Government Offices, Victoria, Hong Kong, 7th July 1856.
According to my instructions to Your Excellency I called upon the Chief Magistrate to give such explanations on the matter as he might deem necessary, in reference to the United States Consul's complaint of his demeanor towards him. Mr. Mitchell stated that the Chief Officer of the "Annie Bucknall" refused, without orders from the Consul, to sign a summons calling upon him to answer a charge of assault preferred against him by one of his crew, the assault having been committed in this harbour, upon which refusal a disturbance arose.
His Excellency
The Officer
Commanding United States Naval Forces
in the East Indian and China Seas.