The San Francisco call., 1899-07-17
A MUT|NY ON
THE TRANSPORT
STEAMER TARTAR
Chinese Grew Refused
to Do Duty.
DEMANDED INCREASE OF PAY
CONSUL SHOW TING ASKED TO
EFFECT SETTLEMENT.
Coolies Would Not Listen to Him.
Captain About to Send Them
Home as Mutineers When
They Surrendered.
DEMANDED INCREASE OF PAY
CONSUL SHOW TING ASKED TC
EFFECT SETTLEMENT.

The Chinese crew on the British steam
er Tartar has been in a state of mutiny
for three days, and it was only yester-
day that they were brought to their
senses. Captain Pybus threatened TO
send them all back to British Columbia
as mutineers ana fill their places with
white labor or another Chinese crew
The threat had more effect upon the crew
than all the persuasive eloquence of Con-
sui Show Ting or the imperative orders of
Consul General Ho Vow The coolies
were willing to go to almost any length
TO secure their end, but the loss of pay
and the prospect of a term in a British
jail was too much of an alternative, so
they went back to work.
When the Arizona (now the Hancockl
came here from Puget Sound under char
ter to the United States Government her
captain was in a similar dmemma to the
one Captain Pybus has just got out of.
Her Chinese crew said they were tired
of the voyage between Puget Sound and
China via Japan, and that there was no
mention Of the Philippines in the articles.
They refused to go to Manila on the YES
sci, unless they were paid an extra sum
equivalent to a months wages. Their de-
mand was ignored and the coolies went
on a strike. All the work in the engine
and fire rooms came to stop and the
ship was not cleaned for several davs,
No meals were cooked aboard and the
white members of the crew had to eat
ashore. The upshot Of the matter was
that the Chinese won the dav and got
the extra pay in advance before they
went to work again.
A number of the coolies who won their
first, strike on the Arizona now form part
of the crew of the Tartar. These clever
fellows knew all about getting the bet
ter of a shipmaster when mis- vessel was
wanted in hurry, SO after the transport
had been d couple of days in port they
informed Captain Pybus that they would
not go to Manila on the vessel unless
they. were given bonus of an extra
months pay. This made the worthy
skipper angry and he told the spokesman
that he wouldn't give the men a cent
more than their wages, and If he heard
of any more such nonsense number Of
their liberties would be curtailed.
When the captains message was deliv-
cred to the Chinese they quit work in a
body. The cooks left the galley, the walt
ers stopped cleaning up the saloons and
state rooms, the firemen and coal passers
deserted the fireroom and the oilers left
the engineers to manage the machinery
ing up the decks joined their brethren,
and the entire force adjourned TO the
forecastle and held counsel of war.
They all came from British port on a
British ship, and therefore they had no
right TO land in the United States. Captain
Pybus is under bonds to see that none of
the Chinese escape, and several custom
house officers were on watch to prevent
their coming ashore. No food was al
lowed to be sent aboard to them, and soon
the mutineers began to get hungry They
saw the white members of the crew going
and coming at meal time, so they deter
mined to eat also. The cooks went back
to the galley, while gang of the strikers
went to the storeroom in body and over
powering the watchman helped them
selves.
It was after this occurrence that Cap
tain Pybus sent word to the Chinese con-
sulate. In answer to his message Consul
Show Ting soon appeared on the scene.
He called his countrymen together and
explained the evil of their ways to them.
He pointed out that they had signed an
agreement, not only for a voyage to Puget
Sound and return to -Hongkong but also
to go, wherever the captain might desire
to take the ship, so long as they We're
back in the port of shipment at a given
time. He strongly emphasized the fact
that their conduct was mutinous, but he
might as well have talked to a stone wall.
The crew of the Arizona got an extra
months pay without work for going to
Manila, and they were striking to get the
same or else they would not work
Consul Show Ting went back to the con-
sulate and reported the failure of his
mission to Consul General Ho Yoy. That
gentleman did not argue with the mutt