The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-12-12
PIRATES IN EASTERN WATERS.
Malays Are Still the Terror of the Seas
Toward the South of Asia.

Toward the South of Asia.
Tho Malay and Eastern waters swarm
with seemingly commercial junks and
proas, which wear all the air Of re-
spcctability. but are nonc the less on
u constant watch for becalmed traders
and cargo ships undermanned. In the
Formosa channel the outward and
homcward passengers will see appar-
emily Innocent vessels lcisurely DRIFT
ing in pairs before the wind. They
drag between them Il huge cable to
which is fastened Il sweep net; and, II
nothing better turn up, they have to
be content with what tunnieS and tur-
tie they may thus catch off n Pesca-
dOres, or the Baracels. or in those wa
tiers, the home of the cyclone, where
rises the lonely Piedra Blanca. Ii,
however, a TOnkinese or Chinese rice
or opium boat drifts near by. n no
embarrassing European beat is near.
the nets are drawn in, the swarthy fish
ermen get out their spears ana mus
kets, and combine to board and rayaga
the unlucky trader. cutting the throatS
of all on board. and sinking the junk
when she has been thoroughly cleaned
out. Instances have been known III
which Canton or Foo Choo pirates have
shipped as seemingly harmless and re-
spectacle voyagers on board even Euro'
pean steamers sailing out OF Chinese
ports. and have risen, when the yesscA
was we'll out at sea, and maSsacred her
captain and crew. In such a case one
hears Of it. for European blood Is an
expensive liquid to spill in the East
but no mention ever IN to public
ears Of the hundreds Of craft sailed
and owned by natives which. year by
year, in the seas east Of Singapore, fah
victims to the t%reacherous pirate of the
Malay peninsula or CelebeS or Javan
archipelago.
A well-manned merchant ship with q
Maxim gun on board would be fairly
safe, for they can only attack In their
boats, and any quick firing cannon OF
the modern type would be more h
they could comfortably face. A steam
er. too, as long as her engines keep go
ing, is perfectly secure. for their best
chance is in those dead calms which
come upon the Eastern seas, when tho
trader is helpleSsly fixed, while the
water rats" can bring their dhow or
proa close up with long sweeps, and fin
ish off the rest in their boats. Yet, IT
this kind of ancient villainy is to 20 on
in those distant waters, at least until
the japanese have gained firm hold of
FOrmOsa. it is outrageous that exam
pies of it's revival should be furnished
so close to civilization as the Straits OF
Gibraltar.
We sincerely hope that vigorous meas
ures will be adopted by the military,
authorities of Great Britain IN the Med
%iterranean to identify and clear OF this
nest of pirates so near the rock d.
plomacy and diplomatic scruples should
all be put on one side until the Alhuce-
mas scoundredS have been cOndignly
punished, and a becoming number Of
them strung up in sight of their pensive
countrymen along the Riff coast. Wa
shall other wise have an English mail
or passenger Seanl1r run ashore there
some day with the result of being plum
dered and her company murdered. The
maritime Arabs along the coast are
just heSamc now. in point of morality.
as when they roved the middle sea. %
terror to all its shores and when the
.Algerine galleyS drove Il roaring trade
in Christian captives. A felucca is not
much from the point Of view OF Lloyd's
Shipping Register. but it Is an eminent
ly serious thing that any vessel flying
the British colors should be boarded
and plundcrcd within the hearing OF
the guns upon the rock.-London Tele-
graph.