being with Hainan will be brought to Your Lordships' notice by the Straits Government. But as certain correspondence in connection with the case has taken place between this Government and Her Majesty's Consul at Canton, I deem it right to transmit all the papers bearing on the proceedings for Your Lordship's information.
It appears that, like many other steamers, the "Carisbrooke" cleared from Singapore for Hainan, Hongkong, and Amoy. The Customs Authorities had evidently received notice of passengers and dutiable merchandise being illegally landed on the coast of that Island (of which the Port of Kiung Chow is not even yet open to trade), and the Cruiser was lying off the roadstead, which is frequented by vessels on route to this Colony, to act upon any infringement of the law being committed.
The subsequent enquiry showed that passengers and, amongst other things, opium were disembarked within three miles off the N.E. Coast of Hainan—that the steamer was then seized by the Cruiser, and that on her attempting to run into Hongkong after the master had promised to go to Canton, she was disabled by her rudder being...