HAWAII, Honolulu March 7th 1843. Dateline on folded letter to Miss Mary Knapp in Round Hill Conn., sender is the recipient's brother, Horton Owen Knapp (1813-1845), who arrived in Hawaii as part of the eighth company on the Mary Frasier from Boston on April 9, 1837, fantastic contents incl. "These islands have recently ceded over to Queen Victoria and we are now under the British Flag. Lord George Paulit, Captain of the British frigate 'Carysfort' took possession on the 25th February in the name of Her Britain's Majesty Queen Victoria. He had been here but a few days when he proceeded to this movement, and probably he would have done it sooner had the king not been absent at Maui.", the sender goes on to discuss some of the particulars of the takeover and also opines "We have some hopes, though little expectations, that the islands will ever again become independent...if they must be subject to either Great Britain or France we should prefer to be as we are under the British Flag.", end of letter states "I just now close this letter as I expect to send it by the U.S. Ship 'Boston' which is to sail tomorrow for Charleston near Boston", red "Boston Mass. Aug. 4" circular datestamp with matching "SHIP" and "20" in circle handstamps, fresh and Very Fine, a fascinating letter

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