h: 3
W. & B.
111
My Lord.
I have the honour to report to you that having given my final orders at Whampoa regarding the force under my command, I returned to the Judice, and went out immediately to inspect the fulfilment of those orders, and was on board the Steamer "Canton" when we were off the forts that have been erected on the banks of the river near Wumpoa, when upon the right of the 8th instant, news of the tumult of the preceding day reached us.
I immediately wrote to Sir Henry Pottinger, ordering a body of Marines to be held in readiness to move at His Excellency's requisition, and having dispatched my letters by a fast boat to Hongkong, I determined to proceed at once to Canton, being informed that our merchant ships were prevented from approaching the city, and that our people were being molested.
We anchored within a mile of the City about 3 o'clock on the morning of the 9th, in the midst of darkness, but weighing again at daylight we found the forts had then retired and all was quiet.
I am sorry to say that we found the whole factories, east of Hogg Lane, in a state of destruction.
I have, &c.
(signed)
I. P. Honourable
Ford Stanley,
Principal Secretary of State.
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