- K 16-
ber was wounded and captured but not before he had shot fatally two constables who joined in the chase. A third robber was captured unwounded. The fourth was arrested later. This affray and the murder of an European lady who was attacked by footpads at Shaukiwan early in August while walking along a lonely footpath after dark were the only two really serious outrages of the year within the Colony itself and there is little doubt that in the murder case the original motive was robbery only and that the murder was unintentional.
2.-PIRACY.
>
Piracies of ocean-going steamers continued spasmodically throughout the year until the Autumn and protests to Canton received no response whatever. It was therefore decided to send a Naval expedition to Bias Bay, the seat of the trouble affecting coastal shipping. On March 23rd, following the pirating of the British steamer "Hop Sang", a Naval expedition to which a party of Police was attached was got ready and landed off the village of Hoi Chau at the head of Bias Bay at dawn on that date. The villages of Hoi Chau and Kwai Chow, well-known pirate nests, were destroyed. A number of pirate craft were also destroyed. There were no casualties on either side. Following this expedition, no further attacks on British vessels took place until the 30th August when the "Yat Shing", another steamer owned by the Indo-China Navigation Co., was pirated. A second expedition to Bias Bay was organized on September 1st and destroyed a portion of the pirate village of Cheung Pai, including a number of pirate dwellings and also a number of pirate dwellings in the village of Fan Lo Kong, the centre of pirate activities in Bias Bay. Further native craft in the Bay were also destroyed. Since that date, there has been a complete cessation of attacks on British coastal steamers. In October, a Chinese steamer, the S.S. "Irene", was pirated and, while entering Bias Bay, was called upon to heave to by H.M. Submarine L.4, which was in the vicinity. The pirates refused to allow the officers to stop the ship and it was not until a shell landed in her engine room that the steamer stopped. She eventually caught fire and a number of pirates and passengers were drowned, while the bulk of the passengers and 7 pirates were rescued and taken to Hong Kong. The failure of this piracy, following so closely on the punitive measures against Bias Bay villages, appears to have had a sobering effect on the pirates and there have been no further outrages since. In all, 15 pirates were actually hanged for piracy in Victoria Gaol during 1927. This number comprised 8 who took part in the Sunning piracy in 1926 and the 7 "Irene" pirates. The number lost by drowning owing to the miscarriage of these two piracies cannot be less than 30. Coastal piracy may therefore be considered as having received a salutary check in 1927. River piracies have not been so successfully dealt with during the year. The piracy of the S.S. "Kochow", a Hong Kong-Wuchow steamer, was the most notable River piracy.
- K 16-
ber was wounded and captured but not before he had shot fatally two constables who joined in the chase. A third robber was captured unwounded. The fourth was arrested later. This affray and the murder of an European lady who was attacked by footpads at Shaukiwan early in August while walking along a lonely footpath after dark were the only two really serious outrages of the year within the Colony itself and there is little doubt that in the murder case the original motive was robbery only and that the murder was unintentional.
2.-PIRACY.
>
Piracies of ocean going steamers continued spasmodically throughout the year until the Autumn and protests to Canton received no response whatever. It was therefore decided to send a Naval expedition to Bias Bay, the seat of the trouble affecting coastal shipping. On March 23rd following the pirat- ing of the British steamer "Hop Sang", a Naval expedition to which a party of Police was attached was got ready and landed off the village of Hoi Chau at the head of Bias Bay at dawn on that date. The villages of Hoi Chau and Kwai Chow, well known pirate nests, were destroyed. A number of pirate craft were also destroyed. There were no casualties on either side. Following this expedition no further attacks on British vessels took place until the 30th August when the "Yat Shing". another steamer owned by the Indo China Navigation Co., was pirated. A second expedition to Bias Bay was organized on September 1st and destroyed a portion of the pirate village of Cheung Pai including a number of pirate dwellings and also a number of pirate dwellings in the village of Fan Lo Kong the centre of pirate activities in Bias Bay. Further native craft in the Bay were also destroyed. Since that date there has been a complete cessation of attacks on British coastal steamers. In October a Chinese steamer, the S.S. "Irene", was pirated and, while entering Bias Bay, was called upon to heave to by H.M. Submarine L.4 which was in the vicinity. The pirates refused to allow the officers to stop the ship and it was not until a shell landed in her engine room that the steamer stopped. She eventually caught fire and a number of pirates and passengers were drowned, while the bulk of the passengers and 7 pirates were rescued and taken to Hong Kong. The failure of this piracy following so closely on the punitive measures against Bias Bay villages appears to have had a sobering effect on the pirates and there have been no further outrages since. In all 15 pirates were actually hanged for piracy in Victoria Gaol during 1927. This number comprized 8 who took part in the Sunning piracy in 1926 and the 7 "Irene" pirates. The number lost by drowning owing to the miscarriage of these two piracies cannot be less than 30. Coastal piracy may therefore be con- sidered as having received a salutary check in 1927. River piracies have not been so successfully dealt with during the year. The piracy of the S.S. "Kochow" a Hong Kong-Wuchow steamer, was the most notable River piracy.
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