PIRACIES
J
(Contd.)
* 198
Muskets were their only arms and they made good use of these, pouring heavy fire on to the crowded decks of the junks. The eleven junks returned the fire, and so overwhelming were the odds that the cutter was forced to retire.
It was rumoured subsequently that had not the lorcha Anonyma arrived on the scene, the Spartan's cutter would most certainly have been captured. As a matter of fact, three shots from the leading pirate junk had taken effect on the boat, and one of the cutter's crew was seriously wounded.
The Anonyma used some of her spare ammunition on the pirates and returned to Hong Kong with the cutter. When the Commander-in-Chief received a report of the engagement he ordered the despatch of the P. and O. Company's Tartar, with a strong armed force of soldiers and sailors.
The Tartar left Hong Kong on Sunday night, and early on Monday morning sighted a suspicious looking craft off the north end of Lintin. An exciting chase followed. The junk ran into shoal water and loaded her guns with the apparent intention of firing.
Boats packed with armed troops pulled away from the Tartar, and captured the entire crew of the junk without a shot being fired. These men were brought back to the Tartar and confined to the hold.
Chase was then given to two other junks in the distance, but these, when overhauled and searched, proved to be honest traders.
The Tartar, after a further search which proved fruitless, returned to Hong Kong on Monday night and handed the prisoners over to the police for examination. It was discovered that one of the prisoners was an old servant of the Harbour Master.
There can be no doubt about the vessel's pursuits, said The Friend of China, for she was well armed with stink pots and warlike munitions.
It was further stated that unless clear evidence against the prisoners could be given in the local Police Court, they would be handed over to the Kowloon Government to be dealt with in the usual way.
"The usual way" in which suspected pirates were dealt with in Kowloon was a blood-letting ceremony on the nearest beach.
The action of Sir W. Hoste in sending the Spartan's cutter on a forty mile voyage, with inadequate provisions and not even a howitzer was severely commented upon, says The Friend of China.
Loch Ness is not the only place where monsters have been sighted. Back as far as 1854, Hong Kong shared a monster with Macao. In August of that year, an extraordinary sea serpent was reported to have been sighted between Lantao and Macao. According to The Friend of China, its length could not be traced for more than forty feet, but it might have been double or treble that!
According to those who alleged they saw this odd monster, it resembled a large ship's launch, broken in two.
It had enormous jaws and was apparently not frightened by the boat. For fully ten minutes it gambolled about in the water, and was finally left astern.
The report prompts the reflection that even as far back as the middle of the last century, bad liquor was being sold in this Colony.
PIRACIES
J
(Contd.)
* 198
Muskets were their only arms and they made good use of these, pouring heavy fire on to the crowded decks of the junks. The eleven junks returned the fire, and so overwhelming were the odds that the cutter was forced to retire.
It was rumoured subsequently that had not the lorcha Anonyma arrived on the scene, the Spartan's cutter would most certainly have been captured. As a matter of fact, three shots from the leading pirate junk had taken effect on the boat, and one of the cutter's crew was seriously wounded.`
The Anonyma used some of her spare ammunition on the pirates and returned to Hong Kong with the cutter. When the Commander-in- Chief received a report of the engagement he ordered the despatch of the P. and 0. Company's Tartar, with a strong armed force of soldiers and sailors.
The Tartar left Hong "ong on Sunday night, and early on Monday morning sighted a suspicious looking craft off the north end of Lintin. An exciting chase followed. The junk ran into shoal water and loaded her guns with the apparent intention of firing.
Boats packed with armed troops pulled away from the Tartar. and captured the entire crew of the junk without a shot being fired. These men were brought back to the Tartar and confined to
the hold.
Chase was then given to two other junks in the distance, but these, when overhauled and searched, proved to be honest traders.
The Tartar, after a further search which proved fruitless, returned to Hong Pong non Monday night and handed the prisoners over to the police for examination. It was discovered that one of the prisoners was an old servant of the Harbour Master.
There can be no doubt about the vessel's pursuits, said The Friend of China, for she was well armed with stink pots and warlike munitions.
It was further stated that unless clear evidence against the prisoners could be given in the local Police Court, they would be handed over to the Kowloon Government to be dealt with in the usual way.
"The usual way" in which suspected pirates were dealt with in Kowloon was a blood-letting ceremony on the nearest beach.
The action of Sir W. Hoste in sending the Spartan's cutter on a forty mile voyage, with inadequate provisions and not even a howitzer was severly commented upon, says The Friend of China.
Loch Ness is not the only place where monste s have been sighted. Back as far as 1854, Hong Kong shared a monster with Macao. In August of that year, an extraordinary sea serpent was reported to have been sighted between Lantao and Macao. According to The Friend of China, its length could not be traced for more than forty feet, but it might have been double or treble that!
According to those who alleged they saw this ada monster, it resembled a large ship's launch, broken in two.
It had enormous jaws and was apparently not frightened by the boat. For fully ten minutes it gambolled about in the water, and was finally left astern.
The report prompts the reflection that even as far back as the middle of the last century, bad liquor was being sold in this Colony.
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