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I have been to the Police Station in Hongkong half
We know that none of our
a dozen times to see if I could identify some of the
rascals, but without success.
Chinese crew would dare to recognise them if they could.
Falling recognition by those attached to the ship,
I believe, by British law, even though known to be the
guilty parties they must be released.
How many pirates there were can only be surmised,
but some of the passengers on the main deck state that
they noticed them (the pirates) counting their men out
into the boats, in order to prevent any of their number
being left behind, and that they tallied all of fifty.
The whole affair had been wonderfully well organised.
No doubt the arrangements were made in Hongkong, and the
pirates with thei- arms came on board on the afternoon
They
of our sailing without anything being suspected.
spread themselves all over the ship, and paid for their
tickets, 1st, 2nd or 3rd class according us they were
located, and on some pre-arranged signal, rose, and had
the vessel in their hands at once.
All the passengers, together with ourselves, were
thoroughly
thoroughly gone through, and it is probable that the
pirates made a very big haul.
Numbers of wealthy Chinese returning from the
United States, Australia and elsewhere, travel by
these boats to Kong Mun, and I believe usually carry
their money in notes and specie with them. I am of
opinion that this class of passenger was the princi-
pul objective of the pirates.
On going to our rooms we, the three Europeans,
with the lady passenger, found that they had been
thoroughly ransacked. Not an article had escaped
their search. Drawers were broken open and pulled
completely out; every article of clothing had been
handled. Practically no clothing was taken away, but
all money, everything in the way of jewellery, watches
etc. were gone.
Probably $100 in each case covered the losses
of the Captain and Engineer, but I was myself a much
heavier loser, being robled of over $600 in cash alone.
Being of opinion that I had good cause for a
claim on the Chinese Goverment, I made out a statement
of
!