Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1894-12-28

T.. T7se' -.
THE PIRATES LOOTED THE BRIG.
mans combined in a protest to the Chi
neee government, and several expedi-
tioEs were fitted out and many piratical
nests broken up. but the best work Of
all was done in 1867 by the expedition
fitted out by the Chinese authorities.
To the establishment of all other nations
and the pirates themselves, the govern
ment decided to move against Whang-
Hoa. Wing, sea robber who haunted the
coast between Shanghai and the mouth
of the Whang-Ho river to the north.
Between these two points there are over
200 islands and many small rivers and
bays, and as near as could be figured
the boss pirate had 10 craft and about
300 men. Had he attended strictly to
the business Of capturing, robbing,
burning and killing the Chinese author
tiles wouldn't have bestirred them
selves, but when it was found that he
was melting rebellion as we'll and boast
ing that the government was afraid OF
him up it was decided to break him up
as soon as possible. -. Il
In the spring Of 1867, when it was
decided to move, there were many
Americans in Shanghai. Among them
were at least 80 ext Confederate naval
and army officers. The Chinese govern
ment entered into contract with Lieu
tenant r. D. Rhodes, who was for a
time in command of a harbor defense
craft at Charleston, to fit out and man
q vessel to hunt down and break up
Whang- Hoa- Ying's band. He regularly
entered the Chinese navy, was given a
title and received carte blanche to go
ahead in his own way. For many rea-
sons he selected sailing vessel instead
of steamer. The other expedition re-
ferred to had made use Of steamers, and
the pirates had become suspicious OF that
sort of craft. An American bark called
the Hope, which had made her first
voyage to those waters, was purchased
and fitted out, and when the crew came
to be made up every American who
would join was given the preference. +
After them came nine Englishmen,
three Frenchmen and four Germans. To
tell the truth about these 16 men, all
were deserters from men-of-war, and in
several instances they had been encour-
aged to desert by the offer Of high
wages The pay Of common seaman
was raised to $28 per month, sum
which made the Chinese authorities col
lapse with amazement, but Rhodes in
sisted that they must have picked men
If the expedition accomplished any
thing. When all was ready, we had a
crew Of so men, 40 Of whom were Eng
lish speaking, and the other 20 had been
drafted of Chinese war junks and rec
commended as fighters. D
The bark was renamed the Red
Dragon, nine guns and plenty of small
arms put aboard, and when she sailed
away in search Of the pirates the govern
ment authorized Rhodes to attack, sink,
burn and destroy any and all suspicious
craft, and to shoot, hang or otherwise
kill any subject Of China whom he
might suspect Of being q freebooter.
Under these instructions he could have
sunk q hundred peaceful traders and
hung q thousand innocent men, and
there would have been. no official in
quiry. No time was set az to the dura-
tion Of the search, the bark was permit
ted to 60 where she pleased, and writ
ten order would compel any public off,
cial or private person to supply her
with anything wanted in the way Of
stores ct whatever port she called. The