COPY.
DESTRUCTION OF PIRATE LAUNCH "SHIU HING" No.2711.
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No.152/29/3.
25.7
H.M.S."TARAN TULA",
at Canton.
23rd December 1927.
Sir,
I have the honour to submit reports by sub.Lieutenant
R. Alexander, H.M.S."TARAN TULA", in charge of the armed guard on board Steam Launch "YUET TUNG", and the Commanding Officer,
H. M. S. "PETEREL", referring to operations leading up to the
destruction of the Pirate Launch "SHIU HING", No.2711.
2. There is little doubt that this is the launch which attacked
the S.S."LINAN" on 17th December 1927, report attached. It is also probable that same launch is the one reported having attacked the
S.S."WAI SHING" on 9th December off Second Bar Creek though
reported as No.2771.
3.
The armed party consisted of one Petty Officer and 8 men
4 from "MOTH" and 4 from "TARANTULA", under Sub. Lieutenant R.
Alexander of H. M. S. "TARANTULA". I submit that Sub. Lieutenant
Alexander is deserving of credit for the able manner in which he carried out his duties, and I also submit that under the circum stances, the Commanding Officer, H. M. S. "PETEREL" (Lieutenant Commander H.E.Heaton) acted correctly in setting fire to the
launch. H.M.S. "PETEREL" visited the scene the day after the
occurrence and reported the launch completely destroyed.
4.
The amount of ammunition expended, thought somewhat large, was I submit justified, as until the launch was definitely beached (when firing ceased) there was always the hope of stopping her. The creek in which the launch took flight is not charted and there was always the possibility that the launch could effect her escape to the East River. The creek in which the launch was destroyed
) which i was just to the northward of a village called ME SHA ( not shown on the Admiralty charts, but according to a Chinese may is connected by several branches both with Second Bar Creek and
Escape Creek.
5.