3.
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Steam Launch "Toi Yau.”—HI.M.S.
1926, as follows:-
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"
Durban reports on the 7th March, "Lei Ping Sun, 45 years, captain of the steam launch Tai Yau, tonnage 122 tons, owned by the Chiusan Company, Swatow, states: On the 6th March, 1926, I sailed from Tai Sam Mi, about 6 PM, with forty-seven passengers and about eighty baskets of salt fish as cargo. When leaving Tai Sam Mi, six Chinese males, who had boarded the ship before leaving as passengers, produced revolvers and seized the ship. They tied up myself, compradore and chief officer and then ransacked the ship, taking all the money from the passengers. They took the ship to Fan Lo Kong (near glass factory), where they left at about 7 A.M. to-day, the 7th March, taking all the money and some clothing with them. When leaving they told us to leave at once and go full speed or other pirates would catch us. have never seen any of these men before and could not recognise them again." This launch is on the Sunmei-Swatow run.
June 21, 1926,
(Initialled)
Enclosure No. 2.
T. H. KING.
Précis of Piracies committed by Bias Bay Pirates since 1921.
1. Steam Launch “ Kung Hong."-On the 22nd January, 1921, on the run between Hong Kong and Shan Mei. Pirated at 2:30 P.M. between Sa Mun and Shan Mei by about twelve men armed with revolvers-Hakkas. Launch taken to Fan Lo Kong Creek, booty loaded into junks. Arms carried on board at Hong Kong and concealed in buckets with false bottoms. Property to the value of 22,000 dollars stolen. Money, jewellery and clothing stolen-no cargo stolen. (Fishing junks in and around Fan Lo Kong undoubtedly are in league with the Bias Bay pirates)
2. Steamship" Kwong Lee."-China Merchants' Steamship Company on Shanghai, Hong Kong, Canton run. Was pirated off Amoy at approximately 12:15 P.M. on the 15th December, 1921, while on a voyage from Shanghai to Hong Kong carrying 230 Chinese passengers. The ship was taken to Tai Sam Bay, where the pirates left the ship in a junk and made for l'an Lo Kong Pirates to the number of approximately thirty-five boarded the ship in Shanghai. Property, money and jewellery to the value of about 120,000 dollars was stolen. The pirates were probably mostly natives of Fan Lo Kong and Nim Shan districts, some of them could speak English. They were armed with revolvers. One Chinese passenger was shot dead and his body thrown into the sea. Information was later given that the names of the leaders were:→
(1.) Tsang Chiu Man of Wai Chau. (2.) Ng Tai Kun of Fan Lo Kong, (3.) Ng Tai Hi of Fau Lo Kong.
All these had previous military experience. 3.
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guards and wounded the captain, 2 guards and 2 passengers. Ship taken to Tsang Chau Island, north east of Bias Bay. Pirates left in sampans which came from the hore. Money, jewellery and clothing stolen to the value of over 31,000 dollars. Pirates spoke akka and Hoklo and were all armed with revolvers or rilles. Soine of them had a knowledge of English. They were probably mostly natives of the villages in the Bias Bay area. Subsequently on information one man was arrested in Shanghai boarding-house in possession of fifteen revolvers. He was supposed to have participated in the "Sui An" piracy. He was bauished from Hong Kong for a period of ten years and handed over to the French authorities in Shanghai. Several aformers came forward after the piracy with information regarding the identity of the pirates, but it is doubtful if any of the information was really accurate and no useful results were obtained from the information given. The piracy was reported to General Chan Kwing Ming, who was then in power in Canton, and a Chinese gunboat carrying troops was sent to Bias Bay. A party of police under Inspector Boulger embarked on the gunboat to watch the proceedings. The troops landed, but made little effort to locate the pirates and no useful results were obtained.
7. Steamship "Sunning."-River steamer, Shiu Hing Steamship Company, on Hong Kong-Kongmoon run. Was pirated at 8'15 P.M. on the 23rd October, 1923, off Castle Peak while on a voyage from Hong Kong to Kongmoon. She was carrying about 300 passengers. Pirates numbered about thirty-five men. The ship was taken to Tsang Chan Island, Bias Bay North-East, and the pirates left in the ship's boats. The captain, chief officer and one Indian guard were wounded. The pirates spoke Hakka, Hoklo, Mandarin and Punti, and were armed with revolvers which they smugglel ou board in Hong Kong. Property, jewellery and money to the value of over 20,000 dollars was stolen. It was later reported by General Hung Shiu Lun that the pirates leader's name was Tin Tau, a native of Waichau. An informer also reported the names of several persons who were supposed to have taken part. Most of the persons mentioned came from Waichau or the Fan Lo Kong and Nim Shan districts.
