C.O. 30910
The China Mail.
HONGKONG, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1899.
Brcl 2K DEC 99
X X X 420
PIRACY ON THE WEST RIVER.
PROMPT ACTION BY H.M.'s SHIPS.
It would appear that the gang of pirates who attacked the British steam-launch Cheong Kong near Cha Tan San on Sunday, 12th November, had been waging a regular war against vessels passing their stronghold previous and subsequent to the attacks already reported in these columns. On Saturday, 11th November, Lieutenant-Commander H. C. Carr, of H.M.S. Sandpiper, having been informed of the depredations of the pirates, sent a despatch to Lieut-Commander Hosie, of H.M.S. Tweed, at Kongmoon, to co-operate in an attack upon the position where the pirates were supposed to be in force. The pirates were reported to have an improvised battery about four miles from Samahui.
On Saturday night the pirates had demanded from some salt junks a sum of $300 and one gun, and had also made a steamer heave to and landed from her a large quantity of provisions. The pirates then attempted to disable her engines, but in this they were unsuccessful, and the steamer eventually escaped to Samshui where a report of the occurrence was made to the commander of H.M.S. Sandpiper.
The Sandpiper and Torpedo Boat No. 36 were immediately got under weigh and proceeded down stream past the place where the attack was reported to have been made on the steamer. A number of salt junks were met which the pirates had recently left after attempting to extort money. H.M.S. Tweed arrived on the scene shortly afterwards, and received instructions to proceed to the place where the attacks were reported to have been made, and anchor to protect a number of salt junks.
The Sandpiper then cleared for action and in company with Torpedo Boat No. 36 escorted a number of salt junks as far as Samshui. On Monday the Sandpiper and the torpedo boat returned to escort some more salt junks, and the signal was hoisted to the Tweed to follow in the wake of the Sandpiper to Shamshui, the torpedo boat bringing up the rear of the convoy.
At Samshui, the Tweed and torpedo boat coaled ship, and on Wednesday the Tweed left for Cha Tau San, the headquarters of the pirates, where she anchored on Thursday morning. About half-past nine o'clock, on Friday night, 17th inst., sounds of rapid firing of guns were heard from a launch about 300 yards ahead of the Tweed.
Commander Hosie immediately ordered the gig to be manned and armed, and rockets were fired from the Tweed to the cutter on patrol duty that her assistance was required. The gig and cutter got alongside the steam launch in about 4 minutes to find that she was not in difficulties, but that she was a mandarin's boat, and the crew had resorted to the alarming method of indicating an evening's pleasure.
Lieut-Commander Hosie is nevertheless to be congratulated on the promptness of his action, which would have been very beneficial had the occurrence been what it was presumed to be when the alarm was raised on the gunboat.
難