COPY.
CHINA NAVIGATION COMPANY'S
S.S."LINAN"
262
Canton 18/12/27.
Messrs.Butterfield and Swire,
Agents, China Navigation Co.,Ltd.,
CANTON.
Dear Sirs,
I have to inform you that whilst coming up from Hong
Kong yesterday, and when in the vicinity of Second Bar Creek above
Amherst Point and about 4 p.m. the ship was attacked by a Pirate
Launch, and struck about the bridge by about thirty bullets.
Earlier in the afternoon we met H.M.S."ROBIN" coming
down and she wished us to close and communicate, this we did, and
she asked about ships at Bocoa Tigris Anchorage, but did not warn
us about the Pirate Launch.
Shortly after we met S.S."TUNG ON" also bound down, and
they warned us to take the middle channel as Pirates were active
near the spot above mentioned.
18
We saw the Launch come out from a creek and make towards
we rang for more they blow their whistle for us to stop -
speed and kept our course, and when they saw this they subjected
the ship to a fusillade, apparently from automatios, and of course
directed their fire towards the bridge.
Nobody was hit and no damage done, but we had many
narrow escapes. The pilot had previously changed his clothes to
those of a sailor and when the firing commenced, he immediately
left the bridge.
The Launch fell astern, still firing to us. She being
a fair sized Canton tow-boat and as hear as we could make out her
name was "SHIN PING", and there were about forty men on board. Poles and boarding-hooks were all ready to grapple the ship had
we slowed down.
I sent a wireless message to Hongkong office as soon
as we we re clear.
Yours faithfully,
(sa.) THOS. BEER.
5.5. "LINAN".