Village Jai-poo - M - the 18th of the 9 moon Ying Kai received a letter asking him to return the letter on the writer's paying him 200 Taels - this he refused, preferring to bring it to Honghing. Since he came, then Ying Kai's village has been surrounded by the people of She-cheang, the village where all the people signing the letter live - they have now already prepared several hundred suits for the attack - they have a number of ... vessels that are about seizing boats and are now detained by them (several boats that used to come to Honghing are now detained by them).
To Colonial Secretary, Hongtong, Nov? 26th 1866.
Before returning to Canton, I think it well to acquaint you, for the information of H. E. Sir Richard MacDonnell, with the particulars elicited by the military officers despatched hither by the Viceroy Sui-lin and myself in respect to the supposed project for a piratical attack on Hongtong.
Inspection of the intercepted letter...
The Hon: N.I. Mercer, Esqre Colonial Secretary, Hongtong
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