1627 -cutting and Office in the neighbourhood, in command of the war junks, forming part of Captain Peteman's evidence, is not left conclusive as to the innocence and perfectly legal character of the Junk, the object of this outrage, and is nearly equally strong, I am sorry to say, as to the frequent occurrence of similar acts of piracy and violation of the laws of nations, by vessels sailing under the British and other foreign flags. According to the evidence of Captain Pitman, this Chinese Naval Officer considered that the native trade was exposed to greater coils from foreign than from Chinese pirates.
The evidence of Chingchew, the wounded seaman, was clear; he not only deposed to the principal facts of the murder of five of his companions, the rifling of the bodies, and his own wound by shot from the "Spec", together with the capture of the Junk while following their lawful pursuits, but deposed to acts of barbarity on the part of the captors, in throwing overboard wounded men, and even cutting and shooting at them subsequently, to ensure their death. One of these assailants he clearly and unhesitatingly identified in the person answering to the name of Ephraim Francis, who has two remarkable rings on his wrists, recognized by the witness, and described in his evidence before he had the opportunity of examining the prisoner.
These are the leading facts and most material evidence, exhibiting, it appears to me, features of peculiar atrocity, so total disregard of the laws, and ignorance or contempt of the obligations of honest men to observe them, that it must, I am sure, appear to Your Excellency imperative that H. M. Government take prompt and effective measures to clear the Chinese seas of vessels under the British flag, emulating the "Speed" in their felonious acts, and bringing disgrace and odium upon our nationality in this country.