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Lot 20070 – EXTREMELY RARE USAGE OF 1840 PENNY BLACK FROM CHIN

Lot 20070 – EXTREMELY RARE USAGE OF 1840 PENNY BLACK FROM CHIN
Great Britain
Price realised
Unsold
Estimate
17’500 – 20’000 EUR
Auction date
Fri 13 Dec 2013 at 15:00 (Europe/Zurich)
Description
EXTREMELY RARE USAGE OF 1840 PENNY BLACK FROM CHINA DURING THE FIRST OPIUM WAR 1841 (Mar 22) Entire letter sent from “HMS Rattlesnake, Canton River, Bocca Tigris‘ during the First Opium War with fantastic contents talking about the Battle of the Bogue, with ms “Eastern Expedition,” “Per HMS Samarang” and rated ‘8,‘ which were erased on arrival and franked with 1840 1d black pl.5 OL, small to large margins, tied by black Maltese Cross cancel, which was applied to pay the forwarding charge in England. Reverse with “SHIP LETTER” hs, Bristol and Cross, very good condition. One portion of the letter talks of the release of prisoners taken after HMS Kite became stranded on a sandbank, including the release of Anne Noble: “…we did not sail till the 24th. On that morning Mrs. Noble came in first and the boat in which she was trussed without our knowing it contained her but about 8 o’clock in the morning two small junks brought in Captn. Anstruther, Lieut. Douglas and the sailors who were taken by the wreck of the Kite. As they passed our ships the hands were turned up and they were loudly cheered…” While Western commentators focused on the fact that Anne Noble was carried to prison in a wooden cage and exposed to ridicule by Chinese onlookers along the way, the Chinese in fact regarded her with awe, and even came to believe that she was Queen Victoria’s sister. The letter continues with the author’s thoughts on the politics of the war: “On the 25th we were at sea and arrived in six days at Hong Kon (sic) which was the island selected for us to garrison but we found no signs of Europeans there, we were quickly ordered up the river, it being then determined to attack Canton but this was afterwards (l think very wisely) given up. It would not accord with the feeling of the age…to burn a city the population of which is immense, and who are but little acquainted with the cause of the fight and quite incapable of influencing the state of affairs between us and their Governments. It is now supposed that the Emperor is the only preventative to peace. The Mandarins here know they cannot resist the British Arms but they declare that the Emperor will now order them to treat: if this is the case there are but two ways to procure peace, either coerce the Emperor by sending a force to the Northern Capital or make a peace with their Authorities independent of the Tartar dynasty altogether. There is a report in circulation that this latter proceeding will be adopted but I think we shall not conclude the business without a visit to Pekin.” He then goes on to discuss the Battle of the Bogue: “We passed the Bogue Forts on the 10th Inst. They are well situated for defence and the immediate scenery is good…They are built substantially and as I said are well placed but the principles for defence have in the building been quite neglected being all of hewn stone the splinters must have caused very great loss of life to the defenders. In many places they were strengthened by temporary works of sand bags better disposed than the stone buildings, had their artillery been better and their courage greater the taking of these forts would have been a work of blood whereon the engagement on our side proved bloodless. The great defects of their artillery were their unwieldiness from the immense size of the gun in proportion to the shot thrown and the very bad gun carriages which were so badly made that the gun’s position could not be altered either to the side or in height. The fire was therefore in one line at all times wherever the attacking force might be.” “I have just learnt that Captain Elliot has agreed to open the trade with the Commissioners who were appointed after we took the Bogue, that the Chinese accuse Kehan of being bribed by the Barbarians to surrender the forts, he has consequently been sent to Pekin with an iron collar around his neck. We shall in a few days drop down to Hong Kon (sic) and there remain for a time but it is nearly certain we again move northward to take Amoy & Nakin. We will not touch Canton.” An exceedingly rare letter of great historical interest and one of only two covers sent from China with a Penny Black franking known to us (the other sold in 2005 for HK$400’000 + commission) Expertise: Cert. Mike Jackson (2013) Estimate: € 17’500 – € 20’000

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