Sub-Enc.No.4.
Report of proceedings.
H.M.S."Fame", Hongkong.
April 17th 1899.
62
Sir,
In continuation of my letter of midnight, April 15th, I have the honour to report that at 4.15 a.m., I landed with 16 men under Sub Lieut. Tomkinson to act with the company of the H.K.Regt., the object being to clear any hostile Chinamen from the surrounding hills, and surprise them before daylight should they have re-occupied the trenches, they were driven out of the previous night. The "Fame" was kedged into a position most suitable to cover the advance if necessary and there being some 7 pounders in one of the launches, I sent a party of stokers to land one and mount it on the matshed hill as a very small force was left at the base and if attacked from the S.W. the "Fame's" guns would have been masked. The expedition returned about 7.30 a.m., having experienced no opposition.
During the morning a company of Artillery arrived and Captain Long informed me that he considered his position sufficiently secure to dispense with the protection of the "Fame's" guns, so in compliance with my sailing orders I started to return to Hongkong, but meeting the "Brisk" at the entrance to Tolo Channel, returned at your order to Tai-po-hu anchorage.
With reference to your order to place myself at the disposal of General Gascoigne he decided to remain and requested me to return to Hongkong with despatches where Commodore Francis Powell C.B.,
I
H.M.S."Tanar".