The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-27 00:00:00

forcibly rent or take possession of ground, in order to in..
sure mutual tranquillity; so that now we can live quietly
on our separate domains, and receive protection with-
out the slightest trouble; therefore we ought now to
perfect these arrangements, and adopt measures for
insuring ourselves against the desires of the insatiable.
If we do not, even a gold hillock would become an
ant's nest. If we cannot guard against and dispel
calamities in the interior of our own country, then a
stone wall may be corroded by the teeth of an
insect. The associations have, therefore, established
regulations, by which the peasantry, shopkeepers,
and owners of warehouses in Honan bind themselves,
being apprehensive that same unprincipled Chinese,
led away by the sums of money which will be un-
sparingly dealt out to them, will prove traitorous to their
country, befool others, deceive men, an even spirits
of Heaven ; and thus some foolish persons will rent
their property for the sake of filling their purses,
without considering that when calamity is brought
on by money, the happiness of the country departs.
We regret that there are some very cunning and
artful merchants who levy a tax by illicit connexion,
and when it comes to the point rush into all kinds of
iniquity, rent land, let, sell, buy, and build by mo-
nopoly, merely for the sake of lucre, without caring
in the least for the stigma attached to it. The cala-
mities caused this year by the barbarians, were
brought on by persons like these, and when speaking
of them we consider them as fit objeets for public
detestation. Waving, however, their past schemes,
if subsequently they dare to trade in their old way,
clandestinely let or rent (land) or supply them (the
barbarians) with tiles, wood, branito, and other build-
ing materials, and provide workmen, for the sake of
gain, we shall look upon them as beasts. If they are
determined to become traitrous natives, and thereby
increase their crimes a hundredfold, we swear to de-
clare their names and denounce their transgressions ;
and when the drum sounds we will attack them, so
that they will not be able to stand —they will be
broken like a tile. But first we make known these
excellent admonitions in order to inspire them with
dread.

" A public notification by the people of Honan."
" The rebellious English, some time ago, wished
to take :possession of Honan, in order to build bar-
barian factories and forts, and avail themselves of
this position to attack the city and levy the duties on
trade paid by various nations. We now rely on the
unanimity and joint assistance of the forty-eight
villages to put a stop to their operations and also to
their insatiable encroachments. They now want to
take possession of Shih-wei• tang, which is situate in
a most important passage leading to the eighteen pro-
vinces, and, being the principal means of communi-
cation between the northern and western branches of
the river with Fuhshan, &c., also the high road for
the exportation or importation of rice, its position is
as that of the throat to the human body. If any foreign
factories or forts are built there, they (the barbarians)
will pluck up courage and advance to the Bogue, while
we shall also have trouble inside; and it will be as
easy to attack and conquer Kwangtun as to turn the
hand. In future their ambition will have the voracity
of the silkworm, and they will seek to realise what
they covet. Men of knowledge consider this question
as involving the eighteen provinces ; ignorant men
think it only concerns the small piece of ground. The
saying that when the lips are lost the teeth grow
cold,' may truly apply to the transfer of this land.
These things cool our hearts and are no small matters.
Only look ; Horig-Kong is not sufficient for theta ;
they have already swallowed the Five Ports, but still
are not satisfied, but must forcibly take possession of
Hog-lane, of which they have stopped up nearly
the whole with a wall. All along the seashore they
behave cruelly and outrageously, presuming to kill
persons, and take territory by force. How are the
laws to be maintained, and how are they to be taught
to act with propriety and justice? They say they
have no hongs to store their goods, and therefore
point to several places, which is the cause of much
wretchedness and misery to the people. Then they
spike the guns, sail up the river in their men-of .war,
and obtain their desire by coercion; but is this
behaving with true politeness ? Are not the Five
Ports (which are open to them) and Hong-Kong,
besides the spacious bongs of the old factories, ade-
quate for storing their merchandise ? We have ceded
to them territory in order to preserve peace, and to
no purpose paid millions of dollars; for they still
continue to harbour some sinister intention against us.
It is very evident that they have some designs upon
our country, and will not deny this nefarious purpose
to any intelligent person. We ought therefore to be
of one mind, and animated with one spirit of ami
mosity against them ; and those who have power
should joyfully prove themselves faithful and patriotic
subjects. You must not therefore be ashamed and
remain inactive ; but show them you are a nation who
can exercise filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and
good faith. Let not a single sail of theirs return, but
thoroughly exterminate this detested brood."

