10c Green, Ty. III-II (15-14). Positions 2-3L1, combination pair, left stamp Ty. III from misplaced transfer position, right stamp Ty. II, large even margins, used with 1c Blue, Ty. IV (9), Position 41L1L, recut twice at bottom, once at top, enormous margins all around including parts of two adjoining stamps, tied by "Trenton N.J. Sep. 2?, 1856" circular datestamp on small cover to Lieut. Earl English, U.S. Sloop of War Levant, care of American Consul in Hong Kong, sender's routing "Via English Mail Steamer" but prepaid for and sent via American Packet, red "New-York Am. Pkt. Sep. 27" transit, manuscript "1/4" for British transit, Liverpool (Oct. 10) and Hong Kong (date unreadable) transit backstamps

EXTREMELY FINE. AN UNUSUAL AND SUPERB FRANKING FOR THE 21-CENT AMERICAN PACKET RATE TO HONG KONG. CARRIED BY THE COLLINS LINE AND DELIVERED TO LIEUTENANT EARL ENGLISH ON BOARD THE U.S. SLOOP OF WAR LEVANT.

Under the command of U.S. Navy officer William N. Smith and with Lieut. Earl English aboard, the U.S.S. Levant sailed on Nov. 13, 1855, for Rio de Janeiro, the Cape of Good Hope, and Hong Kong, where she arrived to join the East India Squadron on May 12, 1856. On July 1 the U.S. Commissioner to China boarded the Levant for transport to Shanghai, arriving on August 1. At the outbreak of hostilities between the British and Chinese, the Levant arrived in Whampoa on October 28. The Levant took part in protecting American interests, and, in November 1856 saw action during the American amphibious assault on Chinese fortifications on the Pearl River. The Levant received the major part of the Chinese bombardment, with 22 shot holes in her hull and rigging, one man dead, and six injured. The Levant cruised between Hong Kong and Shanghai until she departed Hong Kong on December 7, 1857, arriving at the Boston Navy Yard on April 6, 1858 (source: Wikipedia).

This cover to Lieut. Earl English was carried on the Collins Line Atlantic, departing New York City on Sep. 27, 1856, and arriving in Liverpool on Oct. 9.

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