Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-06-16
CHINESE PIRATES.
New Methods Adopted by the
Monaghan Maraudera
The Introduction OF Steam Has Com
PEELED Them to Resort to Trickery
In Order to Carry on Their
NeiarIous business.

The last year in China has been one
OF many piratical depredations. In or
mcr years Chinese pirates were the
srourge Of the eastern seas, and no mer-
chant vessel ever sailed for this section
Nf the globe unless carrying a supply OF
firearms and cutlasses for defense
against such attacks. In the days of
sailing vessels, says a Japan letter to
the New York Times, piracy was at its
height, but since the introduction of
steam the lance of a piratical junk
nvcrtaking a vessel nave been reduced
u almost nothing, and hence the de-
cline Much must also be attributed to
the many captures and severe punish
ments meted out by h various foreign
gunboats cruising in search of them.
But the last ear has shown a decided
increase over recent years in the num-
Der of d~epredations committed by
pirates, and 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 n steamer, the pirates have
taken q new method of getting posses
sion Of a vessel. They now 60 on board
in large numbers as passengers, and
when we'll out FROM port make a sudden
attack upon the officers and crow 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-
currencc on the various river steamers
plying between the Yang-tse-kiang and
It's tributaries.
So great did this style of piracy be-
come on the Yang-tse-K iang during the
last summer that special vessels of war
were detailed to keep m espionage over
the passengers (Chinese) going on
board the steamers, and the various
consuls Of the owners concerned adj
vised and urged that a guard of soldiers
be taken on board each vessel for pro
lection against the acts of these dCS-
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 at each port on tho Yang-tSc-KianG
every Chinese passenger is examined
thoroughly and his name taken before
being allowed to go on board n steamer.
the effect of this precautiOn has been
to greatly check all recent piratical at
ta"iis upon these vessels and to turn
the field of action to another part of
(liina-thc southern coast.
The island of Hainan has for many
years been a gathering place for various
bands of these outlaws, who would
from its shores sally out and attack
.,,.1, ,,a..,l, -, NV, ,-s41s- ,.,L
and then return to the security afforded
by the mountain businesses of the ISL
and. So great became the annoyance
10 shipping that the imperial govern
mcnt has just dispatched an expedition
against all pirates infcsting this sec-
ton. Many severe encounters have
taken place. the pirates knowing that
if captured they would be Immediately
f~headcd, mt several hundred lives
are reported as lost on both sides. The
pirates are thought to ave 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 O paper containing thirty
six articles for the ruling of the bar ds,
which are MI under one main leader.
aud giving the names Of each member
belonging to the various bands. The
discovery was quite u surprise to the
general government, which has always
heretofore been prone to believe that
tho Koloi Hui (insurrectionary society
was the only one in China which had
81 completely thorough organization. 1t
will prove to- China that with an estab-
liShed organization there will be very
u'ticlsly as strong n nest of pirates again
infcsting these coasts as those which
she has ouly just rooted out, and that
the sending of expeditions spas,nodical-
j. to attack them will nave only tenn
p'rary and never permanent checking
effects. That such n state OF things
should exist is q disgrace to the empire,
which FROM many points OF view has
claims to u very creditnble degree Oh