Lot 1744

1859 (25 Oct) Cover from Clifton England to Lieutenant Geoffrey Mairis at the heights of Canton, China – after the Second Battle of Taku Forts The Second Battle of Taku Forts.was the most severe failed Anglo-French attempt to seize Taku Forts during the Second Opium War. The failure of the Second Battle of Taku Forts was a blow to both British and French prestige. Both governments were making all necessary military reinforcement and prepared to make another offensive to China again. This cover was sent to Lieutenant Geoffrey Mairis who was serving at the 2™ Battalion Brigade of Royal Marines Light Infantry which happened to station at Canton in the reinforcement period in early 1860. The Letter mentioned about the military reinforcement and related actions: “...... It is said that the French are about to send 18,000 men to China and our force for active operations will be 10,000 at least, and it is said only report that our government contemplates seizing Chusan and some other place kept secret ......” Route: Clifton, Britain to Canton, China via Marseilles Rate: 9d for ¼ oz regular rate from Great Britain to China Marking: 1x 1d, 1 x 2d and 1 x 6d QV stamps all cancelled by Clifton obliterator “959”, Clifton cds (25 OC 1859) , Hong Kong cds (15 Dec 1859)

1859年10月25日 英國Clifton寄往中國廣州高地的信封 致駐守廣州皇家海軍陸戰隊中尉 Geoffrey Mairis 的來信 —— 第二次大沽口戰役後的軍事重整時期 第二次大沽口之戰（1859年）是英法聯軍於第二次鴉片戰爭中嘗試奪取大沽炮台的一場重大失敗，對雙方國家聲望均造成打擊。此信正是在此失敗後不久寄出，反映當時英法政府已著手大規模軍事增援，準備對清朝展開下一輪攻勢。信封寄至駐守廣州的英國皇家海軍陸戰隊第二營中尉 Geoffrey Mairis，信中內容提及：「據說法軍將向中國派遣一萬八千人，我軍也將有至少一萬人投入行動；傳聞我國政府有意佔領舟山以及另一個保密地點……」 歷史意義：此信展現了英法聯軍在1859年挫敗後的戰略重組與對中國進一步進軍的準備，為研究第二次鴉片戰爭期間西方軍事部署與遠東郵政通訊提供重要史料依據。