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PIRACY OF S.S. "DELI MARU”
Page 2 of Enclosure No.5.
3
(Continued).
The first news of the affair received in Hongkong
"Attacked pirates, was a signal timed 0336 from "Deli Maru". Lat.22.40, Long.115". The pirates had then been away from
His Excellency the Governor and the the ship 40 minutes. Consul General at Canton were informed and H.M.S. "Sandwich"
"Doli in Bias Bay was ordered to proceed and investigate. Maru" on her way to Hongkong was met by "Sandwich" and reported
"Sandwich" then pro- that she did not require assistance, ceeded to a position S. W. of Ross Head and anchored close in- shore near the beach where the pirates landed.
The "Deli Maru" anchored off Stonecutters at 1630 on the 21st September. With the Japanese Consul General's permission an officer boarded her on arrival and interrogated the Captain and officers of the ship and inspected her anti-piracy defences.
There
The ship is well grilled and it is considered that with a well-organised guard and ship's orders strictly carried out, the piracy could not have taken place.
One is at the after end of the are three main grilles. bridge with a gate at the top of each ladder, one is at the after end of the bost deck, just before the top of the ladder leading to the passengers space aft, also with a
The third is on the fore side gate Port and Starboard.
of the after well deck and has a gate each side leading
The ship's orders through the Port and Starboard alleyways. are that the bridge gates are to be left open except in an Boat deck gates to be kept emergency; key kept by 0.0.W. locked with a guard on the Port gate; key kept by 0.0.W. Main deck gates to be kept locked; key kept by guard on watch at the Port gate who lets members of the crew through as requisite. There is also a grille gate at the top of the Engine Room Hatch at the after end of the Port alleyway.
This is kept locked except when changing watches.
Nobody on board seemed to have a very clear idea of what occurred, except that shots were fired, the guards were overpowered, the arms chest seized and the officers, W/T operator and engineer on watch were held up simultaneously. The Master explained the navigational side of the affair fluently but when it came to his views on the actual "Hold-up" due to his indifferent English and possibly due to his reluctance to give away the lack of organisation in his ship, he could give no satisfactory explanation.
The Master's theory is thet the guard on the Port alleyway grille unlocked the gate to allow a member of the crew to pass through. While the gate was open three or four pirates in the fore end of the deck passenger space shot him down, through the alleyway, wounded the upper guard as he came down and appeared at the fore end of the passage, overpowered the sleeping guards in their cabin in the alleyway and, joined by the remainder of the gang, seized the ship.
The /
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