PIRATE STEAMER

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 115, 13 February 1928, Page 9

PIRATE STEAMER

ON CHINESE COAST ATTACKS JAPANESE VESSEL (February 12, 5.5 p.m.) Shanghai, February 11. Recalling the days of the Spanish Main, a 2000-ton steamer appeared on the China coast, armed to the teeth and fully manned by Chinese, preying on coasting, trading, and passenger vessels. According to the crew of the Zuiho Maru, a Japanese steamer which has reached Tsingtao, the Zuiho was attacked when crossing the Yellow Sea co Japan, the pirate ship pursuing for many miles and firing furiously with rifles. The Zuiho escaped in a blizzard. It is supposed the pirate ship is a vessel seized from the Japaese. Warships of the Japanese fleet at Tsingtao and in the Yellow Sea have been dispatched to search for the pirate. SERIOUS POSITION ON ’ YANGTSE (Rec. February 12, 5.5 p.m.) Shanghai, February 11. Piracies of Chinese boats on the Yangtse in the vicinity of Hankow are alarming the business community and traders. The pirates are becoming more daring with each successful outrage. Every vessel, from sampans to steamers of several hundred tons, are preyed on, usually accompanied by bloodshed. The situation * seriously affecting trade. The gunboat Bee reported that she engaged a junkload of pirates carrying off wealthy Chinese and two girls for ransom. It overtook the pirate junk, which already has been beached. The crew escaped inland, abandoning their victims. British and other foreign gunboats are engaged in protecting Chinese trading vessels, in addition to foreign. It is hopeless to try to police the 1200 miles of th< Yangtse, unless they arg reinforced.