Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 7168x9728 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

CHINA.
EXTPBDIJPÍOX AGA ussr PIRATES.
The Reynard.
We have been accused of undervaluing the
s ervices of *' our gallant navy" ia the various
expeditions against pirates within the last six
months, and are therefore glad to record one
of which we can cordially approve.
On Saturday, the 23rd instant, information
was received at the Police office that three
junks belonging to Shek-pia-wan had been
captured by pirates on the night of the 21st
instant, in the neighbourhood of Nine Islands,
two of the unfortunate fishermen to whom
they belonged having been murdered and
thríwn overboard, several more severely
wounded, and three women carried off. The
Governor lost no time in applying to Captain
Morgan of H. M. S. Hastings, Senior Officer
in China, for a man-of-war to be sent in quest
of them, and at half-past four, H. M. Screw
Sloop, Reynard, Commander, P. Cracroft, left
the anchorage, having Mr Caldwell of the
Police Establishment, and several of the
plundered Chinese on board- Just as the
Regnard rounded West Point under sail and
steam, two large junks full of men were seen
standing out from the land, which were imme
diately recognized by the Chinese as their
own, and the Reynard went towards them
through the passage between Green Island
and tue main. The moment the pirates per
ceived her approaching, they crowded into
sampans, one party endeavouring to reach the
shore of Hongkong, the other making for
Green Island while a great many jumped
overboard in despair, trying to gain the beach
swimming. A fire was opened on the sampan,
but soon discontinued in consequence of the
Reynard's boat sent in pursuit being nearly in
the line of fire, and the sampan, with her
numerous crew, reached the rocks below Pok
fu-lum, where the pirates made the best of
their way up the precipitous hills. Lieutenant
Fuge, first of the Reynard, although in the
sick list, and still suffering severely from injury
of the eye, received during the late fire at
Arney, was foremost in the pursuit, and after
~a lengthened chase with his boat's crew over
difficult ground, succeeded in capturing three
of the puâtes, and brought, them and the sam
pans alongside.
Four of those who jumped overboard were
taken by Mr Sprate, midshipman, in the second
gig, and on board the junks, Mr Caldwell, as
sisted by Mr Smith and Mr Drew, captured
seven more,. who had failed ir» making their
escape with the rest. The unfortunate women,
one of whom was wounded in the head, and
three disabled fishermen left behind, seemed
overjoyed at their speedily and unlooked-for
release. Two of the latter were severely burnt
by stinkpots, and the third wounded by a
musket bullet in the right side.
The second sampan was brought of from
Green Islaud, but her crew had landed, and
though an active search was made for them by
Mr Sparte and bis boat's crew, assisted by Dr
Scott, Mr Boone, Paymaster of the Reynard,
and Kussim Effendi, it was rendered unsuc
; cessful by thu increasing darkness and Ute
i numerous intricate hiding-places the island
affords. The Reynard took the junks in tow
and regained the anchorage with them at 10
o'clock the same night, having been only five
and-a-half hours absent on this weU-oonduoted
expedition. Dr Scott of H. M. S. Ilastityz,
and Rusgim Effendi, were en board the
Reynard as volunteers. Next morning, on a
more minute search being made, another pirate
was discovered in the hold of the largest junk,
where be had remained all night un to bis neck
in water ; but although he revived a little at
first, he gradually sank, and expired a few
hours afterwards at the Civil Hospital,
whither the wounded fishermen had also
been conveyed, anA are likely to do well.
It has been ascertained that when the
Reynard descried the junks, there were on
board of them about fifty pirates, of whom,
fifteen were made prisoners, including the on«
who died, twelve escaped to Hongkong, five lo
Green Island, and sixteen or more were
drowned in attempting to save th-nisei ves by
swimming Not a single shot was fired at
them in the water, and every exertion was
made to save them alive.
It appears that after capturing the junks,
the pirates had transferred all the guns, twelve
in number, including two twenty-four pounders,
with upwards of a hundred spears, and fire
arms of various kinds, from their own junks to
their prizes, as being better adapted fsr their
purp jses, and had passed the earlier part of the
day on which they were captured in receivingon
board a reinforcement [of men and an addi
tional supply of provisions and ammunition pre
vious to proceeding on another marauding
expedition.
If all the expeditions undertaken by our
naval forces during the past twelve months
had been as legitimate in their objeccts as this
one, and some of those who shared in them
less anxious to destroy lives, it is probable
that the cause of justice, of humanity, and even
of commercial security, would have been
better served, and. the proceedings more
in accordance with, and creditable to,
our national character.-China Mall, March
29th.
HONGKONG MARKETS :-We take the follow
ing from a trade circular :
Hongkong, March 25th, 1850 j
Since our last respects, under date of 26th ,
February, there has been little doing in j
imports. About the middle of the month i
there was a considerable nominal decline in
the prices, of Cotton goods particularly in
shirtings, owing to the large receipts per
Albion and Mary Ann Fottiot, say 125,000
pcs., also to the arrival of the Bentinck from
Shangai with a quantity on board. Sales have
been very moderate, holders being desirous
of preventing an undue pressure on the
market.
SHANGHAI MARKET :-The following is from
a private letter :
A very fair business has been done in
English manufactures. The trade however
has now, we are sorry to say, received a check
on account of the great scarcity of rice, which
now rules very high, and we much fear we
cannot look for any improvement till the mid
dle of May, when we trust, a good wheat
harvest may afford some relief. The
distress among the poorer classes is greater
even than in September last.
SECRETARIES OF BENEFIT SOCITIKS.-A
case of considerable importance as establishing
the liability of secretaries of friendly societies
to prosecution, for embezzling the funds
entrusted to them, was tried at Stafford, on
the 15th March. A respectable looking man,
named William Woolley, a baker and grocer,
at Burton-upon-Trent, was charged with
having embezzled 6s 5d, the property of the
treasurer or trustees of the Earl of Uxbridge
Lodge of Odd Fellows, of the Manchester
Unity,, in that town ;-the evidence was to the
effect, that he was appointed in 1845, in the
usual manner, by a vote of the society, and
received £'i per annum salary, that until
November last bis fidelity was notsuspected, the
auditor haying found the items in the several
columns in bis book correspond with the totals
at the foot U}f euvh page. At length un a IUUIc
careful examination, the auditor found that
interlcniations were made after the books had
passed his scrutiny, and it was discovered that
several payments had been made which were
not entered. The particular sum mentioned
in the indictment had been paid to him by the
sister of a member when he left the room to
give her a receipt On the closing of the case
for the prosecution, Mr Vaughan submitted
that the prisoner was not the servant or clerk
of the treasurerer or trustees, as he was
appointed by the society at large, -paid by them,
and removed by them, and that hè was one of
the society ; the words "and others" in tbe
indictment included himself, and he could not
b^ charged with a fraud on himself. Mr Metyard
for the prosecution, referred to ** Rex. v. Wail'
1 Mood, C. C. 249, and "Reg. v, Miller," 2
Mood, C. C. 349, and his Lordship ruled that
these cases were conclusions to him. This
decision affirmed the legality cf the prosecu
tion ; but the evidence appearing insufficientto
the jury, the prisoner was acquitted. I
The Election of Lord Rector, of the Univer
sity, Aberdeen, has been made in favor of
Sheriff Gor-on, who had a majority of seventy
two over bis opponent, the author of the Latter
Day Pamphlets-Thomas Carlyle.
The Manchester papers report an accident
by which about fourteen miles of telegraphic
wires had been thrown down near that place.
A fracture occurred, and some of the liberated
wire falling on the line, it was caught up by the
wheel of a train, and dragged from the posts
the above distance.
$