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DAILY MAIL 9.12.29
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
HONG-KONG, China, Sunday.
A British mercantile marine officer was killed and another wounded when Chinese pirates attacked the 2,080-tons steamer Haiching, owned by the Douglas Steamship Co., Ltd., of Hong- kong, early this morning north of the notorious piratical stronghold, Bias Bay.
When the Haiching arrived here to-day more than 300 people were landed from her in custody, 26 being taken to hospital.
The reason for this wholesale arrest was made plain when the story of the ship's adventure was told.
She left Swatow yesterday for Hong- kong, commanded by Capt. O). H. Farrer.. During the voyage the pirates, who had joined the ship in the guise of passen- gers, tried to secure control of the bridge, which was defended by the Bri- tish officers and Indian guards.
In the shooting Mr. R. Perry, the first officer, and Mr. K. A. Woodward, the third officer, were wounded, Mr. Wood- ward dying soon afterwards. It is be- lieved that six pirates and several pas- sengers were killed and two of the In- dian guards. Some of the crew and pas. sengers are reported to have been drowned while trying to launch a life- boat.
CAPTAIN'S SOS.
Failing to capture the bridge, the pirates set fire to the vessel. The fire was extinguished, broke out again, and was once more got under control.
Meanwhile, Capt. Farrer had sent a wireless message to Hong-kong, in re- sponse to which the destroyers Sterling and Serapis raced to the aid of the Haiching, put a naval party on board, and took her in tow.
The police are interrogating their pri- soners to find out which are genuine passengers and which pirates.
British warships and Chinese forces have repeatedly raided the Bias Bay area and burned the pirates' lairs, but with- out stamping out their activities.
Among the most recent outrages was the seizure last September of a Japanese! steamer by a gang of pirates headed by a woman with bobbed hair and armed with two pistols.
A GRUESOME SCENE.
OFFICERS' SHOCK FOR
PIRATES.
HONG-KONG, Sunday. The Haiching's passengers included one Englishman and three American
women.
When the ship anchored in Kowloon Bay she was still smoking, and fire de- partment and police launches were alongside.
The scene on board was gruesome in the extreme-dead bodies were lying about the deck, covered with blankets, and the decks were slippery with blood. It was learned from those on board that about 1 a.m. 20 or 30 pirates who had shipped as passengers attacked the bridge, which, as usual in these waters since the recrudescence of piracy, was protected with barbed wire and locked grilles.
After a fierce fight the pirates re- tired, but later made another attempt to storm the bridge in the dark.
The officers then switched on elec- tric torches placed at a distance from themselves, and with the light directed towards the pirates. The stratagem was effective, for they were thus able to fire at the pirates without themselves being visible. -Reuter.
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