PIRACY IN THE CHANNEL.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 3 October 1901, Page 4

PIRACY IN THE CHANNEL.

An extraordinary allegation of violence and robbery on the high seas was made at Dover recently by the crew of the fishing smack Qui Vive. According to the statements of the captain and crew of the Qui Vive, they woie engaged in fishing on the Varne Bank between Dover and Boulogne. While the English boat had her trawl down her crew noticed some French steam fishing craft, one of which approached them. The Qui Vive carried only four hands, but the French boat which proved to be No. 2610, belonging to Boulogne, had a crow of from fifteen to twenty men, as is usual'y tho case on these boats.

The Frenchmen were very excited, and, as far as could bo understood, had lost, some of their fisbiag lines. All at once they commenced to scramble on boaid the English boat, fourteen men in all scrambling on to her deck. Taking possession of the Qui Vive, a number of the Frenchmen, it is allcdged, kept the four Englis'h smack-men prisoners while tho rest of their party ransacked the quarters below. Tho Englishmen state that had it not been for the intervention of the engineer of tho French boat, who could speak a little English, serious personal violence might have resulted, as some of the French crow were very violent and threatening in their attitude. Having failed to find any trace of their fishing lines on the craft, tho Frenchmen, it is alleged, seized the Qui Vive’s small boat and sailed away with it. The Varne Bank, where tho occurrence happened, is only seven miles off tho English coast. For a number years English fishermen have suffered seriously from the incursions of French craft, and recently a sharper look out baa been kept.