that the murder of an Englishman, or the detention of one as a prisoner in the neighbourhood of Whampoa, might lead to some hostile movement on the part of the Admiral in that direction, he and Kingqua, who had joined our consultation, undertook to dispatch a messenger to that place, to advise their friends and connections to interest themselves as much as possible in searching after and recovering Cowper.
To give all the weight I could to the matter, and expedite the search, I took the messenger to the Whampoa anchorage that afternoon in a private steamer placed at my disposal for the purpose. He returned to me the next morning with a considerable number of the Whampoa gentry and traders, who although loud in their protestations of the innocence of their own townspeople, and ready to hint at the possible implication of those of other localities, furnished me with no definite or available information, and gave me no reliable promise that they would exert themselves to procure any. I therefore thought it desirable that three of their number should see Howqua and Kingqua, who had a better appreciation of the risks at stake, and I brought them with me to Canton for this purpose, where they now remain.
The result is, I feel assured, that the people of Whampoa now perceive that it is to their interest to undertake the task, which, if time be allowed them, they can of course accomplish, of tracing out the captors of Mr. Cowper, and ascertaining what has become of him; and so long as they really continue to exert themselves to this end, and we remain without any precise information as to the offending parties, I do not see what other step is open to me to take, or how the intervention of the Naval Commander-in-chief can, with advantage, be exerted.
I have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES.
No. 2.
The Earl of Clarendon to Sir J. Bowring.
Foreign Office, February 23, 1857.
Sir,
I HAVE received your despatch of the 27th of December last, inclosing a copy of a despatch from Mr. Consul Parkes, stating the circumstances under which Mr. William Cowper, Senior, of Whampoa, was kidnapped by the Chinese on the evening of the 20th of December, and reporting the steps which he took to obtain the restoration of Mr. Cowper to his family, and I have to instruct you to state to Mr. Parkes that I approve of his proceedings on this occasion.
I am, &c.
(Signed) CLARENDON.
No. 3.
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon.—(Received March 1.)
Hong Kong, January 6, 1857.
My Lord,
I HAVE the honour to forward copies of correspondence with the Spanish Consul-General on the subject of the supposed murder of the Spanish Vice Consul of Macao in the attack upon the "Thistle" on the 30th ultimo, as reported in my despatch dated the 31st ultimo, and I fear there is little reason to hope that M. Diaz de Sobre Casas and his Spanish servant have escaped from this treacherous act of assassination.
I have, &c.
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING.
