applied in London, part London and Norwich c.d.s. on reverse; clean and most attractive. Fine and rare. Photo Estimate £ 1,200-1,500 Note: The 1st. Battalion H.M. 12th. Regiment landed at Port Louis on 1st. December 1837 and moved headquarters to Mahebourg shortly afterwards The British Act 3/4 Victoria, cap 96 of 1st. September, entitled soldiers serving in Mauritius to send under restrictions, unpaid letters by private ship for 4d. paid by the addressee. This paid 2d. Ship Captain´´s gratuity and British Inland Soldiers Letter postage of 1d. plus 1d. fine. The letter was handed to the captain of a private ship to deliver directly into a British Post Office and the special Soldiers handstamp was applied in London

Sold for
£1,800