Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 199

1812.

Journal of Occurrences.

181

lic. They evince our irresistible power, as well as extraordinary forbearance so far as the people are concerned; and it has been ascertained, that such was the consternation, on the news of the descent on Yuyau reaching the provincial cn. pital of Hángchau fú (distant above 100 miles), that the imperial commissioners, and other high Chinese officers, fed from that city to Súchau, ninety miles fur- ther north.

The Phlegethon steamer, and Bentinck brig-of-war, have just proceeded to ex- amine and reconnoitre the bay of Hángchau fú and the port of Chápú.

God save the Queen.

Dated on board her majesty's ship Blenheim, at sea, on the 21st of January, 1842.

(Signed)

Henry Pottinger, H. M. Plenipotentiary.

2. The donation specified in the following notes, (which we publish with much pleasure at the request of the secretary to govern- inent, Mr. de Siqueira,) is substantial testimony of the estimation in which the government of Macao is held by some of the foreign re- sidents. By the departure of Mr. J. Matheson, who sailed from Macao in the clipper bark Tartar, captain Luce, on the 10th instant, the foreign community has lost one of its most enterprising, able, and liberal members. Mr. Matheson, we believe, has the honor of being the founder of the British press in China—having commenced the Canton Register in 1827. See that paper for March 3d, 1835.

To H. E. Adrião Accacio da Silveira Pinto, Macao, 9th March, 1842.

Governor of Macao, &c., &c.

Sir,-Being about to depart from China after a residence of many years. though not without the hope of returning, I am desirous of leaving some memorial to testify my grateful sense of the protection afforded to me, in common with the rest of my countrymen at Macao, more especially under the enlightened govern- ment of your excellency, by whose able management all the evils of a state of war have been averted from this important settlement. and circumstances of complicated perplexity and danger converted into elements of peace and increas- ed prosperity. I therefore take the liberty of placing at your excellency's dispo- sal the sum of five thousand ($5,000) dollars, with a request that you will have the goodness to appropriate it to some permanent purpose of public benevolence, bearing an inscription that it is an offering of gratitude from a British subject to the government of which your excellency is the head, and to the Portuguese in- habitants generally of Macao.

I have the honor to remain, with cordial wishes for the welfare of your excel- lency and family, Sir, your excellency's very faithful and grateful servant,

JAMES MATHESON.

HIS EXCELLENCY'S REPLY.

Macáo, 10 de Março, de 1842.

Illmo. Sr.-Em a carta de V. S. desta datta cuja recepção eu tenho a bonra d'accuzar não dezejando que V. S. parta semn huma resposta, participa-me a sua retirada para a Europa, e os dezejos que tem de deixar perpetuada a sua memoria neste estabellecimento por algum acto de publica beneficencia para o que poě á minha disposição a somma de sinco mil ($5,000) patacas Espanholas." Eu seria criminozo ou pelo menos merecedor de grande censura se recuzasse huma offer- ta que tem por fim hum bem publico, ou se deixasse d'agradecer não obstante ver em V. S. dezejos de que o não fizesse, com a expressão da mais bem merecida gratidão. Estimaria eu. que V. S. houvesse prefixado a applicação da somma offerecida, mas pois o não quiz fazer talvez pela sua extremada delicadeza, ea conjunctamente com o Leal Senado desta cidade procuraremos satisfazer a esse encargo de hum modo satisfactorio, a para o offerente e para o publico a quem o dom he offerecido. As expressoès que eu encontro em a sua carta, amim parti cularmente dirigidas, ainda que eu as attribuo mais devidas, a ja bem reconhecida generozidade de V. S do que ao meu proprio merecimento, não posso deixa