The lieutenant, who was in the whale-boat, had been up for a walk an hour or two previous without so much as having seen a two-sworded man. The mid granted permission, but the engineer and gunner had not gone far before some two-sworded men seized and tried to secure them; from these they broke away and made for their boat; as they did so they were fired on by a number of armed men. The coxswain was shot and fell into the boat; the engineer jumped overboard and got to the off side; two more cut the bow and stern fasts; the stoker tried to turn the engines ahead and was immediately pierced by three bullets; the steam-pipe was likewise shot through; the mid in charge, with six men, jumped overboard. The First Lieutenant in the whale-boat, who was just outside taking soundings, pulled in and was fired on by some seventy or eighty men. He had one man shot down, and having no arms, he did not advance farther; in meantime the steam launch drifted out and was taken hold of by the whale-boat and towed out of range. Having made sail on the launch, and leaving the engineer, who was the only person on board not wounded, to steer, the Lieutenant proceeded to report matters on board his ship, the _Dupleix_. Out of sixteen men in the launch and five in the whaleboat only five with them were not hurt. The captain of the _Dupleix_ sent a petty officer to report matters to Captain Stanhope; while he proceeded with his remaining boats armed to Sakai to try if he could find the mid and six men who had jumped overboard, not being aware of the force the Japanese might have, and not wishing to compromise the Foreign Ministers residing at Osaka. It was not the intention of Captain Du Petit Thours to attack the place, but he requested Captain Stanhope to acquaint the ministers with the state of affairs. Captain Stanhope immediately sent Lieutenant Rougemont in his steam launch with a letter to Sir Harry Parkes, offering to send boats for their embarkation, and the _Cockchafer_ gunboat to cover them. The _Rinaldo_ he sent to Hiogo to protect foreign subjects in case of an outbreak there. The Captain of the _Dupleix_ returned from Sakai at about 11 P.M. without having learnt anything of the missing men, not having been able to land. He saw many Japanese in the fort, while others were running down to field-pieces at the landing-stage. _Ocean’s_ steam launch returned from Osaka at 6 the following morning, bringing off Captain Roy of the _Venus_ and Captain Creighton of the U.S. _Oneida_, also a letter from Sir Harry Parkes, declining, with his usual coolness, to embark immediately, saying that the Japanese Minister had been to him to express their deep regret at the outrage, and declared that the Mikado’s Government would give full satisfaction.