The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-15


In all there were eleven of us confined in
the captains room. few moments after
we were confined there a couple of the
pirates knocked at the door and somebody
sang ont TO open it. On doing so we saw
the boatswain standing outside, guarded by
a number of pirates He said that the
pirates wanted all the passengers and Off
GERS to hand over the money and valuables
In their possession. This we did. In all
about 5000 worth was passed out, on re-
celylng which the head man and his subor-
dnates stationed d guard upon us and left.
Directly afterward we heard the
Chinese passengers luggage being knocked
about, while its owners were driven on
deck and sent down into the saloon. The
noise OF smashing boxes lasted for about
three hours. just before dusk heard the
pirates shouting orders to ease the engines.
MS was done, and some time afterward,
when 1t had got dark, we heard the whistle
blown. L then heard The pirates singing
out from the deck and also voices respond
ing from somewhere on the water. The pi-
rates then sang out to the frenen to stop
the engines.
TWO JUNKS RANGED ALONGSIDE.
by this time We had opened an inch or so
OF the top of the windows in the captains
CABIN, without the pirates knowing. Look
ing through on the Starboard side | saw two
Junks range alongside, one short time
after the other. 1t was dusk at the time. L
also saw TWO more Junks coming alongside
On The other side l could see hat kind Of
lunks they We're. They were Hong-Kong
Junks, two-masted fishing innks | could
not see the numbers. but know the Hong
hong Junks by their build and rig. l could
Just discern land on the starboard side, but
could not make out where we were.
saw the pirates then proceed to pass
all their plumber into the junks. There
were bundles of Chinese clothing and sew
eral buckets and baskets full of dollars.
l he guard round the cabin took no part in
these proceedings, but while the transfer
was taking place they ratified the muzzles of
their reviewers TO let us know they were in
the neighborhood. The transfer of the
property occupied from an hour to an hour
and half. 1t was carried on OH both sides
OF the ship. No heavy boxes were taken,
When the junks had taken sufficient into
them they left the ship.
Before the last junk left the pirates let
90 The steamers anchor, while another par
W OF the pirates came aft to the saloon and
put out lamp which the Chinese passen-
gers down below had lighted, and shut down
The skylight heard them smash the lamp
and saw that the light was extnguished.
1hey then sung out to the fremen to draw
the hres. A few minutes afusrward all the
pirates left the ship in the last remaining
junk. The cabin guard were the last TO
leave"
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Commenting on the tragedy editorially
the North China Herald saws: Those that
go down to the China Sea in ships aud oc-
cupy their business in the waters that wash
the province of kuangtung and the southern
portion OF Fukien carry their lives in their
hands even more precari0usly than the mar
liners in other parts of the world. They can
never feel themselves safe from aSsaSSina-
ton, ana this danger extends TO the Canton
River. For three or four years they go on
securely without an overt act of piracy be-
Ing committed but "a know
many similar acts are planned, which for
some reason have to be abandoDed by the
intending perpetrators. This is the first
time that steamer of the size and import
ance of the Namoa has been pirated.
The conservatism of the Chinese is
known even In their piracies. for these out
RACES are always planned on the same lines.
What occurred on the Greyhound in 1885
may be taken as a typical instance. The
pirates came on board at the last moment
with their boxes, coming only just as the
steamer was leaving, so that there was no
time for any one, if he had any suspicion, to
examine their boxes. Six hours after leav-
ing Hong-Kong, when the officers were dis
persed about their ordinary duties, the cap
tain being on the bridge, the chief officer on
deck and the second officer aft, the pirates
made their rush, firing off their pistols reck-
lessly, so as to drive all the innocent pas
sengerS promptly into the hold.
The captain was shot down, stabbed and
thrown overheard before he could reach his
cabin. The chief officer got down to his
cabin and got his revolver, and after
parley the pirates put him unframed in the
after hold. The second officer made a rush
and got into the fore hold with six bullets
in his body. The chief engineer made
similar rush, and got into the fore hold with
only two bullet wounds. The second engi-
neer was in the engine-room and was made
to continue to work the engines.
The pirates then looted the ship and pas
sengerS at their ease aud turned her round
toward Hong-Kong, steamng back until
they came up to the junk that was waiting
for them, removing the pump lever from the
engines, so as to disable the ship. There
was. however, spare lever on board, and
they had hardly got clear of the Greyhound
to Hong Kong. They fired a volley at her,
which was, of course, Intellectual to stop
lier; and 1t has always been a source of re-
greet that the chief officer of the Greyhound,
who WAS unhurt, had not the thought or tue
pluck TO ram The pirates junk and sink her.
ENTERPRISES SUCH AS THIS.
1t is obvious that to make an enterprise
like this succeed everything must work
exactly as expected. There must be no sus-
piclon excited in the minds OF the officers of
the vessel or her compradore's staff when
the pirates come on board or after they are
on board or the captain would simply put
on the matches and steam into the nearest
port and get assistance. The weather must
be favorable enough to allow tn Junk which
Is 10 take the pirates away to come alongside
when the deed is done, and there must be no
other foreign vessel i'll sight at the time.
The officers at the time fixed on must be
dispersed unsuspectingly about the ship.
and there must he enough treasure on board
TO make the enterprise worth undertaking.
as the pirates do not want to endanger
themselves by the possession of foreign val
uableS W hich may be identified and il NAV
hl T. q m ha- hot nF viii
murdered Captain Brady of the Spark was.
discovered by his possession of portion of
the captains watch-chain. If one thing in
the plan of attack fails the enterprise has to
be abandoned, and il is therefore clear that
there must be great many more of these
outrages designed than are ever carried
through, which is not cheerful reflection
for passengers on the south coast.
For some months after this, no doubt.
extraordinary precautions will be again
taken on the steamers; but, as has always
hitherto been the case, vigilance will
gradually be relaxed until the next outrage
occurs. II is a rule, for instance on tile
Canton River, and, we believe, on the
Yangtze, that no Chinese passenger shall
come on the forward deck; but if WE'LL
dressed Chinaman comes up to talk to
him the captain does not like to order him
away. although the man may be only
waiting the signal from his fellow-conspira-
tors to stab or shoot the captain as he
STANDS. ne pirates never. OF course go on
board armed, but carry their arms in their
boxes; and though their heavy baggage is
slowed separately, all Chinese passengers
have a pillow-box, which contains their
valuabies and their papers, from which
nothing will induce them to part, and in
which there is plenty of room for a revolver
or two and knife.
The Namoa piracy Is the latest of long
list OF similar outrages, among which the
more recent ones are: The Caesar, Carl and
Lubra in 1866: the Lesmona in 1868; the
Apenrade in 1869; the Spark in 1874, and the
Grey hound in 1885,