§ MR. ASHLEYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether it is true, as narrated in the "Times" of February 19, that there have been, between Her Majesty's schooner "Sandfly," and natives 1606 of the Islands of Tapona, Santa Cruz, and Api, three affrays, in one of which thirty natives were killed; if so, whether he will state what number of men, if any, belonging to the "Sandfly" were killed or wounded, and whether there was an interpreter on board, or any means of communicating with the natives; and, whether he has directed any inquiries to be made of the officer in command as to the necessity for his burning native villages after the attacks on the schooner had been repelled?
§ MR. HUNT, in reply, said, the account given in The Times of the occurrence set forth in the Question of the hon. and learned Gentleman was substantially correct. The information received at the Admiralty was to the following effect:—The schooner Sandfly was engaged in cruising in the New Hebrides group for the suppression of kidnapping and the regulation of the labour traffic. In August she visited Api for the purpose of discovering the perpetrators of an outrage on the British schooner Zephyr, in which some of the crew were murdered. Negotiations were opened with the Natives, the captain of an American trading vessel acting as interpreter; but the murderers were not captured. There was no actual encounter with the Natives, but some boats and buts were destroyed. The Sandfly visited Tapona in September, when the Natives evinced a friendly disposition; but they suddenly made an attempt on the schooner, which compelled the lieutenant in command to fire. Sixteen canoes and two villages were destroyed, and it was stated that only one Native was killed. In September the vessel visited Santa Cruz, and upon her arrival was immediately surrounded by 200 canoes, with a Native in each. A native acted as interpreter, and informed the islanders, in reply to their questions, that the schooner was a man-of-war. They disbelieved him, and commenced a fierce attack, which failed, and the commanding officer fired upon them and destroyed some villages and canoes. The number killed was not stated, but the Natives were said to have suffered severely. There were no casualties on board the Sandfly. He was not at all satisfied that the retaliatory measures taken were not too severe, and he had sent for a report on the subject from the Commodore in charge of the station.