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1846: Entire letter written (June 26) from Geneva endorsed at top addressed to John Heard in Canton, China endorsed 'Batiments du commerce' at top and further endorsed 'care of Augustin Heard' at base. Struck on despatch with GENEVE cds in red (July 2) and GENEVE / FERNEY cds in black (July 4). Reverse flaps with manuscript '6' and docketing in Chinese script. It is unclear how the letter travelled once mailed in Geneva however the letter, in English, is written by Augustine Heard´s nephew Albert, who was in school in Geneva and it is addressed to his elder brother John.
In 1830, Augustine Heard  (1785-1868) settled in Canton, China, where he became partner in the trading firm of Samuel Russell & Co. by then the leading American Opium dealer in China. Heard set up his own company, Augustine Heard & Co., in 1840, with Joseph Coolidge and John Murray Forbes. The firm became successful and grew rapidly to become the third largest American firm in China. By 1850 had branch offices, beside the headquarter in Canton, in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Foochow with agencies in Amoy and Ningpo. As with many others American firms involved in trade with China at the time, Augustine Heard & Co. encountered financial difficulties in the 1870s and finally went bankrupt in 1875.
John Heard was Augustine Heard’s nephew with whom he had returned to China in 1844

Content: "The English and French (two gros cochons) put their noses in our business in Mexico...we (America) have had another battle and took their city of Matamoros though their Army was more numerous than ours, they asked our General Taylor for 6 week's peace but he answered them that he would give them 24 hours to evacuate the town so theyy cleared out..."