CHINESE PIRACY

Grey River Argus, 13 February 1928, Page 5

CHINESE PIRACY

ALARMING TRADERS Gun Boat Attacks Junk. CREW ESCAPE INLAND. (Received February 11 at S p.m.) SHANGHAI, February 11. Thp piracies of Chinese boats on the Yangtze, in the vicinity of Hankow, are alarming .the business community, and traders. The pirates are becoming more daring with each successful outrage. Every vessel, from sampans to steamers of several hundred tons.

are preyed on, usually accompanied by bloodshed. The situation is seriously affecting trade. The gunboat Bee reported an engagement with a junk loaded with pirates, carrying off wealthy Chinese and two girls for ransom. It overtook the pirates’ junk, which was already beached. The crew escaped inland, abandoning their victims. The British and other foreign gunboats are engaged in protecting Chinese trading vessels, in addition to foreign. It is hopeless to tr to police 1200 miles up the Yangtze, unless they arc reinforced. ARMED TO TEETH. NEW PIRATE SHIP. SHANGHAI, February £l. Recalling the days of the Spanish Main, a two thousand ton steamer has appeared on the China coast, armed to the teeth and fully manned by Chinese, preying on coasting, trading and passenger vessels according to the crew of the Zuiho Manx, a Japanese steamer, which ha' "reached Tsingtao. The Zuiho Maru was attacked when crossing the Yellow Sea to Japan, the pirate ship pursuing for many miles, and fir ing furiously with rifles. The Zuiho escaped in a blizzard. It is supposed the pirate ship is a vessel seized from the Japanese. Warships of the Japanese Fleet at Tsingtao and in the Yellow Sea have been despatched to search for the pirate.