CHINESE PIRATES.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 482, 16 March 1850, Page 4

CHINESE PIRATES.

There has been a fight between the British ciuisers and a fleet of pirates in tbe Chinese seas, ending in the destruction of a large number of junks and men Captains Lockyer, of the steam-frigate Medea, and Dalryrapie Hay, of the Columbine, commanded. The following are the particulars : H. M. Ship Columbine, 2nd October, 1849. Str t—l t — I have the honour to ioform your Excellency that my anticipations have been fortunately realized, and that the piratical squadron of Chui-a-poo has been totally destroyed by the force you so kindly and promptly placed at my ■disposal. Twentythree piratical junks averaging 500 tons, mounting from 12 to 18 guns, three new ones on the stocks, and two small dock yards, with a considerable supply of naval stores, have been totally destroyed by fire; and of 1800 men who manned them, about 400 have been

killed, and the rest dispersed without resource 1 !- To Comtnander Wilcox of the Fury, wtoosegreat ability and' zeal- are- slreadyv fenowir to yotrr" Excellency. I must give' the principal honour of the day. 1 To the .F«ry'*fuhrlvalled accuracy of firing roust be attributed the; bloodless termination to us of this affair. | The Columbine being- unable to come close up in the narrow channel, where' she wotild have hampered the Fury's movement?, I went , on board the Fury to share in the action. The piratical fire was silenced in about 45 minutes, during which time only one man was slightly wounded. The boats of the Hastings and Columbine, under Lieutenants Luard and Bridges, senior of those ships — whom I recommend to your Excellency — then assisted in completing the destruction, and Lieutenant Holland and the marines accompanied me in an expedition to scour the heights, but no opposition was offered to us, the pirates flying in all directions. I have, &c, J. C. Dalrymple Hay, Commander. His Excellency Rear-Admiral Sir Francis A. Collier, C.8., K.C.H.,-Commander-in- Chief, &&

Destruction of Shap-ng-tsai's Fleet". — The Fury, with the Columbine in tow, arrived a little after noon to-day, bringing intelligence of the total destruction of the pirate fleet ; the Phlegethon is on her way back, and may be looked for immediately. The squadron under command of Captain Hay anchored at a port in Hainau on the 1 1 th, having previously ascertained that Shap-ng-tsai had sailed for the Gulf of Tonquin ; at Hainau they were welcomed by the authorities. It was arranged that a blue button military mandarin, with the tank of Major* General, should accompany the expedition ; also a squadron of eight junks of war, wich a considerable party of Chinese soldiers. The Ma-jor-General was received on board of the Fury ; the vessels weighed anchor at daylight on the 15th, and before dusk the war junks were far astern. On the 20th, shortly after sunrise, the pirate fleet was discovered sailing in two divisions, each of abcut 25 junks, with one enormous junk bearing the red and black flag of the pirate chief. This was in the entrance of the Tonquin River ; the pirates were firing at people on shore, and smoke was seen rising where a village appeared to have been destroyed. The. fleet stood up the river, followed by the two steamers and the Columbine. A litth after 5 p.m., tbo flag-junk opened fire, the other junks following her example. This was returned by the British vessels as soon as the bow guns could be brought to bear. The shells were thrown with perfect accuracy, and had a fearful effect. Shap-ng-tsai's junk blew up, the explosion being heard above the roar of the artillery ; his red and black flag continued to wave over the poop until caught by the flames. Before dark they were at close quarters, the marines and small arms men pouring in musquetry, which, with showers of grape, caused great destruction. The Chinese gunnery was wretched ; the shot fell short, were wide, or went over the ships ; the few that struck injured no one. /The firing ceased as it got dark, the squadron anchoring for the night, and finishing the labour of the day by burniug the junks which were deserted by their crews; At nine o'clock twentyeight were in flames. Next morning the squadron moved up the river, destroying the pirate junks in creeks and other places where they sought shelter. Before night tbry were nearly all burned. On shore was a party of 1100 Cochin- Chinese soldiers. They had been sent to protect a neighbouring town from the pirates ; and as the unfortunate wretches swain asbo"tfe, they were met and speared. Twenty-three junks were destroyed during the day. On the 22nd, the Phle* gethon and boats destroyed two more junks, and the Cochin-Chinese burned five more which had been deserted. , Shap-ng-tsai had a fleet of 64 ; of this number 58 were taken and burned, and 6 are supposed to have es- , taped. The pirate chief himself is reported to have fled in a small fast boat rowed by 40 men, taking with him 8000 dollars. In all 1700 were killed, and more than one thousand escaped among tht mangrove bushes ; but they will be hunted up and destroyed by the natives. The prisoners numbered 160 ; some of them were captives of the pirate, and the whole were handed over to the blue button mandarin. On the 23rd the squadron left the Tonquin river on their return ; the Hainau war junks had not then appeared on the scene of action. At Hainau they were detaiued some days by the stormy weather ; they were their honoured guests. — Friend of China, Nov. 3.