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Auction: 18010 - British North America, The David Pitts Collection
Lot: 4

(x) British Columbia and Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
1859 (7 Apr.) envelope "From Chas. Whittock C. Sergt R M April the 7th. 1859 Vancouver Island" to Cranbourne, Dorset and redirected to Wimborne, bearing G.B. 1d. Stars cancelled with London "21" with large handstamp "d6" alongside and showing, on reverse, London, Salisbury and Wimborne datestamps. A very rare and most attractive cover sent at the time of the dispute with U.S.A. over the island of San Juan. Photo

Note: Vancouver's Island was declared a British Crown Colony in 1849. In 1846, the 49th Parallel was established as the boundary between Canada and the U.S.A and ownership to the island of San Juan became a dispute. In 1856, by agreement, the island was jointly occupied by a small garrison of each nation. The dispute worsened and Governor Douglas suggested to the Colonial Office the need for a Naval and Military presence. In November 1858, a detachment of 207 Officers and men of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, including Lance Sergeant C. Whitlock, who wrote this letter, was sent to Vancouver's Island from the Royal Marine Brigade serving in China.
The letter was sent in a closed bag from Victoria to the British Consul and Packet Agent at San Francisco, who arranged for mail to be taken to Panama by United States Mail Steamers. Letters were carried from across the Isthmus of Panama by train to Colon, incurring a Foreign Transit Fee of 6d. payable by the recipient. It was collected from Colon by a steamer of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and taken to Southampton

provenance:
Gerald Sattin, May 2004

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Sold for
£1,100