, 1866-04-02
PIRACY Ii THE CHINESE WATERS.
0uafagea on American and En.lIAh
>hippinC-A Mandarin Among the
Pirates,


>t,ippin.-A Mandarin among 1he
Ptruics.
Iftum the London Shipping Gazette, March III
Piracy IN the Ch1uese woters is increasing
to M extent which, If not checked with d
strong md determined hand, threatens to
knock up altogether TIC trade With that
country. By the Last mail We had the report
Of the plundeting of IN American vessel
named the Alma, and Of French rcssel, the
case, by the murder Of the crew These out
sages, It appears. occurred in the vicinity Of
Hong Kong, and the report Is confirmed by
the mail just received, which speaks OF the
plnndcsing Of three vessels, with loss OF life,
in the 4eishborhood of. Hong Kong
brief announcement Of the destruction
Of = Liverpool ship named the Altoona. In
our maratifne intelligence OF yesterday, VIC
gave a circumstantial account Of the outrage,
supplied By the captain Of the ship. The
Abtona was on her voyage from Hong Kong
to Chefoo aud had nearly cleared the channel
which separates the island Of Formosa from
the mainland vi China, when tue sllp, IN the
langnage Of the master, was "carricd
ashore" The scene Of this occurrence was
OF Tamsni, on the y. E. point Of Formnsa-
place Of sufficient consequence for tho cs-
1abiishment OF British consulate. The
stranded ship was Immediately surrounded
u
lation OF the western shore Of Formosa ap-
pear to have no occupation but TINT Of pira-
cy. The CREW Of the Abeona kept their as
sailants al bag, while the captain dcspa! clcd
messenger to the British Consulate at TAM
sui. That official vas able to procure some
and despatched q Mandarin and q few
Chinese soldiers TO the assistance Of the crew
OF the ALeoua. The MANDARIN, however. had
hardly arrived on hoard, when he appears to
have made common cause with the pirates,
and set about p1uudering the vessel The
captain nnd crcw Of the Abeona, finding, 1t
seems, that 1t IVES impossible to contend
against such odds, made their escape on shore
under cover OF the night, and next morning
the first object which met their eyes was their
chip In uaMes. The authorities at TaIusuf
admitted that the slip had l,een fired By their
orders with view to stop the plundertng.
The Altoona carried 3 valuable cargo OF sugar,
with the ship, hare been totally los! to the
owners Both ship and cargo were, it Is said,
fully insured, but We have not heard whether
the undeETF'tes5 have satisfied the c1aim..
II must strike every ono as surprising that,
with such force as England, France, Ameri-
ca, and Prussia can bring together in the Chi
nese watcrs, to say nothing Of the aid they
might obtain from the Chinese Government,
they cannot clear the coasts Of China Of the
pest which has 50 long rendered them abso-
lutcIJ unsaf, to maratime commerce. These
outragcs, Or the majority Il them, occur In
the wateIs Immediately adjoining Hong Kon:.,
and in the Fo-kien and FormoSa channels.
The hnunts Of the perpetrators are, for the
most part, well known. aud the pirates, when
they are caught, nTe dtalt with by the Chi
ncse authorities with such mercilcss severity
that 1t has been suggested, with more hn
manity than judgment, that these criminals
when captured, should not be handed oTel
tn fhAt11 - IN hn $raE
u an efficient organization for scattering these
| pirates A. their haunts are known, md theil
deptedations committed within ascertaincd
limits, there ought to be no difficulty IN CON
| ing upon them; and tue certainty Of letec
ton once established and 1ctt, the trads O
| these miscreants would soon be abandoned
! It was stated some time since that the gun
boats on the China STALLION were unfit for tht
! service Of following up piratical juuks. w
| believe that bettre adapted vessels have bee1
sent ont, and there are French and American
| cruisers on the s1atiou wh1Sc corporation caI
at all times be reckoned upon. Still the fac
| remains, that merchant ships arc attacked
| dercd, and the vessels aud c1sgncs destroy
| cd, In the immediate vicinity Of the British
| settlement OF Hong Kong, and along the high
| way used by vessels leaving THAT port for th
East coast Or for Japan. considering the in
I crease OF the trade with China, aud Lie large
Durnber Of British ships engaged in that trade
| tke insecurity Of the Chinese waters become
| question OF very serious importance, aud de
| mands the immediate attention of The goE
errmtnt. We trust tt!at, without further dc
| lay, some member connected with the ship
| ping Interest will call the attention Of PM
lament to the great hazard which bcsets ou
maritime intercourse with China, and nscet
tain What steps the government proposes t.
| t4kc Ii order to reduce, and, Ii possible, di:
kfDate the existing danger.