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from the roof, but not before the latter had fired shots down through the roof, some of which narrowly missed the people down below. The robbers then forced their way into the house next to Mr. Tangs; and while some robbed the inmates of all their money, others headed by the ringleader (who was armed with a crowbar) proceeded to break through the party wall of Mr. Tang's house. As
soon as a considerable hole had been made, one of Mr. Tang's em-
-ployees fired a Mauser Rifle through the hole. The robbers returned the fire: the employee fired two more shots which drove the robbers off leaving their ringleader dead, shot through the
head. The robbers then decamped, after having robbed one other
house.
4.
In the meantime a Police patrol composed of 3
Indian Constables heard the firing from a distance of more than a
mile, and ran in the direction of Ha Tsun. Not far from the vill-
-age they met the robbers running away: they hailed them and the robbers replied with a volley, by which one of the Constables was slightly wounded in the foot. The Police returned the fire
and the robbers thereupon scattered over the fields and ran away
towards the sea. The 2 unwounded Police, however, managed to
arrest one of them. On the following day search parties were sent
out through the Country and one more robber was arrested. It is
very regrettable that 2 Indian Constables on night watch at Ping
Shan Police Station, which is only 1 mile distant from Ha Tsun,
did not alarm the Police in the Station, on hearing the rifle
fire. If they had done so, 10 more Folice, the majority of whom
had returned from another patrol during the night could have gone
to the assistance of the villagers. The Police on watch say
that they thought the rifle fire was the firing of crackers. Their
conduct is being enquired into.
5.
A still more serious crime was committed on
the night of the 3rd. instant on board the steamer "Tai On" of
438 tons, which is owned by Chinese but has a Colonial Register and carried an European Captain, Chief Officer and Chief Engineer.
I