ANTI-PIRACY MEASURES.
60
(Reference:- Admiralty Chart 0.1962. Hongkong to the
I.
Brothers).
SUMMARY OF PRESENT PUSITION.
Pirate haunts and personnel.
The piracy area, at present, may be considered to consist of the three bays, Blas, Honghai and Hie-che-chin with their many creeks and inlets. The pirates themselves probably live in the towns and villages in the neighbourhood of these bays.
2. It has been found that FAN-LO-KONG at the head of Bias Bay is the main pirate stronghold but HAI FUNG and LU FUNG connected by boat channels to Honghai and Hie-che-chin Bays respectively, have been mentioned as pirate centres, this has, however, not been confirmed.
3. There are several recognised leaders who organise their bands and plan the attacks to be carried out. These piratical expeditions are, however, financed by richer members of the community who take no risk themselves.
4.
A pirate band will usually contain several men who have an intimate knowledge of shi s (possibly men who have previously served afloat in coastal ships) and probably a few deserters from the Army who are used to firearms. From reports obtained from ships which have been attacked it appears that the pirates usually talk HOK LO dialect.
Freliminary work of pirates.
5. A few experienced men leave the Bias Bay district with sufficient money to last them for several weeks. They travel, probably by junk, to a port on the route of the ship which they intend to attack. They live in a lodging house till the ship to be attacked arrives in harbour.
6.
The men travel in the ship as ordinary passengers, taking no arms, they learn the ship's routine, her anti-piracy organisation, position of cabine, etc. They may make two or three voyages in a ship before they are satisfied that they know her routine.
When they consider that they have a thorough knowledge of the ship they communicate with their friends in Bias Bay and a party is sent to join them. They all live in a lodging house and await the arrival of the ship selected. The whole gang then go aboard in the guise of peaceful passengers, arranging to sleep together as far as possible.
Pirates' method of attack.
8. The leader details his gang for their various duties and tells them that, on a given signal, they must seize the ship. The time chosen is usually at night when most of the officers and passengers are asleep. On the signal being given members of the gang rush the bridge and overpower the officer of the watch. If guards are on board these must first be overcome. Other members of the gang hold up officers and guards asleep in their cabins, disarm them and lock them up in a room.
The remainder
Page 60Page 61
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.