Her Majesty's sloop "Espiègle" has not yet returned, but I have ascertained that information reached the Governor-General before her arrival at Nanking, and that he had issued orders that they should meet with no obstruction. or incivility.

I have, at the Nea-tae's request, written a despatch, which his Excellency undertook to send inland, at speed, for the return of the "Espiègle," with Her Majesty's Vice-Consul, without delay.

I have, &c.

ALCOCK, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul, hereby notifies :

On the 18th instant I, the Consul, warned all the junk owners and others, that the junks conveying the Government grain could not sail until the ringleaders in a murderous assault on my countrymen at Tsing-poo had been seized and punished.

His Excellency the Nea-tae having now arrived, and ten of these ring leaders having been seized and punished, nothing further is desired; justice has been obtained, and no obstruction will be offered to the sailing of the grain junks from this date of the war-ship of my nation; and thus, mutual harmony and confidence will be restored.

Taoukwang, 28th year, 2nd month, 24th day. (March 28, 1848.)

(Translation.)

Inclosure 14 in No. 54.

The Criminal Judge and the Taoutae to Consul Alcock.

NE, Imperially appointed Criminal Judge in Commission of the Province of Keang-soo, in the Chinese Empire, also having charge of the transmission of official despatches, raised ten steps, recorded ten times;

Heen, Imperially appointed Military Intendant of Circuit of Soo-chow-foo, Sung-keang-foo, and Taetsang-chow, in Keang-nan Province, in the Chinese Empire, assisting in the general charge of the naval defences and the transmission of salts, raised ten steps, recorded ten times;

Make this communication:

We have recently received the Honourable Consul's communication regard-ing the case of three British subjects who were assaulted and robbed at Tsingpoo by the grain junk sailors.

We, the Criminal Judge and Taoutae, have already seized ten of the criminals, and put them publicly in the cangue at the new Custom-house, for the full period of one month; after which it will be deliberated, in communication with the Honourable Consul, as to those who are to be separately punished or liberated, according to law.

Taoukwang 28th year, 2nd month, 26th day. (March 30, 1848.)

(Translation.)

Inclosure 15 in No. 54.

The Criminal Judge and the Taoutae to Consul Alcock.

NE, Imperially appointed Criminal Judge in Commission of the Province of Keang-soo, in the Chinese Empire, also having charge of the transmission of official despatches, raised ten steps, recorded ten times;

Heen, Imperially appointed Military Intendant of Circuit of Soo-chow-foo,

U

Sung-keang-foo, and Taetsang-chow, in Keang-nan Province, in the Chinese Empire, assisting in the general charge of the naval defences and the transmission of salts, raised ten steps, recorded ten times;

Make this communication:

We have recently received the Honourable Consul's communication regarding the case of the quarrel and fight between three British subjects and sailors of the Tsing-poo-heen.

We, the Criminal Judge at Taoutae, have already seized ten of the criminals, and put them publicly in the cangue, at the new Custom-house. When the time has expired they will be separately punished or liberated, according to law.

2nd month. (March 1848.) (No date.)

Taoukwang, 28th year, 2nd month.

Inclosure 16 in No. 54.

Consul Alcock to the Criminal Judge and the Taoutae.

ALCOCK, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Shanghae, makes this communication.

I have received the official communication of you, the Honourable the Nea-tae and the Taoutae, stating that, in reference to the case of the assault and robbery committed on three British subjects at Tsing-poo by the grain junk sailors, your Excellence had seized ten of the offenders, who had been sentenced to be cangued publicly at the new Custom-house, for the full period of one month, after which, in communication with me, the Consul, further steps would be taken for their separate punishment or Iberation, according to law. All this I have understood, and find it so far proper and suitable.

But at the time that these British subjects were assaulted, they were likewise robbed of several articles, a list of which was on the day of the robbery delivered to Kin, the Che-heen of Tsing-poo. A list of the same is likewise annexed to this letter, and I beg that you will examine the same, and cause restitution of the property to be made.

I have also to request that ten men now in the cangue be each day exposed at the new Custom-house from morning to night, where they may be seen by everybody; in this manner due warning will be given to the evil disposed, and the ends of justice will be attained.

With regard to ulterior steps, as soon as the month has expired, the Honourable the Nea-tae and the Taoutae will, in communication with me, the Consul, consult and determine upon their punishment according to law, and thus wind up and complete this affair.

2 Caps.

1 Spade.

1 Silver-mounted Walking-stick, (the silver weighing one tael.)

The two last articles are at the Taoutae's office, but not the silvermounting.

