by John Marshall

“ By the Chinese laws, if the person survives the accident forty days, and after that period dies, even in consequence of the same accident, yet it is not considered as murder. When any case of this kind occurs, it is best to secure the wounded Chinaman, and have him under the care of Europeans during that space of time; for the Chinese would otherwise, perhaps, bring some man who had died a natural death in the interval, and swear that it was the person who died of the accident, in hopes of extorting a sum of money. ”

“ The judge refused, saying that English sailors could not be believed; he added, that if the wounded person survived forty days, the laws of China only ordered banishment and that the magistrates would pass over this sentence in consideration that the guilty person was a foreigner. ”

“ This officer was made a Commander during the war with our trans-atlantic colonies; subsequent to which, in consequence of some temporary disgust, he entered into the Portugueze service, and obtained the rank of Rear-Admiral; but brighter prospects opening, he returned to that of his native country, and became a Post-Captain, Sept. 21, 1790.
In 1795, Captain Dilkes commanded the Madras, of 54 guns, stationed in the North Sea. He afterwards proceeded to the West Indies, and was present at the reduction of St. Lucia by the forces under Sir Hugh Christian and Sir Ralph Abercromby [1] . ”