The vessel sailed from Singapore on 23rd
September with the following full fares:-
To Hoihow Swatow
421 Deck
4 Chinese` lat. Cl.
433
#
4
躜
#
dmoy
416%
2
84
We attach Captain Cole's report, which covers the
main facts. The Burprise was complete and the pirates who
attacked Captain Cole and the Chief Officer, Mr. Jones, gave
them no chance to surrender, but opened fire immediately
they got on to the bridge. No one can say exactly when the
Chief Officer died, as of course Captain Cole was himself
knocked out and the quarter-master killed as well, but
we think that Mr. Jones cannot have lived more than a few
minutes after being shot as Mr. Campbell, the 3rd Officer,
tells us that his several wounds were vital.
The Chief Engineer, Mr. Thomson, was sitting on
the starboard side of the saloon deck and as the pirates
came up the gangway he endeavoured to prevent them, and from all accounts put up a very stout fight against several armed with knives, making his way into the alleyway near
It would appear his room, before he was shot in the side.
that he then ran into the saloon, possibly with the intention of finding the doctor, because he was subsequently seen lying dead at the entrance to the starboard cabin alleyway.
The 3rd Officer, Mr. Campbell, having received a
blow and a stab in the back, made his way towards the bridge after throwing a stool at one of his assailants, but on getting to the bridge he was knocked unconscious: when he came round he found himself lying alongside the Chief Officer and the quarter-master, both of whom were dead.
The 2nd Officer, Mr. Bennett, was about to get into bod when he heard shots fired and, coming out of his cabin, made his way towards the bridge, where he was captured and forced to undertake the navigation of the ship.
throughont/