THE
Hongkong
Government
GAZETTE.
NEW SERIES.
VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 28TH MARCH, 1857.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
VOL. II No. 91.
The Contract for publishing this Gazette, entered into on the 24th September, 1853, was terminated on the 30th ultimo; and notice is hereby given, that a NEW SERIES of this Gazette will be published hereafter, to commence from the 7th instant, under a New Contract, and that
“THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE"
will, as before, be the only Official Organ for PROCLAMATIONS, NOTIFICATIONS, and PUBLIC PAPERS, of this Government.
No. 9.
By Order,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 2d July, 1855.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
W. T. MERCER, Colonial Seoretary.
Diplomatic Department.
His Excellency, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., has much satisfaction in publishing, for general infor- mation, the accompanying Official Communication from Commander C. FORSYTH, H. M. Steam Sloop Lornet, t› the address of H. E. Rear-Admiral Sir MICHAEL SEYMOUR, reporting the capture of a Piratical Fleet in Sandy Bay, St John's Island, on the 19th and 20th instant.
By Order,
Superintendency of Trade, Victoria, Hongkong, 25th March, 1857.
W. WOODGATE.
iz
พ
(Copy.) W. D. JEANS, Secretary.
CAPTURE OF PIRATICAL fleet.
No. 8 of 1857.
H. M. S. Hornet, at HONGKONG, 21st March, 1857.. SIR, Ju obedience to your orders of the 18th instant, I sailed in search of the Piratical Fleet therein mentioned, GIG, Commander in the first place sighting Macao Roads in order to communicate with the H. E. I. Co.'s Steam Frigate Auckland, C. C. Forsyth, Mr Caldwell, Chinese In- which ship you had placed under my orders; but not finding her in that vicinity, I proceeded alone.
On the 19th, I anchored in Sandy Bay, St John's Island, and left the ship with the Boats named in the margin, terpreter. to search the neighbouring bays, when, on rounding a point, three miles from the ship, we suddenly found ourselves
-
in the presence of the Pirate Fleet, consisting of large Lorchas and Junks, seventeen in number, which immediately PINNACE, Mr R. opened fire upon us, their shot falling thickly round the boats.
Brown, Acting
A.
As they were in such numbers in comparison to our small force, and their position being a very strong one, Mate. I thought a diversion might be made in our favour by landing. I immediately pushed for the shore with the Gig, second Cutter, and a portion of the Marines, and scaled the heights on the right of the bay, commanding their anchor- 1st CUTTER,-Lieut. age, and opened a brisk fire with rifles, whilst the Gun and Rocket Boats, under the orders of Lieutenant A. M. Brock, A. Brock, Capt. G. engaged them in flauk. After a sharp fire of about twenty minutes, the Pirates began to jump overboard, and run for
Rotton, R.A., Vo- the hills, when the boats dashed in and boarded them. Two of the enemy were found dead, and from the appearance lunteer. of blood on their decks many must have been wounded.
73
2d CUTTER,- The
These vessels I found were a division of the main fleet commanded by the notorious Appoo; they mounted guns of various calibre, with gingals and percussion muskets; their crews amounted to three hundred and fifty men.
We found one Portuguese and a native of Goa on board. These men appeared most active during the attack, and Hon'ble A. D. d were observed to fire the last gun which was discharged at us from the Pirate Fleet. The Portuguese states as his Denison, Acting Mate. reason for being on board the junk, his being detained by the Pirates after the capture of his vessel three months since. I was informed that six other Europeans were with the Pirates.
Finding that the whole of the junks were ashore, and after making several ineffectual efforts, working the whole night and part of the following day to get them off; and there being nothing of value on board, I burnt them and destroyed the guns, giving the Chinaman (who had been robbed, and who accompanied Mr Caldwell) his vessel.
On our way to Hongkong, we communicated with Lingting, where the villagers informed us that a fleet of Man- darin Juuks had beep seen cruising yesterday between Lingting and the Lama Islands, directly in the track of vessels bound to this port. I immediately stood over in that direction, but could hear nothing of them.
In our engagement with the Pirate Fleet, they, as usual, fired bigh, which accounts for the trifling casualty in the Boats, (namely, one man seriously burnt by a stinkpot.)
It gives me much pleasure to report to your Excellency the excellent conduct of both Officers and Men in and ⚫after the engagement, the latter having had great temptations thrown in their way from the quantity of spirits found.
on board the junks, which they voluntarily destroyed.
I have, &c.,
(Signed,)
To Rear-Admiral SIR MICHAEL SEYMOUR, K.C.B., ·
Commander-in-Chief, &c., &c., &c.
True Copy,
CHARLES C. FORSYTH,
Commander,
W. WOODGATE.