TAKEN BY PIRATES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22056, 12 March 1935, Page 11

TAKEN BY PIRATES

FATE OP A STEAMER SEVENTY CHILDREN ABOARD d BRITISH NAVY TO SCUE 4 OUTRAGE IN CHINA WATERS [from our own correspondent] SHANGHAI, Feb. 11 The steamer Tungchow, owned by Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, while on the way from Shanghai to Chefoo with 73 British schoolchildren returning to the school conducted by the China Inland Mission at Chefoo. was seized by pirates on the evening of Tuesday, January 29, when only a few miles out of Shanghai. The boys and girls were in the charge of Mr. Duncan, one

of the schoolmasters at the School, and four women teachers. The children and their escorts

were the only first-class passengers. A large number of Chinese passengers

were travelling third-class. The first port of call on the way north from Shanghai to Chefoo was Weihaiwei, and in the ordinary course

of events the Tungchow should have arrived at Weihaiwei early on Thurs-

day morning, January 29, and at Chefoo the following morning. As no word of her arrival had been received

by Friday the following wireless message was broadcast to all ships and land stations: "Have you heard of, know of or seen the Tungchow?"

Tungchow Located by Aircraft As no reply was received to the message the British Navy, about noon of Friday, was requested to assist in the search for the Tungchow. The senior British naval officer at Shanghai radioed all the British warships on the China, coast and within three hours all available ships from Hongkong to Tientsin were out on search patrol. The Suffolk left Hongkong for the north and tho Hermes despatched aircraft to search the area adjacent to the famous pirates' lair at Bias Bay, in the vicinity of Hongkong, on the assumption that if the vessel had been pirated she would

have been taken south. Within six hours of the despatch of the naval message the Tungchow was located by aircraft at Honghai Bay, one of the most notorious pirate bases to the east of Hongkong. About 8 p.m. on Friday night the terse message, "Tungchow located," was received in Shanghai from the wireless-room of s, British warship. A later message stated that one of the Russian guards on the Tungchow had been killed by the pirates and that Mr. McDonald, the second engineer, had a gunshot wound in the chest. All others were re-

ported safe. Escorted by naval vessels the Tungchow arrived at Hongkong early on Saturday, February 2. She arrived at Shanghai on February 7, with her. load of 73 children. The wharf was the setting for some most emotional scenes when scores of parents and relatives an:Viously awaited the return of the children. As the shjp drew alongside the eager throng burst into fervent hymns, while tears coursed down the cheeks or many a worried mother. Facts ol the Piracy

The British Consul-General, Sir John Brenan, held an inquiry into the piracy. It was proved that, notwithstanding the strict regulations regarding the guaranteeing and searching or all Chinese passengers, some 30 pirates had managed to ship as passengers on board the Tungchow. In fact, it was admitted that the searching had been somewhat slack. The pirates made their desperate coup about six in the evening at a time when a grille had been temporarily opened to permit three members of the crew, whom the Russian guard, recognised, to go below, and it had been left open because they sajd they, would be returning in a few minutes. The Russian guard, not recognising tho Chinese who were mounting the ladder, began to draw his revolver, but he was attacked from behind by other pirates who had swarmed on to the saloon deck bv climbing up the outside of the ship. While the guard was grappling with some of the pirates, the remainder clashed forward and climbed on the boat deck.

Two Shots Fired at Captain

The captain was on the bridge when a pirate appeared and fired twice at him with a pistol, which fortunately missed its mark. At the same time other brigands intimidated the two quartermasters on duty and the -captain was finally captured. The chief engineer, after grappling with one of the pirates outside his cabin, was forced to retreat inside, and all the officers were subsequently captured. The engine room and wireless room were taken by a surprise attack, and within one hour the pirates were in command of' the ship. One Russian guard was killed and the second engineer and three pirates were wounded during the at- . tack. Search was then made for the shift's arms, which were taken by the pirates. The passengers and officers were herded into the saloon and subjected to a thorough search. About 7 p.m. the same evening the captain was escorted to the bridge and ordered to set a course for Swatow. The pirates made the captain's cabin their guard room and headquarters, and the ship's officers were forced to navigate the ship, the usual watches being kept. On the morning of January 30 the pirates forced the ship's sailors at, revolver point to throw overboard the body of the Russian guard, and later in the day compelled them to change the ship's name and disguise the funnel* British Seaplane Causes Panic On the arrival at Honghai Bay .on February 1 the pirates captured a Chinese junk and loaded it with loot. While this was being done a British, seaplane appeared. This caused the pirates to become frantic and they cast the junk adrift, leaving six armed pirates still on board. These . men ordered a ship's boat to be lowered, and, taking with them as hostages the chief officer, the wireless telegraphy officer, one quartermaster, a sailor and four Chinese passengers, made for the shore. This. boat was wrecked on the , beach and the pirates decamped. A lifeboat was then lowered from the Tungchow and sent ashore under the / second officer and all the hostages were safely brought back to the ship. The loot taken by the pirates included 250,000 one-dollar notes consigned from" London to Tientsin and transhipped at Shanghai to the Tungchow. Fortunately these notes are unsigned and consequently of «o value. The children's pocket money was taken, but otherwise they were fairly well treated by the pirates.