BANDIT ATTACK

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 3 December 1927, Page 5

BANDIT ATTACK

ON BRITISH STEAMER THREE OFFICERS KILLED. CAPTAIN TAKEN PRISONER. [British Official Wireless.] (Received 3, 11.30 a.m.) Rugby, Dec. 2. Thirty armed bandits in six sampans on Wednesday night attacked the British steamer Siangtan when anchored on the Yangtsze 16 miles below lehang. They killed the second engineer, one quartermaster and one conipradeye staff master. Captain Lalor was taken prisoner. The commanding officer of H.M.S. Aphis has arranged with General Vang Sen that two parties shorn* be sent to attack the bandits. The gunboats Gnat and Beo, the latter flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Tweedie, are proceeding to the scene of the outrage. The Siangtan is a vessel of 1195 tons and belongs to tht China Navigation Company. Captain Lalor, who is now being held to ransom, was last September in command of the steamer Wanlif when he was seized by Chinese soldiers at Wanhsien. The Chinese then threatened to kill him but he was rescued by a British naval force which boarded the vessel in which he was imprisoned and released him in face of point-blank fire from Chinese soldiery. Captain Lalor has had long experience of the intricate navigation of the upper Yangtsze. CURIOUS TURN OF FORTUNE. By a curious turn of fortune General Yang Sen, whose soldiers have now been sent to attack Captain Lalor’s present capturers, was in command of the troops who had him prisoner at Wanhsien last year.