PIRACY IN CHINA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 188, 15 January 1912, Page 6

PIRACY IN CHINA.

BRITISH STEAMER ATTACKED. DESPERATE FIGHTING. The New York Herald last month received the following despatch from its correspondent at Hongkong:—The whole of the Canton delta is seething with pirates, and there are deplorable tragedies daily. The British naval authorities despatched four torpedo-boats in consequence of an attack by pirates on the British West River steamer Shuion.

The vessel grounded near Kongmoon, and was immediately fired upon from the shore. Later hordes of pirates clambered aboard. Chief Officer Nicholson, a Londoner, held the gangway and shot four of the robbers, before he fell dead with a bullet in his stomach. Captain Johnson, a Scotchman, with revolvers in both hands, successfully defended the bridge, killing two pirates. The engineer saved his life by crawling under the boiler.

The pirates also attacked the Chinese passengers, killing two and wounding many. After cutting off the legs of the victims, the pirated rifled the ship of valuable booty. The Shuion arrived at Hongkong, riddled with bullets, testifying to the ferocity of the onslaught. The Chinese steamer Kwongyfen was also attacked between Wuchow and Shamshui. All her woodwork was smashed, and booty to the amount of 190,000 dollars was obtained. The pirates had boarded her as passengers. A torpedo boat, an armed launch, a passenger boat, and two cargo boats, all crowded with armed pirates, entered the harbor of Wuchow, and, pretending that they were Revolutionists, the robbers demanded the surrender of arms, the contents of the Treasury ,and the submission of the soldiers.

While the officials and leading merchants of the city, panic-stricken, were holding a mass meeting that was convened to arrange terms, the soldiers, who had been mustered to await the decision of the meeting, were fired upon without warning by the pirates. The soldiers, with great bravery, replied to the fire at once, and after hand-to-hand fighting, in which the carnage was terrible, and during which the four pirate boats were enveloped in flames, completely routed the marauders. Only the torpedo-boat escaped. More than 100 (pirates were killed, and seventy-five prisoners were beheaded on the spot. The Stour Memorial Hospital is full of wounded soldiers. Drs. Hayes and Hadden, and the members of the foreign community, are doing their utmost to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the attack.

The situation in the North river is no better than in the West river. Junks, launches and passenger boats are being held up and looted daily. The situation throughout the province is also of the most serious character. Gangs of armed robbers are everywhere plundering and killing, and this is doubtless the outcome of the new Government's action in (releasing prisoners and enlisting the services of criminals and followers of robber chiefs as police and soldiers.

The Hongkong steamship companies are seriously considering the withdrawal of all steamers.