Auction # 58 - Winter 2014 Auction

(Naval) 1836 (Jun. 22) U.S.S. Peacock, Macao, China to Philadelphia Pa. Folded letter datelined "Macao, June 22, 1836" and endorsed "U.S.S. Peacock", carried by private ship to New York, entered mails with red "New-York 'Ship' Nov 14" cds and "27" rating for 25¢ inland postage plus 2¢ ship fee; stain at top left, F.-V.F.
Estimate; $1,000 - 1,500.

Letter with some historical content, "The papers will show that we buried here the Diplomatist Mr. Roberts & Capt. Campbell - we have lost no men - Mr. Roberts had been ill for 3 years & Capt. Campbell was intemperate & imprudent or he would have recovered. We sail to-morrow for the Sandwich Islands and you may expect us at home in April next. I have been in Canton 6 days and made there a number of purchases…"

Edmund Roberts, appointed by President Andrew Jackson as America's first envoy to the Far East, went in the U. S. sloop-of-war "Peacock" on two consecutive non-resident embassies to the Eastern courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat during the years 1832-36. Roberts concluded treaties with Siam and the Sultan of Muscat in Oman, ratified in Washington, D.C. 30 June 1834. He returned in 1836 to exchange ratifications with Oman and Siam; and to Cochin-China for a second attempt at negotiation. On the second mission, Naval Surgeon William Ruschenberger (1807-1895) was commissioned on the U. S. Ship "Peacock", commanded by Lt. C. K. Stribling, and accompanied by the U. S. Schooner "Enterprise" with Lt. Commanding A. S. Campbell; both were under the command of Commodore Edmund P. Kennedy.