364 / März 2017

1871: Cover from London to Aug. Heard & Co., Hong Kong endorsed 'via Marseilles by French Packet' franked by 1858 1 d. red pl. 118, 1865 4 d. vermilion pl. 12 in a horizontal pair and fine 1867 2 s. deep blue, all paying the double rate and neatly tied by London / 9 duplexes. Reverse with 'Hong-Kong' code C arrival cds (Aug 17). A fine and attractive cover. In 1830, Augustine Heard  (1785-1868) settled in Canton, China, where he became partner in the trading firm of Samuel Russell & Co. by then the leading American Opium dealer in China. Heard set up his own company, Augustine Heard & Co., in 1840, with Joseph Coolidge and John Murray Forbes. The firm became successful and grew rapidly to become the third largest American firm in China. By 1850 had branch offices, beside the headquarter in Canton, in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Foochow with agencies in Amoy and Ningpo. As with many others American firms involved in trade with China at the time, Augustine Heard & Co. encountered financial difficulties in the 1870s and finally went bankrupt in 1875.  

1844 (March 7): Entire letter written from Port of Spain, Trinidad addressed to an Ensign on the Corvette 'Sabinne' on Indian Ocean duty, at Réunion (Ile de Bourbon), the reverse with double arc TRINIDAD despatch cds in black (March 7) and rated on front as prepaid 2/1d. in manuscript. London 'Paid' cds of  transit (April 8) alongside 'PAID SHIP LETTER / Crown / LONDON' oval datestamp in red and oval 'P-D'. The reverse with 'Mauritius / Post Office' transit datestamp (July 24) in black, 'St. Denis / Ile Bourbon' cds (July 30) in black;  eventually forwarded to Hong Kong with arrival of double arc cds (Oct 8) in black. An extraordinary entire (216 day journey) with all strikes displaying well.