Letter from Ensign Campbell Barber Browne, 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot, 8 Sep 1845.
Sent to his mother from the British garrison at Chusan.
As well as discussing the weather at Chusan, mail deliveries and the possibilities of promotion without purchase, the writer refers to the battalion having lost three men during the summer and 40 men out of 800 men were being hospitalised.
Chusan had been captured by the British during the First Opium War (1839-1842), and troops were stationed there until 1846 to enforce Chinese compliance with the Treaty of Nanking.
The framed 'PAID' handstamp applied in Hong Kong denotes that pre-payment had already been made elsewhere, although the letter was still marked 'to be paid'.
Backstamps, Hong Kong Type 9 and Nottingham arrival cds of number 26 1845.
Associated with 1st China War (1839-1842).