PIRATICAL OUTRAGE IN CHINA.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 187, 14 January 1875, Page 3

PIRATICAL OUTRAGE IN CHINA.

The China papers just received contain detailed accounts of the murder of the captain and officers of the steamer Spark on its voyage from Canton to Macao. Some Chinese pirates who had embarked as passengers attacked the crew and passengers near JBocca Tigris, murdered the captain, mate, and purser, and wounded most dangerously the only European passenger and the whole crew. After the pirates had been in possession of the steamer for six hours a junk came over from the shore to take them and their booty, and the Chinese engineers brought the steamer over to Macao. The China Mail gives the following particulars, which it has learnt from Captain Carroll, of thcPoyaug, who brought the news of the outrage from Macao to Hong Kong:— The pirates were more than twenty in number, and took passage as at first stated at Canton. They got up a disturbance by fighting with sticks. The mate went down to part them, when the men assaulted him. He cttplloil til© captain, who also went down. The pirates tired at Captain Brady, one bullet striking him in the shoulder. He ran to the upper deck, got a revolver, and returned below. He then attempted to fire on the pirates, but his weapon repeatedly missed fire. The unfortunate captain was thus entirely at the mercy of his assailants, and a fierce onslaught was made upon him. One of the pirates stabbed him in the knee, another cut him on the wrist with a sword, others shot him, and some again speared him. There were thirty-two wounds upon his body when found. On the lower part of the back was a serious wound, which probably proved fatal. Captain Carroll describes the' scene on board the Spark as horrible. The decks were covered with blood. Captain Brady was found in his cabin, dead, lying on the floor with one arm raised in the air, his whole body a mass of wounds. Mr Mundy was on the fore deck, fearfully wounded, and still insensible. Near him lay four dead sailors. Mr Mundy was the only European passenger on board, and he offered a brave and determined resistance. He knocked down two of the pirates, and was engaged with the others when he was stabbed twice in the breast. The weapons were evidently aimed at his heart, but fortunately did not reach there. Nine persons altogether were killed in the affray—namely, the captain, the niate, the purser, one fireman, one Chinaman, and four passengers. The Chinaman was occupying the cabin of the Corapradore, and the pirates no doubt mistook him for

that officer. It is impossible as yet to say who are the dead passengers; but it is thought they formed part of the gang of pirates. There were about 150 passengers on board in all. Both mate and purser also bravely resisted the attack, and did all that could be done; but they were of course soon overpowered. When very badly wounded, and seeing further resistance useless, they are said to have jumped overboard. One of the firemen was also killed, and it was owing to the fact of the others secreting themselves, that the vessel ever reached Macao. Out of the twenty-two cases of silk on board, only eight or ten pounds were taken; but, as among the property stolen from Mr Mundy there were several English sovereigns, it is to be hoped that these and the lost notes may afford a clue to the discovery of the robbers. Several thousand dollars, in notes of the Hongkong banks and in silver, were taken from the purser. The incentive to the outrage is supposed to have arisen in a rumour to the effect that a gambling house proprietor was going down to Macao from Canton in the Spark with 18,000dols in his possession. This appears to have been a false report ; but that the pirates had belief in its accuracy is borne out by the fact that they ransacked and’rifled the luggage of all the passengers. The' China Mail says that heavy rewards have been offered for the apprehension of the pirates, and the available British, Portuguese and Chinese gunboats have been searchthe river for them hitherto without success.