We sent out thefollowingeztraon Wednesday worning:—A_ malignant attempt was mate at about midnight last night to set fire to the China Navigation Ca. steamer Pekin, Captain Martin, alongside her wharf. Snioke was noticed in the forward cargo room, and an alarm was raised, fire ho and buckets being ready at once. On removing a few bales, it was found that a bunch of lighted paper had been thrown behind a tier of bales, partially igniting two of them. There was great, excitement among the passengers, but the ignited bales were got out, and by 2 this morning everything was quiet again, and the steamer left for Hankow at 6.30 am, Every effort will, of course be made to discover the perpetrators of this infamous attempt.
The detailed facts of this criminal attempt are as folluws:—The officers of the Pekin had nearly finished taking in the cargo, the forward cargo room was being closed up, and the chief officer was going the rounds at 11.55 p.m, on Tuesday, when the cry of fire was raised, He mide two attempts to get forward, but the crush of passengers was sv groat that he had to fight tis way through, Two steam hoses and all the crew with buckets, etc., were at work in less than three minutes. On getting into the forward cargo room it was found to be full of sake, and on removing a few bales of cotton a bunch of ignited tinder-paper and some half-burnt rags fell out, which had evidently been dropped. intentionally at the last moment behind a tier of bales, two of which were smouldering. The two bales were dropped overboard, but subsequently recovered and placed on the wharf, and they still small of the gunpowder that was rabbed into the rags to make them act og tinder. There were no other signs of fire, and the captain and officers, with the compradores, went among the passengers, trying to stem the panic rush. For half an hour or so it seemed a hopeless task, but gradually the panic subsided, and by 2 a.m. on Wednesday all had returned tothe ship, and everything was quiet. It was undoubtedly a deliberate attempt to set the ship on fire, and would have succeeded if everything had not been ready as it was.
the two bales. Captain Martin, it is of As it was, the only danege done was to course remembered, was in command of the Shanghai when she was burnt on Christmas Day, and only joined. the Pekin that the Shanghai was similarly set fire on Monday It is almost certain now
to, and the sudden way in which she blazed up is now explained. The fire on board her had no doubt been smouldering ever since she left Shanghai, but as the cargo room was not opened until she reached Chinkiang, there was not air enough until then to wake it burst out.
Various suggestions are made as to the motives of the incendiary or incendiaries but as the matter is in the hands of the police, it is better not to dwell upon them at present.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.