PIRATES’ LAIR

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 3, 25 March 1927, Page 10

PIRATES’ LAIR

BRITISH MAKE RAID AIRCRAFT AND CRUISERS By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 24. A message from Hongkong says the British aircraft-carrier Hermes and two cruisers have returned to Hongkong after successful operations in the Bias Bay region against Chinese pirates. The nest of the latter was destroyed without bloodshed. This action was taken as a result of an act of piracy committed on Monday night. When the steamer Hopsang was between Swatow and Hongkong she was taken to Bias Bay and looted. This emphasised the urgent need for the measures which have now been taken by the British to suppress pirates in that locality. The Hop-sang is the third British vessel which has been looted since November. In January a Chinese steamer was also attacked. The procedure in most cases has been for the pirates, masquerading as passengers, to hold up a vessel and force the captain to take them to Bias Bay. There the cargo has been unloaded. The pirates apparently have no regular personnel, but the leaders collect what men they want from Bias Bay and afterwards allow these individuals to return to work as agricultural labourers. Repeated protests have been made to the Cantonese authorities, and recently the latter took some steps against the anti-Cantonese guerrilla bands on the west side of the bay, which is free from pirates. However, their co-operation against the pirates’ nests on the east and north-east side failed. In 1925 the was a joint expedition in which the British Navy, Army, and police cooperated with the Chinese, but since the boycott was started in Canton piracy had increased until it had become a serious menace, both to life and trade.—A. and N.Z.