the said Placard.
It is now my melancholy duty to report to your Lordship that this unfortunate Officer was murdered on the evening of the 22 instant by a party of about 6 persons close to the Barrier of Macao. His Aide-de-Camp who was riding with him escaped and the murderers then cut off the head and right arm of the Governor and carried them away leaving the trunk in the road.
News of this terrible event having reached me on the morning of the 23, I considered it advisable that a man-of-war should be sent to Macao, to ascertain the particulars, as well as to afford protection to the Subjects of Her Britannic Majesty residing there, as they might by the consequences of such a catastrophe be placed in a position of great insecurity.
The Senior Naval Officer on the Station, Captain Troubridge, commanding Her Majesty's Ship Amazon, concurring with me, sailed at Noon, accompanied by Her Majesty's Steamer Medea, and arrived in Macao Roads the same evening. I considered it my duty also to address the Imperial Commissioner upon the subject, and I have the honor to enclose a copy of my communication and his reply this day received.
Upon the 24 nothing reached me in official form, but on the 25, the Plenipotentiary Ministers of the Spanish, American, and French nations forwarded me a letter addressed to Sen... to which they requested me to affix my name. I replied that I had already written to him myself upon the same subject.