1c Ultramarine, 3c Green (156, 158). 3c pair with traces of plate number captured at top, small faults, 1c overlapping edge, tied by lightly struck cancels, partly visible "Walla Walla Wash." Washington Territory circular datestamp on 3c Green entire to Lieut. Col. James Bassel, Egyptian Army, Cairo, Egypt, red "New York * Paid All * Mar. 5" transit datestamp, red crayon "10" credit to North German Union, re-stated "fr 4" credit, "P.D." handstamp ties one 3c, Trieste oval backstamp (Mar. 21), "Poste Egiziane" Alexandria and Cairo backstamps (Apr. 2, 1874), reduced at left, still Fine, addressed to one of 50 or so American military officers who went to Egypt in the 1870's to train and direct the army of the Khedive Ismail, Lieutenant-Colonel James Bassel served in Egypt for about one year before leaving for the Far East, this was correctly prepaid for the 16c North German Union Direct rate to Egypt via Brindisi, there was a HAPAG departure on Mar. 5 (Hammonia II) and an NGL departure on Mar. 7 (Rhein), ex Stever and "Andromeda"

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