The Irish standard., 1895-11-23
PIRATES IN EASTERN WATERS.

PIRATES IN EASTERN WATERS.
The Malay and eastern waters swarm
with seemingly commercial junks and
proas, which wear all the air OF 1especta-
bility, but are none the less on constant
watch for becalmed traders and cargo
ships unnamed. In the Formosa chan
mel the outward and homeward passen-
gers will see apparently innocent yes
sells leisurely drifting in pairs before the
wird. They drag between them a. huge
ca BILE to which is fastened sweep net;
and. if nothing better turn up, they nave
10 be content with what tunnies and tur-
tie they may thus catch Off the Fesca-
dores. or the Barracks, or in those waters
the home of the cyclone, where rises the
Pie,]ar Elancha. If, however. Ionkln~
csc or Chinese rice or opium boat drifts
by. and no embarrassing European poat
is near, the. nets are drawn IN, the
swarthy fishermen get out their spears
and rnuskets, and combine to board and
ravage the unucky trader, cutting the
throats o. all on board, and sinking the
Junk when she has been thoroughly
cleaned out. Instances have been known
in which Canton or Foo-Choo pirates
have shipped a S seemingly harmleSs ana
respectable voyagers on board even Eu-
ropean steamers sailing out OF Chlnase
ports, and have risen, when the yessza
was we'll ont at sea, and massacred her
captain and crew In such case one
hears Of it, for European blood is an eX-
pensive LIQUID to spill in the east; put
no mention ever comes to pHphc ears Q,
the hundreds of craft sailed and owned
by natives which, year by year. in the
saacoast Of Singapore, fell victims TO
the treacherous pirate Of the Malay pc
ninsula or CAlebes or Java archipelago.
a welf-tnanned merchant ship with a
Maxim gun on board would pc larry
saf5 FOR they can only attack in their
boats. and any auck-fring cannon Of the
modern tyne would be more than they
could comfortably face. A steamer, too,
90 long as her engines keep gong, is
perfectly secure. for their best chance IS
ia those dead Gains which come upon tns
eastern. seas, when the trader IS helpiesly
fixed, while the water rats, can p ,l
their dhow or proa close up with long
sweeps. and finish off the rest In tneif
boats. Yet; if this kind Of ancient VII
1ainy is to 90 on in those distant waters,
at least until the Japanese, nave .galnea
fir,n hold Of Formosa, it Is oufra sssecos
that examples Of its revival should pe
furnish ed SO close to aclflllzatloh ds LIE
Straits Of Gibraltar.
We sincerely hope that vigorous meas
,1res will be adopted by, the military a''-
t11orities Of Great Britain in the N edlleis
raaeah1 to identify and clear out this nest
of pirates so near To the rock.,' >lpio.
mary and diplomatic scruples should all
he n,,t On one side until the Aliiucesr1as
seotIndrels have been condignly punished,
and becoming number Of them strnn q
I'm in sight of their pensive count ryHlan
along the Riff coast. We shall 5GtherW1ser
have an English mail Or paissenger stsar1,-s
8. run ashore here some day wiz the
res,1It Of being ,Iundered and her corn-
many murdered The sraa rit Inc Arabs
along the coast are just the same now,
"a point of morality, as when they royed5
the middle sea, q terror to al itg Shores
ana when the. les1tn 81