The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-21 00:00:00

" PUBLIC NOTICE.

" Her Britannic Majesty's Consul having heard that
it is the intention of certain subjects of her Majesty to
proceed to-morrow morning up the river to the village
of Hwang-chu-kee, or other places, in which it is sup-
posed that six of their countrymen are confined, this is
to give-notice that her Majesty's Consul entirely disap-
aproves of such a proceeding ; and that any British sub-
ject acting in contravention of this injunction will do so
on his own responsibility. 'i
" Her Majesty's Consul deems it expedient to make it
known to all concerned that he is in communication with
the local authorities as to the restoration of his country-
men now unlawfully confined, and at the same time most
distinctly states, that any such movement at is contem-
plated by the British community will afford ground for
the Chinese to withhold the delivery of the persons now
under restraint.

" The Consul further intimates to her Majesty's sub-
jects that the question now in hand has been communi-
cated to her Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary, whose
instructions may be looked for to-morrow evening. He
therefore deems it his imperative duty to call upon
her Majesty's subjects, by their allegiance to their Sove-
reign, to obey his mostgaolemn and strict injunctions.
" Given under my hand at Canton, this 6th day of
December, 1847, at nine of the clock in the evening.
"FRANCIS C. MACGREGOR,
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul.
" To her Majesty's Subjects."
However commendable the intention, it is better that
it; was not carried into effect. The brave men who
volunteered their services would have been too late to
save their countrymen, and a collision with the villagers
would have been too probable, and more valuable lives
lost ; possibly the entire party would have been sur-
rounded and cut off. Had there been an adequate force
at the factories (even a company of the 95th Regiment,
with the aid of volunteers) the victims could have been
saved on Monday.

In the meantime her Majesty's steam-ship Vulture
arrived at Whampoa from Hong-Kong. and Captain
M`Dougall, with about 100 seamen and marines, landed
at the factories on Wednesday morning. Keying was
informed that unless the bodies were given up by one
o'clock P.M., the Vulture's boats would destroy the vil-
lages ; but this threat was not carried out, the Vulture
returning that night to Hong-Kong for orders, and
soldiers to protect the residents. Captain M'Dougall
took the precaution of leaving his marines as a temporary
guard. In the afternoon of Wednesday it was intimated
that one body had been recovered by dragging, and that
would be sent down in the evening. The Chinese
authorities, by a chop dated the 7th (Tuesday) offered
2,400 dollars for the party, if alive, and 200 dollars for
each body if dead. On Wednesday they were aware of the
murders ; an edict of the Chief Criminal Judge called
u you the well-disposed to give up the guilty and point
ui2t where the bodies were hid.

The body of Mr. M'Carte was sent in on Thursday
m orning. Decomposition had not commenced. The
vv ounds were in all forty-four, thirty-six incised and
eight contusions. Many of them would have caused
d. ,ath, the skull being broken in several places. In the
forenoon the bodies of Messrs. Balkwill, Small, and
1.31,0wn, were also brought in. There were numerous
w ounds on each of them, the two first having marks of
th e rattan on the back. Mr. Brown appeared to have a
gunshot wound, and, from there being only one wound
in his back, and a spear thrust into the abdomen, it is
thought ho was one of the two who fell at the beginning
o,c.' the affray.
On Friday the bodies of Messrs. Bellamy and Rutter
sere bilought down. Like the others, there were deep
v rounds, on the head and chest, and the marks of ropes
o n the arms. Decomposition had commenced, though
b. food continued to floe! from one corpse.
Sir John Davis landed at Canton about noon on the
12 th, Iftsving previously put himself iu communication
wi .th Keying. The following circular announcing his
ar rival was sent round :