Evening star., 1934-09-23
These raiders of the worlds last
pirate coast have become so bold
that the Chinese government at
last has launched a determined
drive for their extermioation

SHANGHAI September Is, 1894.
HE sea-wolves Of the Spanish Main
are only legend now, and those wild
buccaneers who once ravaged the
coasts of Barbary are gone; even the
dreaded Malay pirate, terror of
Eastern shipping q century ago, Is
consigned to limbo.
But the last pirate coast of the world remains
the happy hunting ground of the last vicious
raider in spite of steel bridges, grtlled radio
rooms, barred stoke holds. swarming armed
guards, an international naval patrol and
determined drive by the Chinese government
to wipe out, once and for all, this TRADITIONAL
menace to foreign and Chinese shipping in the
East the China coast pirate.
For hundreds of years he has held sway
along the grim beaches from Hongkong to
Dairen, leaving behind him trail Of smoking
villages and isolated foreign missions, stranded
and looted ships, and, washed up by the tides
of the Yellow Sea, the corpSeS OF those who
dared to run his gantlet
In song and story, both European and Chi
nese seafarer have immortalized him who
stripped them of their fortunes, and today he
is apparently as swashbucklng as ever, and az
daring.
More SO, for now he faces determined and
organized opposition not only from the rather
impotent navy of the Republic Of China, but
also from the foreign shipping interests which
to protect their steamers that he will be forced
back to his original occupation, fishing.
COUTH CHINA has been the pirates stamp
y ing ground and in that area along the
China Sea foreigners have, during the last few
years, exerted effective effort to safeguard
themselves. OF late, however, he has again
extended operations northward, and with the
recent piracy of the crack China coaster Shun.
uen, which created international reverberations,
q new campaign for his determination has been
launched.
The Shuntien plies between Shanghai and
Tientsin. Near Chefoo base of the United
States Asiatic Fleet, she was seized by dis
reputable horde which took sudden control after
appearing from the mass of third-class Chinese
passengers.
They thoroughly looted personal valuables
and general cargo, beat British officer into
along the wild shuntuns Peninsula and went
ashore in sampans with 20 Chinese hostages
5 British captiveS and Japanese
American British and japanese cruisers, In
stantly responding to the s o from the be-
leaguered vessel, went to the rescue. British
seaplanes located the fleeing pirate faoDie'
dropped bombs, scattered machine gun fire
along the beach, forced the terrified buccaneers
to set their foreign prisoners adrift in sampans.
none the worse for wear and with tale 10 tell
their grandchildren.
Shantung provincial soldiery under grim
Gen. Han Fu-chu, veteran Of years OF internal
China warfare, got busy rounding up the ma
rauders in the rugged hinterland.
One hundred years ago Chinese pirates
operating along the coast employed somewhat
different tactics than they do today-tactics
reminiscent Of the outlaws Of the West Indies.
The raiders came of shore in junks and SAM
pans. ranged alongside. foreign sailing vessels