A NEST OF PIRATES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11508, 14 February 1903, Page 7

A NEST OF PIRATES.

SAMBUKS CAPTURED IN THE RED SEA. United Pre»i AMOoiwtion—By Bleotiio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received February 13th, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, February 12. The gunboat H«urier captured three pirate eambuke in the Red Sea. [A eambuk k a small Arab coasting vesael.] ' The Red Sea is a ue»t of piTacy, tlavery, and contraband trade, and it is periodically thait conflict hawe occurred between the piratical Turkish eambuke aod venele cf other nations. On February 2nd laet Turkish pirates captured an Italian lambuk nn the Yemen coaet. Italy demajtded restitution and tibe punishment of the pirates ■within a' oUierwiee ehe would enforce them herself. •Last November pirates at Midd attacked Italian vessels, killing tyro men, and Italy sent a strong punitive force to obUin satisfaction ana indtemnaty. ' . ■ Writing at the time to a London journal, a who had had many years of service in the Red Sea, in putting down slavery and contraband, said* — "Midi, like a number of other large towne along that coast, is not even marked on cbarte, and is unknown to dvilisaton. It is the ihome of contraband pirates and slavers, and holds some of the greatest scoundrel* on earth. "Midi does not recognise the Turkish Government, and , ie ruled by an Arab sheik, wiho* can in case of emergency call together a fighting male population of some 200,000 men. Produce, slaves, and all dtescrrpWone of munitions of -war are brought to Midi and conveyed by caravan; €be interior. There is no Cuetom bonce at Midi, and no taxes are paid to the Turkish Government. "I have myself iaterceptod slaves, arm* end ammunition after very heavy fighting. These Bedouine fight to the death, and are ail armed with modern guns, mostly Mar-tini-Henry rifles. "As to the Turkieb Government* proawe to capture tlhe dhow*, all the troops of the Hadze* and Yecien together would not dare to approach within fifty miles of Midi. I hare never yet heard 1 of any vessel belonging to the Turkish Government capable of picking up a slave or pirate dhow, and I know t&ere are no axrtaorittes inclined to make the attempt." In settling the Midi incident Turkey undertook to repress piracy energetically in the future.