That notorious band,
They hear that peace is signed at the Peking and proclaimed at Canton, but they perceive no cessation of outrage at home.
I refer you, Sir, to my former communications in proof, and I invite your serious attention to some alarming corroborations which only transpired yesterday, on the delivery of the mails from Hong Kong.
On the 24th ult. last, the China mail newspaper – Dr. Bridges' own organ - found itself compelled by public opinion to express some
allusion to the results of a very wanton raid undertaken by H.M.S. Tiger and Gunboats, under Captain Colvile R.N. against the King Kin Wong Squadron and village, west of Macao, upon Mr. Caldwell's information and under his guidance.
The Government organ deprecated the want of discrimination between pirates and other Chinese vessels
Another newspaper - the Friend of China of the 26th March - echoing the sentiment, supplied cruelties perpetrated under direction on that occasion, and Caldwell's own expressions of hope that the new Admiral of the China station will know his (Caldwell's) past conduct, and the good likely to eventuate from any advice he gives :
adding at the same time a strong expression of opinion that the squadron and village destroyed were, as stated, a political rather than a piratical association and station; - a fact of which the very characters on the flag, "Kin Wong", gave ample certificate.
"I take the liberty of enclosing the Extrad
Even subsequently to this affair of the Tiger, there has appeared another striking example. I refer to the Government Notification of the 26th March, dated the 21st March last, and published in the Hong Kong Government Gazette of for general information and guidance. It contains the report of another successful expedition, under Caldwell's auspices and to a peaceful city of China, denounced by him as accessory to another piracy in the Hongkong waters.
It appears that Four Thousand Dollars were extorted as ransom after the letter demanding the money had been prepared by Mr. Caldwell, and that Commander Bythesea of H.M.S. Furious with his gunboats, opened fire on the private dwellings of the place; - but the amount or nature of the damage done by the fire, beyond the Four thousand dollars ransom, is not stated.