Inclosure 17 in No. 54.

Notification.

Shanghae, March 28, 1848.

HER Majesty's Consul has much pleasure in stating, for the information of the British community, that the coercive measures he saw himself compelled to adopt fifteen days ago have been followed by complete success. The ten ringleaders in the outrage at Tsing-poo, demanded on the 13th instant, have this day been produced by the Wei-tae or Provincial Judge of the province. Two of the most vicious and dangerous were at once distinctly identified by the parties who had suffered from their violence, and several of the remainder were recognised as having been among their assailants.

These ten offenders, in the presence of Her Majesty's Consul, the injured parties, all the local authorities, and a large number of assistants, were put in the cangue, on the spot, to which punishment they are sentenced for one month, prior to any further proceedings against them, and they will be exposed every day during that period in the public thoroughfares as a warning to all who are in like manner evil disposed.

The fullest satisfaction and redress having thus been afforded, it only remains for Her Majesty's Consul to announce that the embargo on the grain junks has been removed, and that from this date all duties will be paid as heretofore. In reference to those remaining due for ships already cleared, communications will be made from the Consulate to the parties interested in due time.

This peaceful, and in every sense happy termination of difficulties, which at one time threatened to compromise British interests at the port, is most satisfactory. Her Majesty's Consul, remembering the unanimity and cheerfulness with which the community signified their readiness to meet any inconvenience the necessity for coercive measures might entail, rejoices that the end has been attained without loss or sacrifice, and the cordial support received from the Consular Representatives of foreign Powers at Shanghae, who at once identified themselves with the measures taken as for a common cause, has not, it may safely be assumed, failed in its effect.

How much is due to the judgment and decision with which a partial blockade of peculiar difficulty has been maintained during fifteen days, by Captain Pitman, of Her Majesty's ship "Childers," must be known to the whole community, who have daily witnessed the unwearied vigilance and good temper evinced by the officers and men under his command. This task has been accomplished, not only without injury to the large Chinese traffic on the river, but without hostile collision or any bad feeling having been excited, a result on which they may well be congratulated.

Security to life and property which, for a moment seemed endangered, it is hoped is now more firmly established than before the outrage, and with prudence and forbearance, such as his countrymen have already manifested, and which he fully counts upon whenever their excursions may lead them to a distance from Shanghae, Her Majesty's Consul is sanguine that they will no longer be exposed to dangers or molestation from those whom impunity might otherwise have emboldened.

THE full and complete satisfaction afforded by the authorities this day, of which you were yourself a witness, in the seizure and instant punishment of ten of the ringleaders in the late outrage, leaves nothing more to be demanded. Justice, which was denied to entreaty and remonstrance, has at last been obtained by coercive measures. There is now, therefore, no further motive for

keeping up an embargo on the Government grain junks, and I have informed the Provincial Judge that from this date it should cease.

In congratulating you upon the successful termination of the difficulties which threatened, in the most serious degree, to compromise our security at the port, I must be permitted to convey to you the deep sense I entertain of the service you have rendered by the firmness, vigilance, and temper, with which a very harassing duty has been performed. To maintain a blockade during fourteen days, applying only to a certain class of junks, undistinguishable from the rest except by actual search, in a Chinese river crowded with boats and junks of every kind, carrying on a large and uninterrupted traffic, and effect this completely without injury to the interests of those not included in the embargo, and without hostile collision even with those who attempted to elude your search by the most harassing manouvres, is an achievement of which the officers and men under your command may justly be proud.

To yourself it must be a source of great satisfaction to know that not only the important end in view has been most completely accomplished; but events show that the same end could not have been attained except by such means as were adopted. Our position, when you arrived some days ago, was most critical, and during that period a struggle has been maintained for redress, with a full consciousness of hazard involved by such efforts to the very interests I desired to protect, not only less perilous than the alternative of sitting down with a denial of justice. Thanks, I repeat, to your very efficient aid, the cordial manner in which you met my views, and the position you enabled me to maintain, there is nothing left to desire but that our restored friendly relations and security at this port may be as permanent as they are satisfactory.

Sir,

I have, &c.

(Signed)

RUTHERFORD ALCOCK.

Inclosure 19 in No. 54.

Commander Pitman to Consul Alcock.

Shanghae, March 29, 1848.

I BEG leave to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, and to acquaint you that orders were given last evening to allow the Government grain junks to depart.

