EXPEDITION AGAINST CHF PIRATES.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 542, 8 July 1869, Page 4

EXPEDITION AGAINST CHF PIRATES.

The Hong Kong Daily Press, (Feb. 10,) gives an interesting account of the recent expedition of the Algerine against the Chinese pirates. The vessel started on 11th of January iv search of a missing French man-of-war, Le Monge, and after a l«>ng cruise among the islands, they found a boat with " M " upon it, presumed to belong to the missing vessel. Finding a nest of pirates, ur " pilonga," on Tonqua Island., it was determined, on the 2nd of February, to attack them. The narrative proceeds: — "Lieutenant Grey landed with a small party of men on the island, and the first things he came upon were four large snake-boata ljiig upon the beach near a little hut. The mandarin who accompanied the gun-boat ordered the hut to be fired, and after this was done the snake-boats were going to be treated in the same manner, when the pirates, who were evidently on the watch, opened a straggling fire from some rocks about 300 yards off. The Algerine's charged up the hill a short distance, and gave them a little of the Snider rifle, but . the rascals took care to keep at a respectful distance. The snake-boats were destroyed after this little diversion, and the party proceeded to the village of Chung-lat, but on arrival there the mandarin would not Authorise its b^ing bnrnt, as he did not think it wes piratical as reported. On the next day Lieutenant Grey landed at a place called Yin-sing, with a rather large party of men, and finding more snake-boats set them on fire, while doing which he was again fired upon by the pirates, who on seeing the party approach ran to the hills, and watched from behind the rocks. At this place there was a small junk which had been captured by the pirates a few days before. This was released and restored to the captain. Nothing more was done until the sth instant, when, just as the Algerine was getting under way, with the intention of going to Maca, two Chinese in a small sampan hailed the gun-boat, and informed the mandarin that they had only just got away from some pirates, who had captured their junk on the north-east side of the island, The Algerine went round to the spot where the junk was supposed to be, and on arriving there Lieutenant Grey put a party of men into the junk last released and, proceeding on shore, soon found two junks from which the pirates ran away as soon as the Algerines came up. Leaving a few men in the released junk, Lieutenant Grey pursued the fellows up a small creek, but the water soon became too shoaily for him to proceed, and he was forced to return without being able to give the rascals what they deserved. On coming back to the junks the tide would not permit of their returning to the Algerine, so the commander and his party were obliged to remain on board the junk for the night. The next morning (Gth inst.) Lieutenant Grey again went up the small creek with his party. They had not proceeded very far, however, before they observed the men running before them as if watching their movements, and shortly after this the * pllongs' opened a smart and somewhat heavy fire from the front. Sniders were again called into requisition, and a few of the rascals were seen to tumble over, Thepirates, whowereevidentlyfighting for somethisggnod, were bold enough to advance on the little band of Algerines, but they soon ' turned tail' when a few more rounds from the Sniders had been administered. The party and Lieutenant Grey then advanced up the creek, found some heavily armed snake-boats, which were, of oourae, destroyed, and the party returned on hoard the gun-boat. Thus four junka were liberated, and of these three were returned to the owners, but one junk was a rather suspicious one, The man who said he was captain of her did not know what her cargo was, nor had he any knowledge of seamanship. This junk and her captain were therefore detained for further inquiry. This cruise of the Algerine! has, perhaps, been as fruitful as any which she has made, and the results have not been accomplished without much severe work and danger. The number off snake-boats destroyed was twelve, while five huts were burnt; and when the commander of the Algerine left the Island of Tonqua he had the satisfaction of knowing that there were but one. or two, if so many, snakeboats left on the island."