8. Steamship “Hydrangea."-On Hong Kong-Swatow run. Was pirated at about 340 P.M. on the 27th Deceniber, 1923, off Single Island, near Bias Bay, while on a oyage from Hong Kong to Swatow. She was carrying about 500 passengers and was aken to Bias Bar. The pirates numbered, approximately, 45 and spoke Hakka and Huklo dialects. They were armed with revolvers and rifles. Money, jewelery and clothing to the value of 23,369 dollars was stolen, also part of the cargo, ie., ten cases of piece-gools to the value of 10,000 dollars. The pirates who came from Fan Lo Kong and Nim Shan districts went ashore in the ship's boats. As a result of representations made to the Chinese authorities, Commander Wong Fuk Chi, under the orders of General Chan Kwing Ming carried out two expeditions against the pirates in the Nim Shan, Shan Mei and Ping Hoi districts, as a result of which seven men believed to have taken part in this piracy were subsequently shot. One of these was a pirate named Tin Ah Wong, the brother of Tin Tan, mentioned in connection with the Sunning piracy. Another pirate leader shot was named Tsang Kong Several villagers who opposed the military in the raids in the districts mentioned were also shot and their houses were burned. One of the pirates shot, pamed Lo Kam, admitted participation in this piracy, and gave the names of several of his confederates; he also stated that the pirates were not all acquainted with each other but were collected together by several sub-leaders. His particular sub-leaders rere Chu Cheong, a native of San Yu, and a man named Cheung Mau Sang, also of San Ya. He further stated that 3.) men took part in the piracy. The arms used were presumably smuggled on board in Hong Kong. Three revolvers used in above piracy were recovered by Commander Wong Fuk Chi in his operations and returned to the Hong Kong police. Later Commander Wong Fuk Chi carried out a raid at l'ing Shan, as a result of which five men believed to be pirates were shot.
Steam Launch Wah Sun."Pirated between Ma Kung and Shan Mei at about 615 P.. on the 18th December, 1921, by about ten men armed with revolvers, on the Ilong Kong-Shan Mei run. Ship taken to Fan Lo Kong Creek. Money, jewellery and clothing to the value of 21,000 dollars stolen. Pirates came on board at Ma Kung as passengers-spoke Hakka.
4. Steam Launch "Wah Sun."
Also on Hong Kong-Shan Mei run. Pirated again while at anchor in Ping Hoi Harbour on the 22nd May, 1922, by several men who came alongside in sampaus. Ship taken to Sam Liu, where the robbers left in sampans. Money, jewellery and clothing stolen to the value of over 5,000 dollars.
5 Steam Launch "San On."-l'irated between Tai Po and Sha Yu Chung on the 4th October, 1922, at about 9 30 A.M. On the Tai Po Sha Yu Chung run. Taken to Ngo Kung, where the robbers disembarked in a junk and sailed to Tau Tau Shan, near San Liu (Bias Bay East). Nine men-spoke Hoklo and other dialects-arme with revolvers which they brought on board at Tai Po concealed in a clock. Money,irates boarded the ship at Shanghai as passengers. About 250 Chinese passengers jewellery and clothing stolen. No cargo stolen.
·
9. Steamship Ning Shin."-Shanghai-Foochow run. Was pirated at approximately PM on the 3rd October, 1924, one day out of Shanghai, while on a voyage from Shanghai to Foochow. The ship was carrying 30 cases of silver bars consigned to the merican Oriental Bank, Foochow, valued approximately 97,000 taels. Thirty-four
ere on board. One quartermaster was killed and one sailor wounded. The ship 6. Steamship Sui An."-Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Companys taken to a place off Tree Point, Bias Bay, where simpans came alongside. The River steamer on Hong Kong-Macao run. Pirated on the 19th November, 1922, abouttes then discharged the silver and other cargo, together with the loot taken froni 10 miles from Macao, while on a voyage from Macao to Hong Kong, carrying, e passengers, into the sampans, which then made for Sun Liu. The pirates, whe approximately, 60 saloon passengers, 135 second-class and 220 third-class passengers. ere armed with revolvers, presumably smuggled their arms on board at Shangbai. Pirates about 60 in number boarded the ship in Macao. They shot dead 2 Indian came from the Nim Shan and Fan Lo Kong districts. Communication was at
They
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