3c Green (158). Six, three with s.e., dark shade, tied by target cancels, "Summerville (?) Jul. 21" (1874) circular datestamp on 3c Green entire to Lieut. Col. James Bassel, Egyptian Army, Cairo, Egypt, red "Detroit Paid All Br. Transit Aug. 2" transit datestamp (scarce exchange office routing), red crayon "16" credit and red "London Paid" transit datestamp, "Alexandria AU 27 74" British P.O. backstamp, "Poste Egiziane" Alexandria and Cairo backstamps (Aug. 28), some gum stains slightly affecting three stamps, small tear in top of left stamp, otherwise Very Fine, a rare cover to one of 50 or so American military officers who went to Egypt in the 1870's to train and direct the army of the Khedive Ismail, Lieutenant-Colonel James Bassel served in Egypt for about one year before leaving for the Far East, this was overpaid 1c for the 20c British Mail rate via Southampton, the Detroit Aug. 2 (1874) datestamp indicates this was carried on the Allan Line's Peruvian, departing Quebec on Aug. 8, arriving Liverpool Aug. 17, with 2003 P.F. certificate

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