While our paper is getting ready for press the guns
of the battery are saluting the Vernon, with the Ad•
miral on board.

THE BORNEO PIRATES.
(From the Singapore Free Press, of June 21.)
_ _

Yesterday afternoon her Majesty's ship Royalist,
Lieutenant Gordon; from Labuan the 4th inst., ar•
rived here, bringing accounts of a very severe action
having taken place between the Hon. Company's
steamer Nemesis, and a number of piratical prahus on
the 30th ult. We are in possession of full particulars
of this affair, and, as the details will no doubt be of
great interest to our readers, we issue an extra at
once, instead of waiting for our regular issue. As
the Admiral will probably by this time be at La-
buan, we may expect soon to hear of decisive mea-
sures being resolved 'upon against the pirates. We
now subjoin the narrative of the brilliant action of the
30th ultimo :

Early on the morning of the 30th of May the
Hon. Company's steamer Nemesis, with Mr. Brooke
and Captain Grey aboard, and having in tow a cutter
of her Majesty's ship Columbine, left the town of
Brune to cross over to the new British port of Labuan.
Information was received on the way down the river
that some fishermen had been chased at daylight, and
on rounding the point of the island of Moarra the look-
out of the Nemesis descried a fleet of Balanini or Sul()
pirates, in full chase of a trading prahu in the offing.
Immediately the steamer appeared the pirates, quit-
ting the chase, pulled in shore to the westward, and at
the same time cut away the small boats they had in
tow, whilst the steamer, pursuing at full power, lost
much ground by having to round the extensive shoal
which stretches from Moarra Point (Ujong Sapo) to
the islet of Pilong Pilongan.
The Balanini were first descried at half-past nine
o'clock A.M., and, about midday, finding the steamer
gaining upon them, came to an anchor.
At one o'clock P.m. the pirate fleet was plainly
made out from the Nemesis-11 large prahus, an-
chored in line, at a distance of ten yards from another
along a sandy beach, with their heads to sea, their
sterns (fast by stern warps ashore) in the surf, and
with a halser passing along from boat to boat. The
bows of the prahus were protected by ampilans,
formed of musket-proof planks; they appeared well
armed, crowded with men, and in this formidable
position awaited the approach of the steamer.
At 1 30 the pirates opened fire on the steamer, and
the action commenced in earnest at a distance of
about 200 yards, the steamer being in two fathoms
water, and rolling heavily in a ground swell.
For two hours a heavy fire was kept up from the
Nemesis, and the fire from the pirates being nearly
silenced, and their prahus evidently greatly damaged,
Captain Grey, with three cutters (one belonging to
her Majesty's ship Columbine, and two to the Hon.
Company's steamer Nemesis), resolved to make a dash
at the left of the pirates' position, whilst the steamer
poured in grape and canister upon the centre and
right, to prevent their rendering aid to their com-
rades.

On the advance of our three small boats, the pirates,
casting loose their halser which attached their prahus
together, pulled away to the eastward in a crippled
state, leaving two prahus in possession of our boats,
and numbers of men on the beach or jungle. The
Nemesis pursued to the eastward, and, one after an-
other, drove six of the flying enemy ashore, all of
v c emrezfneotrsi alreadymt hee, time abandoned by their erews,
but could not be taken possession of, owing to the
small number of our boats in the action.
In
th were
priea whilst
m Capen t to an i
en d G t Grey t
hw e a sw sees ct uw ra i
rn
dg,
and the Nemesis in full pursuit of the last three prahus
the
to the eastward, five out of the six deserted boats
were re-manned, and with a resolution praiseworthy
in a better cause, bore down to the attack of our
three cutters. Captain Wallage, commander of the
Nemesis, perceiving this mancauvre, anxious for our
overmatched boats, and convinced that these prahus
must at all events escape to the eastward, returned in
that direction, while the sixth deserted prahu being
re-manned, and favoured by a breeze, crowded all
sail to the eastward after her three consorts, and thus
the four escaped. The five pirate prahus now ad-
vancing boldly towards our three cutters, perceiving
the retrograde movement of the Nemesis, made every
effort to escape to the westward, and a severe action
took place between the sternmost prahu and the boats,
the enemy defending himself with the utmost resolu-
tion, and inflicting a severe loss on our party. Whilst
Captain Gray was engaged in the capture of this large
prahu, the Nemesis pursued the four to the westward,
two f which were captured, while the remaining
two escaped in a completely shattered state, after
having been several times deserted, and as often re-
manned.

