The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-03
THE PASSING IF
 THE PIRATE CLANS
Buccaneers of High Seas
 Hunted to Death
L CAUSE TROUBLE
Most Picturesque of Water Outlaws Have Their Homes In China-t4is- tory and Fiction Find Rich
 Material In Raids.

From the Philadelphia North American.
 Civilization has driven the black flag from the high seas. But that there are pirates now actively plying their trade is fact not generally known in these peaceful days of 1908. They are the last of the worlds buccaneers, it is true, but they are a picturesque lot. with an inheritance of romance and a blood thirsty, thieving taste that might have come from a Kidd. a Morgan, or Q Leach.
 They swarm the rivers and canals of China, and sometimes venture upon the adjacent high seas. In Chinese waters coastwise vessels, whether sail or steam, ale never sale from sudden attacks; while the smaller and more shallow river vessels are captuted and ex- plotted in certain sections almost at will.
 History and fiction have found rich material in the outrages of Chinese pirates. Of recent years French, En- glish and native gunboats have cruised the coast and explored the rivers and harbors in search of the murderous marauders. But their depredations con- tinue. Only a few weeks ago a series of pratical outrages on the Grand canal was reported.
 These aroused both local and foreign governments to activity. War of ex- termination was declared on the pig tailed buccaneers remaining in the ne- farious business. They are now fight ff,r- f,.. ton is that they may soon be removed from their unlawful if romantic ac- tivity.
 The Latest outrages.
 Details reached here today" recent dispatch from Shanghai stated, "of pirati- cal outrages committed within the last few days on the Grand Canal, eight hours journey from this city. The attacks were the most daring since the days of the Kiplings.
 Three tows of crowded launches com ing from Flashing were held up by hun dreds of pirates, who are believed to De soldiers that have deserted from the dis affected districts of Chekiang. All the passengers refusing to immediately de- liver up their valuables were mercilessly shot"
 It hasn't been so long since Chinese pirates infested the seas along the coast
 
 land in their unlawful enterprises. Expressive measures aimed at piracy upon the high seas have been so uni versally adopted of late that most of the buccaneering Chinese have been contining their operations to little-frequented har- bors and to long river stretches inside of headlands.
 At the same time few ships are abso- lutely safe in certain Chinese waters, A 1 British vessel for example, laden with goods consigned to Canton or towns 'up the river" may come all the way from Liverpool to Hongllong unmolested by pirates. At Hongkong transshipment to 1 smaller boats and junks of the river trade is necessary for large part Of the goods.
 Pirates Favorite Trick.
 Hardly have the goods left Hongkong when they are subjected to the risk of being seized by pirates, and in three cases out of five consignments for up-riVer towns never reach their destination. The Chinese pirates travel light in long, swift river junks. Their favorite trick is to await the coming of night in one of the lagoons of the Canton delta, ana then slip up to laden boat as it pushes its way slowly up the river, board 1t and slay the crew Then the boat disappears from the register of the far eastern trade and her goods are never more seen by the owners.
 There are many reasons why the pirate remains on the Chinese coast line ana III the interior. Almost every Pacific ocean port has it's quota of soldiers of fortune hut most of these are now gathered Tn Chinese ports.
 They organize raids, plan piracies and engage In a virtual war against natives, hut they are careful to employ native cutthroats and marauders to carry out their plans.
 These may mean the capture and loot ing of a coastwise vessel or attacks upon river craft proceeding from seaport towns to the interior. If the capture IS maue without bloodshed, good and well. So much lose Ia the chance of discovery. But even of late years most daring attacks have been made by Chinese pirates upon ves- sells on the high seas.
 Capture of British Steamer One might cite for instance, the capture of the British steamer Sianam by buc- cancers near Canton not many years ago. Murdered by the pirates were the Rev. pr. Macdonald, a missionary, and four Indian members of the crew, while the commander of the vessel, Captain Joslin, was seriously wounded.
 In this instance the outlaws secured about $40O0 in money and some ammuni- tiOu. It was SuppOSeu tileti tiiC NAiitNSS provincial authorities had intended to ship about $io,O0O by the steamer. although when the crucial time came 1t was found that little of the money was aboard.
 This robbery differed from most of the operations of the pirates in that num- Der of the piratical gang took passage on the steamer and arosesto capture It when an opportune time came.
 One of the boldest depredations ever committed was about two years ago, when two steamships were captured by the pirates.
 Just below wuchow was the British steamer Fienam, in need of a crew. One night junk came alongside with large force of Chinese, who volunteered Tor service. Once on deck they took posses sion.
 They overcame and tied up the officers and crew and drove the passengers into their staterooms, where they were speed fly robbd of all valuables. While this act of robbery was going on-the vessel was then on the high seas-another ! n,nrOaohf0g