The redress so fully afforded by the arrival of the Provincial Judge, with ten of the ringleaders in the late outrage at Tsing-poo, must be a great satisfaction to you, and most sincerely do I congratulate you upon the succesful termination of your late harassing negotiations, which, from the obstinacy of the authorities here, were so likely to place you in great difficulties.

Accept my sincere thanks for the flattering manner in which you have conveyed to me your thanks for the service which has been rendered by the officers and crew of Her Majesty's sloop under my command during the blockade of fourteen days, a service most annoying at all times, but more particularly so in this instance, where we had only one class to detain out of so many descriptions of vessels as are employed in this river, therefore necessarily obliging us to board them all; and I am proud to say that such service has been performed with good feeling, and without a single instance of collision.

I consider that in supporting and carrying out your views I have only done my duty, and unto you it must be a great satisfaction to see your just demands so fully accomplished.

Allow me again to thank you for the handsome way in which you have alluded to the service it has been in my power to render you in the present instance, by which our friendly relations and security at this port have been so fully restored.

I have, &c. (Signed) J. C. PITMAN.

Inclosure 20 in No. 54.

The Consular Representatives of Foreign Powers at Shanghae to Consul Alcock.

M. le Consul,

Shanghae, le 29 Mars, 1848.

NOUS Soussignés, Consuls de France, d'Amérique, et de Belgique, venons avec un vif plaisir vous féliciter de votre brillant succès, et vous remercier au nom de nos nationaux de la sécurité que votre conduite pleine de prudence et de fermeté vient de leur assurer pour longtemps.

Il est certain que si vous eussiez tardé d'un seul jour à exiger et obtenir la punition exemplaire des misérables qui s'étaient rendu coupables du lâche attentat dont vos nationaux ont été les victimes, la vie et les propriétés de tous les étrangers étaient sérieusement compromises. Vous avez eu, M. le Consul, les plus grandes difficultés à vaincre, et il n'a fallu rien moins que vos promptes, sages, et coercitives mesures, pour contraindre les autorités de Shanghae à se départer enfin de la conduite pleine de mauvais vouloir dont elles nous ont donné le triste exemple.

Ce fut une bien heureuse occurrence pour vous que de pouvoir en même temps mettre un embargo sur la flotte des jonques de grain du Gouvernement chargées pour Pekin, et envoyer un brig de guerre à Nankin avec une demande de réparation.

Le cours des événements et le résultat obtenu prouvent que ces deux mesures étaient indispensables. Car même une semaine après votre embargo sur les jonques de grain, aucune demande n'avait été faite par les autorités pour saisir les vrais coupables; au contraire, elles avaient constamment employé les plus honteux subterfuges pour éviter la nécessité de faire opérer leur

arrestation.

Nous savons parfaitement à présent que le Nea-tae n'a pas quitté Soo-chow avant que la nouvelle du passage du brig de guerre à plus de quinze lieues dans l'intérieur du Yang-tsze-keang ne fût arrivée dans cette ville. Nous sommes aussi assurés par la conclusion de l'affaire, que les autorités de Shanghae avaient bien le pouvoir de saisir et produire les coupables, mais qu'elles n'en avaient nullement la volonté. Nous sommes donc bien convaincus de la justesse de toutes vos mesures et l'insigne mauvaise foi des autorités Chinoises.

Nous considérons donc que c'est une question d'intérêt général que vous avez si noblement défendue, et si heureusement amenée à bonne fin; et nous vous remercions sincèrement de la tranquillité que vous nous assurez pour longtemps.

Permettez-nous de ne pas terminer cette lettre sans vous exprimer notre sincère admiration pour la conduite, à la fois pleine de modération et de fermeté, du brave commandant du brig de Sa Majesté Britannique, le "Childers;" avec un faible equipage, et très peu de moyens à sa disposition, il a pu arrêter, sans apporter pour cela aucun empêchement au commerce général, la circulation des jonques de grain du Gouvernement.

Un seul coup de fusil tiré mal à propos eût pu amener une collision générale et des malheurs incalculables. Nous devons donc aussi nos félicitations au Commandant Pitman et à ses officiers, pour avoir par leurs seules manœuvres, pu repousser, nuit et jour, toutes les nombreuses tentatives des jonques, et faire, sans effusion de sang, respecter l'embargo.

Nous sommes heureux, M. le Consul, de vous donner cette dernière preuve de toute notre approbation pour votre belle conduite dans toute cette difficile et perplexe affaire.

Nous avons, &c.

(Signé)

C. DE MONTIGNY,

Consul de France à Shanghae.

E. W. BATES,

United States of America
Consular Agent.

JOHN STEWART,

Consul de Belgique.