Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-10

Experience . British Steamer Had or tn,
China Coast

Experience British Steamer Had or the
China Coast
From the Pail Mall Gazette.
Full details are now to hand of the daring pi-
ratical attack on the British steamer Namoa on
the coast of China, Of which q brief account
has already appeared in our columns. The Ma
moa left Hongkong for Swatow, a port about
200 miles to the north Of Canton, at am. on
December 10 with five saloon and go Chinese
deck passengers, the latter being chiefly re-
turned emigrsnts from the Straits Settlements
who had their savings with them.
All went well till 1:15 the same day, when the
vessel was passing the Island OF Ping Hoi. Sud-
denly, from among the Chinese passengers, Q
band Of between forty and fifty men made their
appearance on deck. They had changed the
dress in which they came on board for q kind of
uniform not unlike that worn by Chinese SOL
diers. All were armed with revolvers and cut
lasses. Before any of the crew could realize
what the demonstration meant, the pirates.
evidently following a CAREFUL y-laid plan, had
divided themselves into four gangs and COM
menced simultaneous attack on the saloon,
where the captain and passengers were at
lunch, the engineers and officers quarters, the
bridge, and the engine room. The attack was
SO sudden and determined that resistance was
impossible. and. moreover, the pirates had taken
the precaution Of seizing the arms and ammuni-
uon belonging TO the ship.
Several OF the officers were wounded in en-
deavoring to elude their pursuers. Some of the
pirates, pointing their revolvers through the
skylight, called on the captain to come on deck.
One man spoke in 'pidgin" English. He said:
I'VE are going to rob the passengers and We
from the head of the table and walked quickly
toward the door of the saloon. He had hardly
reached the deck when one of the pirates, who
was standing at the door. deliberately fired at
him, the bullet taking effect in the right breast
Capt Pocock did not fall at once, but managed
to stagger into his stateroom and sank dying
on his bed, blood flowing profusely from the
wound. He expired there about half an hour
afterward.
Meanwhile the pirates were pursuing their
work The saloon passengers had rushed from
the lunch table and concealed themselves in
their rooms, into which shots were fired and
stlnkpots thrown. The second mate, surrounded
by party of pirates with revolvers and drawn
cutiasses, was compelled to 60 into the saloon
ana tell the passengers to come out Of their
rooms and go into the captains stateroom and
stay there II they did not want to be killed.
The passengers thereupon came out Of their
rooms and went into the stateroom. where Capt.
Pocock lay dying. Here they were locked in
and watch Of four men put over them. The
chief engineer who was at lunch in his own
room, ran aft to the saloon. several shots being
hred ut him on the way. He got into the cap
talns stateroom and was kept a prisoner
there with the others. The chief officer
then hid himself i'll the pantry. where shots
were fired at him and stinkpots thrown in. 1t
being impossible to stay there, he came
out and was imprisoned in the stateroom,
the object OF the pirates evidently being to
get all the officers and Europeans into this
place and keep them there. The second and
third engineers and third officer were still con-
cealed IN the engine room. The pirates took
the second mate there and ordered him to tell
the concealed men that if they came out no
harm would be done to them. They came out
and were also imprisoned in the stateroom All
the officers, engineers and European passen-
gers having been put into this place the door
was nailed up, the windows closed and the
guard OF four pirates continued to keep watch
over the place. occasionally intimidating the
prisoners by thrusting their cutlasses and the
muzzles Of their revOlvers through the open
ings Of the jalousies.
before leaving, the pirates threw bag con-
tanning about 900 into the engine room as a
present to the native firemen. They quilted
the ship about o'clock. having been in posses
SION Tor about eight hours, and quarter of an
hour afterward the officers, engineers and pas
sengers broke out Of their sitting prison, where
the dead body of Capt. Pocock lay. The ship
was then got in readiness as quickly az possible
for returning to HOngkong. On arrival, the
wounded we're at once removed to hospital.
The body of Capt Pocock lay in his state room
anu on deck was that OF passenger named
Peterson. The deck Of the ship was strewn with
such portions OF the passengers luggage as had
been rejected by the pirates, while all over the
ship could be seen the marks made BY bullets
and stinkpots. The pirates did not take any of
the cargo, although there were forty chests of
opium ON board. The value of the plumber is
said to be about $40 900. There we're number
OF rich Chinese passengers on board returning
from San Francisco, the straits. &C., to their
homes.