項次 1747

1860 (30 Mar) French Military CORPS EXP. CHINE BAU CENTRAL unpaid mail from HK to France (only valid in HK for 2 months around) In April 1860, the Allied Forces were preparing to head north to launch their third time of attack on Taku Forts. At the time, French troops already had been assembled in Hong Kong since February when the Bureau Central (CEC BAY CENTRAL) opened its base office there. At the end of April, the French military command left for Shanghai, and with the installation of the corps headquarter there, the Bureau Central moved to Shanghai in May 1860. It closed late in March 1862 well after the signing of the Convention of Pekin in Nov1860 to end the Second Opium War. CECBAU CENTRAL opened its military base office in Hong Kong for less than three months from 15 Feb 1860 to the end of April 1860, and hence extremely rare to have usage over this short period. Route: P&O Ganges to Galle, P&O Candia to Suez, P&O Panther to Marseilles Rate: 5 decimals for 7 % grams or % oz naval officer unpaid rate Markings: CEC B‘” CENTRAL cds (30 MARS 60), “5 (decimals)” handstamp rate, TOURS cds (11 MAI 60)

1860年3月30日 法國軍郵CORPS EXP. CHINE BAU CENTRAL 設於香港不到三個月 此信封於1860年3月30日經香港由法軍軍郵中央辦事處（Bureau Central / CECBAU CENTRAL）寄往法國，為未付郵資信件。該軍郵辦公室當時隸屬於法國中國遠征軍（CORPS EXPÉDITIONNAIRE DE CHINE），設於香港不到三個月。 軍事與郵政歷史背景：1860年春季，英法聯軍在香港集結，準備第三次北上攻打大沽口炮台。法軍自1860年2月中旬起進駐香港，在中環開設軍郵總局 CECBAU CENTRAL，作為南方集結與指揮中心。隨著指揮部於4月底移師上海，CECBAU CENTRAL亦於5月遷往上海，並持續運作至1862年3月結束，遠遠超過戰爭結束（1860年11月簽署《北京條約》）。然而，香港設局時間極短（僅1860年2月15日至4月底），因此此信件屬於該階段所存最罕見實寄品之一。 本品為法軍軍郵中央戰地局在港極短期間內的實際郵件使用例證，對研究法軍郵政制度與鴉片戰爭通信體系具重要文獻價值。作為聯軍第三次北伐啟動前夕的郵政見證，其郵戳與寄遞時機皆具高軍事史與郵政史意義。