THE PIRATES IN THE EASTERN SEAS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1710, 27 January 1874, Page 4

THE PIRATES IN THE EASTERN SEAS.

The Penang Gazette of October 4 contains the following intelligence : — "Her Majesty's ship Thalia met Her Majesty's ship Midge at the mouth of the Laroot river, on the night of the 19th of September, and after a consultation between the ciptains of the two vessels the Midge and the Rajah. Muhtri's yacht proceeded up the river early on the morning of -the 20th, towing the boats which were destined to takd part in the intended action. At about ] 1 o'clock preparations were tnade for going into action ; the boats left the Midge, led by the galley of- the Thalia, under the command of Captain Woolcombe, to attack the stockade. The Midge opened fire immediately, and the Chinese in the stockade returned it, assisted by the guns from three heavy war junks which were. anchored/ olose by. .Shortly' after the Rajah's yacht,,. with Captain Grant in command, steamed close up to the fort and anchored. The Midge in ■ ■ ' ' the meantime somehow or other — owing, we believe, to a change of the tide — got ashore, and was for a time exposed broadside oh to the fire of the enemy.// A.boat. boat was immediately sent out with an anchor, under Mr Ellis, of the Thalia, who laid it , out in a most plucky mariner, under "the .fire of the stockade, and the vessel was : taken out of her daugerous position. " At :about 2 o'clock all the boats were mus- ■■' tered under the. shelter of the Rajah's yacht, and she steamed up into a favorable : position, where at a given signal; a simuj-. taneous attack was made on the fort, the ""Blockade, and the junkß. The scene . which ensued is described as being more thari ordinarily • exciting and brilliant. ' . . Captain Wpolcombb led ; the attack) ' and . ■ was seen standing in the, stern sheets of , r hisboats, .waving his, drawn sword, urging his men in the boats, which, propelled as 1 'fast ad muscle; and eagerness couldj were ~- soon -up to the positions that they were ;<.i respectively i to; attack., jThe assault is said to have been most daringly made. ' : The'Chinesa foitghtito 'the- last) but were no match for the impetuous 1 onslaught made upon them 1 - by> the*; blue jackets,' '

and one after another the fort, tho three junks, and the stockade surrendered. Later iv the day the boats, after destroying the forts and stockades, spiking the guns, and burning the junks, proceeded up the river in company with the yacht ; they came up with a war junk and burnt her, destroyed another stockade, and captured a second junk. After this two of the heads of the Sing Engs boarded the yacht, and unconditionally surrendered themselves and their force (mustering some 4000 strong). The doctor on .board the Midge was directed to attend to the wounded of the enemy, and did his best to alleviate their sufferings. The boats subsequently made their way to their, respective ships. The whole force engaged under Captain Woolcombe's command 'in this assault only amounted to 150 men. The loss on the side of the Chinese, as far as could be estimated, amounted to about 200 killed and wounded."