Canton, dated 14th and 29th August 1838, sent to Frederick Huth
&Co London A good example of correcting China mail to the use
of
Canton, dated 14th and 29th August 1838, sent to Frederick Huth
&Co London A good example of correcting China mail to the use
of “SHIP LETTER” frame instead of “INDIA LETTER” The entire letter
was stamped firstly with a step-frame of “INDIA LETTER / PLYMOUTH”
and then struck out, crossed over by two step-type frame of “SHIP
LETTER / PLYMOUTH”. The rate was marked as “1/7” charged to the
recipient at London. Letters from China were sometimes mixed with
those from India and thence incorrectly stamped with the frame of
“INDIA LETTER”, which was charged at a lower rate of 8d only. This
is a very good example of rectifying to a correct Ship Letter mail
from China. The letter was also referred to some state of
difficulties in the import and trade from Canton, China, partly due
to inventory issues and partly because of the tax imposition for as
much as 200 to circa 300% to the mass of the people there. Even in
1838, the international has already had tariffs imposition and that
not just happened in the trade war between the US and China today!!
The letter also mentions the following: “…… Some explanations were
made on the part of the Chinese Admiral to Admiral Maitland, which
were deemed satisfactory, and the (British) ships of war returned
to the station outside ……”
1838年8月14日及29日，廣州寄出致倫敦Frederick Huth & Coz。 此件為中國郵件誤用「INDIA
LETTER」戳記後更正為「SHIP LETTER」戳記之佳例 該信函先加蓋「INDIA LETTER /
PLYMOUTH」階梯式戳記，後遭劃銷，並覆蓋兩枚「SHIP LETTER /
PLYMOUTH」階梯式戳記。郵資標記「1/7」由倫敦收件人支付。中國寄出郵件時常與印度郵件混雜，因而誤蓋僅需支付8便士低資費的「INDIA
LETTER」戳記。本件實為更正為正確中國船郵之典範案例。
此信同時提及當時廣州進出口貿易面臨之困境：部分源於庫存問題，部分因當地民眾須承受高達200%至300%的稅賦。即便在1838年，國際貿易關稅壁壘已然存在，非獨今日美中貿易戰之現象！
信中尚載：「……中國水師提督向梅特蘭提督（Admiral Maitland）作出若干解釋，雙方認可後，（英軍）軍艦已撤回外海駐地
……」
