26 May 1838 Waghorn Cover

26 May 1838

Corinphila - 1838 (May 26): Prepaid entire letter from London to Lieutenant General Sir John Doveton in Madras, East Indies endorsed "via Marseilles" in manuscript, and rated "2/8½d." in red manuscript (10d. British postage, 1/10½d. French postage for an under ¼ ounce letter), numbered "230 / GWW" (George W. Wheatley, Waghorn's Agent in Falmouth) in top right corner; struck with superb "CARE OF MR. WAGHORN / ALEXANDRIA" handstamp in black (Sidebottom type 4b) with London despatch cds in black on reverse (May 26) and framed Bombay arrival (Aug 11) in black where charged 12 annas for onward transmission to Madras with faint GPO arrival (Aug 19). A fi ne and rare entire - strangely letters to Madras are very rare. Signed Todd AIEP. Note 1: Journey time to Bombay 77 days. Note 2: Fine content "I wrote to you about 12 days ago by the lst Steamer for India...there will be no Overland Packet till the middle off next month but this I shall send through the P.O. in Paris and on to Marseilles, to be put on board a French Steamer for Alexandria, trusting to its fi nding its way there...". Note 3: The addressee, Lieutenant General Sir John Doveton (1768-1847) was a career Soldier, fi ghting under Lord Cornwallis against Tippoo Sultan in 1799 and under Arthur Welleseley the following year. He later was in command at Nagpur against Apa Sahib's forces and stormed the Palace with great loss of life (some 500 offi cers and men of the Madras Infantry died). Provenance: Harmers, London, 27 May 1999, lot 1100

"Camellia"