Thus concluded this successful action with a pirate
force consisting of 11 prahus—two of the largest size,
four somewhat smaller, with crews of fully 50 men
each, and five with a complement of 35 to 40 hands.
The force of the pirates, at a moderate computation,
must be reckoned at 500 men, exclusive of captives,
and these, on the testimony of some rescued Chinese,
were above 100 persons,

LONDON, MONDAY

It is difficult to form a correct estimate of the
killed and wounded on the enemy's part, but, as 40
to 50 men were dead on the beach, ten men killed
found in the captured prahus, and the like number in
the prahus which escaped, beside those which may
have died in the jungle, we may reckon the killed at
80 or 100 men, and the wounded at double that num.
her, The loss on the British side was one man killed
and seven men wounded; two mortally, and most
severely. Ten brass guns, varying in size from nine-
pounders to " lelas," and five iron guns (three to six
pounders), were captured.
Five prahus were taken, and the escape of the rest
is to be attributed to the small number of our boats,
so at one time eight prahus were lying on the beach
abandoned by their crews, and, had our boats been
sufficient to secure them, the other three would have
been overtaken by the Nemesis.
At the close of the engagement the sandy beach
was covered with captives flying from their captors
and by pirates abandoned in a hostile country, who
to the last sought some means of revenge. The night
closing prevented any measures being taken in favour
of the liberated captives, and when the morning broke
they were no longer to be seen, having taken to the
jungle from fear of the Borneons sent by the Sultan
to our assistance. It is to be hoped, however, that
the measures now pursuing to save these poor people
will be attended with success, and that many of them
may be restored to their native country.
Among the rescued captives who took refuge in
our boats are several Chinese and Malays recently
captured at Banks. and Sinkep, a woman from Sian-
tan, and a young man from Mengkabong, to the
northward of Labuan, and these all agree in repre-
senting the extensive depredations committed by the
pirates. The pirates are stated to have visited during
this season the southern coasts of Borneo, the Straits
of Banka, Sinkep, the Anambas, the Natunas, and
the north-west coast of Borneo, and, were slowly on
their return to their own country when fortune de-
lived them into our hands. That the severe lesson
they have received may check their piratical habits
we sincerely hope, but we trust that such measures
may be taken by Government as effectually to eradi-
cate this piratical taint from the Malay character.
Piracy has heretofore been fostered by impunity, it
is to be cured by severe example, and when hun-
dreds of innocent people are yearly led away
into slavery in the vicinity of European settle-
ments—when the native commerce along the coast of
the Archipelago is entirely destroyed—we trust that
active measures may shortly be resorted to to remove
this curse from these shores, and the disgrace from
the British name of passively witnessing or ineffec
tually acting for the prevention of piracy and the slave
trade.

Any praise bestowed on the officers, crews, and all
engaged in this action would be superfluous,—they
behaved like Englishmen, and were opposed with a
dogged resolution worthy of a better cause ; and we
sincerely trust that their gallantry may meet with its
fitting reward—promotion for the protectors of com-
merce.

The four boats which escaped to the eastward
touched outside of Labaun for water on the night
after the engagement, and a captive who escaped
stated that these prahus were kept afloat with diffi-
culty, being riddled with grape-shot. No tidings
had been received of the other two. There were
betweeri 200 and 300 pirates in the jungle, who were
being hunted by the Sultan's people. A Dutch offi-
cer's medal was found in one of the boats, a 9-pounder,
apparently of Dutch make, bags of Dutch doits, Banka
tin beat into balls, &c.
The Nemesis was coaling, and would proceed to
Sarawak with Mr. Brooke, and thence to Singapore,
and will probably arrive here on Friday or Saturday
next. The treaty with the Sultan had been con-
cluded.