1c Blue (63). Used with three singles of 3c Rose (65), cancelled or tied by New York grids on yellow cover originating in Hong Kong, China, carried privately to New York and then mailed to Nassau, Bahamas, addressed to Charles Gordon, in care of "H. R. Sonders & Son", with red oval "Forwarded by Saunders & Son, Nassau" handstamp, blue pencil "8" pence rate, docketed by Philadelphia Prize Court with red "84" at right and "No. 18. H.F. The within is marked 18th. H.F." at right, with copy of original enclosure datelined "Steamer Han Kow, Harbor of Hong Kong, Sept. 7th, 1861", written by the ship's engineer, W. H. Shannon, who just arrived in Hong Kong after 109-day trip from New York, two 3c stamps light creases

VERY FINE. A PHENOMENAL COVER CARRIED PRIVATELY FROM HONG KONG TO NEW YORK, AND THEN CAPTURED DURING AN ATTEMPTED BLOCKADE RUN AND USED AS EVIDENCE IN THE PRIZE COURT AT PHILADELPHIA.

The sender, W. H. Shannon, was engineer on the Han Kow, which departed New York on April 13, 1861, arriving in Hong Kong August 31, 1861, a journey of 109 days. On September 7, he penned this letter, which was carried privately to New York. It took about eleven months to arrive in New York, where it entered the mails. It was carried on the Cunarder British Queen, departing Aug. 16, 1862, arriving Nassau Aug. 20. It was forwarded by Saunders & Son with goods on the schooner Defiance to Savannah, but she was captured by the barque U.S.S. Braziliera on Sep. 7, 1862. The Defiance was taken as a prize, and this was used as evidence in the Philadelphia Prize Court. The initials "H.F." at right belong to Henry Flanders, a well-respected scholar on maritime law who served as commissioner of the Philadelphia Prize Court.

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