The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1892-05-31
CHINESE PIRATES.
New Methods Adopted by the
Monaghan Marauders.
The Introductioa of Steam Has Com
PEELED Them to Resort to Trickery
In Order to Carry on Their
Nefarious Business.

The last year in China has been one
of many piratical depredations. 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 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, bat since the introduction of
steam the chances of a piratical junk
overtal1ing 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 melted out by the various foreign
gunboats cruising in search of them
But the last year has shown decided
increase over recent years in the num-
Der of depredations 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 a steamer, the pirates have
taken new method of getting posses
sion of vessel. They now go on board
in large numbers as passengers, and
when well out from port make a 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 oe-
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 (Chinese) going on
board the steamers, and the various
consuls of the owners concerned adj
vised and urged that guard of soldiers
be taken on board each vessel for pro-
lection against the acts of these des- 4
peradoes. Several steamers were run
aground and some sset 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 portion the g-tse-Kiang
every Chinese passenger is examined
thoroughly and his name taken before
being allowed to go on board steamer
The effect of this precaution has been
to greatly check all recent piratical at
tacl1s upon these vessels and to turn
the field of action to another part of
Chipa--thn southern coast
The island of Hainan 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
ment has just dispatched an expedition
against all pirates infesting this sec
ton. Many severe encounters have
taken place, the pirates knowing that
if captured they would be Immediately
beheaded, and several hundred lives
are reported as 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.
sAg found Hs ,,,i;nc Of the bands.
which are all under one main leader,
and giving the names of each member
belonging to the various bands. The
discovery was quite surprise to the
general govern ment, which has always
heretofore been prone to believe that
the Koloi Hui (insurrectionary society
was the only one in China which had
a completely thorough organization. 1t
will prove to China that with an estab-
ished organization there will be very
quickly as strong nest of pirates again
infesting these coasts as those which
she has only just rooted out, and that
the sending of expeditions spasmodical-
" to attack them will have only tenn
porary and never permanent checking
effects. That such a state of things
should exist is disgrace to the empire,
which from many points of view has
claims to very creditable degree of
civilization, and whose statesmen are
ever ready to speak of China as on an
equality with or even superior to the
civilization of western nations.