Copy
moto XI. M. 2438 24 Fely to Colonial officer
AL
Sir,
H.M.S."TWEED" – CHU-TAU-SHAN
6th January ·1900.
18457
REC frol 27 FEB 00
39
I have the honour to report that about 3 p.m.to-day the launch(Chinese) "Yuen-Hing", plying between Canton and Kong Mun, passed this ship without a tow, and was fired at by the soldiers of the foot on Chu-Eau-shan Island.
I at once manned and armed the steam cutter and gave chase. The launch turned up an unsurveyed creek just below the ship,- and about six miles up we came upon her, the pirates discharging cargo with all speed.
We at once opened fire on them, which they returned. I understand there were only ten pirates on board, butsabout forty or fifty men opened a hot fire on us, under cover of bushes from the bank,- one of our men, Mounch, A.B., being seriously wounded in the right thigh.
I did not consider it advisable to risk having any more men wounded or perhaps killed, so I therefore proceeded in the "Yuen Hing" with the steam cutter alongside, to the "TWEED". A party of Chinese soldiers from the foot arrived as we were leaving.
From information received from one of the passengers the launch left Canton this morning at 7 a.m. with a junk full of Chinese passengers in tow, and was pirated shortly after leaving Canton. After pirating the junk they cut the tow rope at Nam sha and proceeded in the launch. One pirate was killed while passing Chu-tau-shan.
The creek is very shallow in parts, varying from 5 feet to 7 fathoms.
I distinctly saw two men drop from our fire, but could not ascertain whether they were killed.
modore
F. Powell, C.B.,
H.M.S."TAMAR".
I