The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-05-26
CHINESE PIRATES.
New Methods Adopted by the
Mongoian Maraudors
The Introduction Of steam 7ns Com.
PEELED Them to Resort to Trickcry
In Order to Garry on Their
Nefarious business.

E>CAsAsOub AbubAucobs
The last year in China hns been one
OF many piratical depredationH In for
mer years Chinese pirates were the
scourge of the eastern seas. and no mer-
chant vessel ever sailed for this section
OF the globe unless carrying q supply of
firearms and cutlasses for defense
against such attacks. In the days Of
sailing vessels. says Japan letter TO
the New York Times. piracy was at It's
height. but since the introduction OF
steam the chances Of a piratical junk
overtalSing vessel have been reduced
to almost nothing. and hence the de-
cline. Much must also be attributed to
the many captures and severe punish
ments meted out by the various foreign
gunboats cruising in search Of them
But the last year has shown a decided
increase over recent years In the num-
Der of depredations committed by
pirates. ind this species of outlawry
seems to be again reviving. The recent
attacks on the British steamer Namoa
and on many smaller vessels warrant
this belief
The junk being no longer able to
overhaul steamer. the pirates have
taken new method of getting possess
sion Of a vessel. They now go on board
in large numbers rs passengers. and
when well out from port make O sudden
attack upon the officers and crew and
thus get possession of the vessel. often
only after putting the entire ships COM
pany to death. This has been the case
with several vessels leaving Hong Kong
for other ports and was Of frequent oc-
currence on the various river steamers
plying between the Yang-tse- Kiang and
its tributaries.
So great did this style of piracy be-
come on the Yang-tse-Kiang during the
last summer that special vessels of war
were detailed to keep an espionage over
the passengers tChinese) going on
board the steamers, and the various
consuls of the owners concerned ad-
vised and urged that guard of soldiers
be taken on board each vessel for pro-
lection against the ncts of these des-
peradoes Several steamers were run
aground and some .set on fire through
the efforts of these men. and so bold
| and frequent became their attacks that
extraordinary measures were taken to
| check them. Now at the customs land
ings ut each port on the Yang-tse-Kiang
every Chinese passenger is examined
thoroughly and his name taken before
being allowed to go on board a steamer.
The effect OF this precaution has been
to greatly check all recent piratical at
tacks upon these vessels and TO turn
the feld OF action to another part Of
China-the southern coast
The island of lIuinan has for many
years been gathering place for various
bands of these outlaws, who would
from its shores sally out and attack
such vessels as came within their reach
and then return TO the security afforded
by the mountain businesses Of the ISL
and. So great became the annoyance
to shipping that the imperial govern
mcnt has just dispatched an expedition
against oil pirates infesting this SEQ
ton. Many severe encounters have
taken place, the pirates knowing that
II captured they would be Immediately
beheaded, and several hundred lives
are reported rs lost on both sides The
pirates are thought to have been very
thoroughly rooted out and no serious
trouble may be expected from them for
some time.
In one OF the captured strongholds
was found paper containing thirty
six articles for the ruling Of the bands.
which are all under one main leader,
and giving the names Of each member
belonging to the vurious 6anda The
discovery was quite surprise to the
general govern mcnt, which has always
heretofore been prone to believe that
the Koloi Hui (insurrectionary society
was the only one in China which had
q completely thorough organization. It
will prove to China that with an estab-
lished organization there will be very
quickly as strong nest OF pirates again
infcsting these coasts as those which
she has only just rooted out, and that
the sending of expeditions spasmodical-
ly to attack them will have only tenn
porary and never permanent checking
effects That such a state Of things
should exist Is a disgrace TO the empire,
which from many points OF view has
claims to . very creditable degree OF
civilization. and whose statesmen arc
ever ready to speak OF China rs on an
equality with or even superior to the
civilization Of western nations.