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the Harbour Office.
The story regarding the salt fish being fetched from Aberdeen requires confirmation, and can only be satisfactorily cleared up by someone from this or the Harbour Department being sent with the parties in the steam-launch to Aberdeen. If this is done it would be a favourable opportunity for allowing the Petitioner to point out the exact spot where he was seized. At present there is no reasonable grounds for supposing that the Petitioner was not bound for Aberdeen as alleged, and if true it partly explains the conduct of those on board the cruiser in not carrying off junk as well as cargo.
For there can be little doubt but that if the junk was sailing away from Hongkong and in Chinese waters the Cruiser would have captured her and taken her as Prize to Canton or some station nearer.
(signed) Cecil C. Smith,
Registrar General.
11th May, 1877.