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ing wide its mischievous influence over the neighbouring coasts, to the great scandal of Her Majesty's Government.
Already had semi-official remonstrances, in the name of the small Portuguese and Chinese traders at Macao, against the encouragement so afforded to the pirates who infested them even in their own waters, been verbally addressed to Dr. Bridges, by the late governor of Macao, the Chevalier de Guimarâes,[1] but with no effect.
The Chinese of the empire now began, on their side, to beseech the merciful forbearance of their formidable neighbours.
I have myself seen petitions from the Main, praying Dr. Bridges' government not to resent, as offences against the Queen of England, proceedings taken by the petitioners within the Chinese territory, to recover the possession of land there situate, against Chinese wrongdoers holding it by the strong hand, in the face of a decree rendered by the proper Chinese court.
That opportunity was afforded me by the parties themselves. These men having presumed to present such petitions, in a case where the Mah Chow Wong gang were the adverse occupants, and, consequently, the interest of the petitioners was adverse to that of Dr. Bridges' Hong Kong government, were contemptuously ordered to withdraw themselves and their petitions too from the Secretariat.
From the printed translations of some of the petitions, which appeared in the Government organ, I made Some extracts at the time, and these still remain in my hands. The originals, themselves I ventured to return, enclosed in a letter from myself (6th July,
- ↑ He has very lately returned to Lisbon.
