Hongkong, June 4.
Firing at river steamers on the Canton River has become almost daily occurrence. So far no persons have been hurt. The latest victims are the British owned Kinshan and the Tung On, a Chinese-owned vessel flying the British flag.
The master and chief officer of the Kinshan escaped being shot by dumdum bullets as the shi, was approaching Canton, the steamer through a similar ordeal to that experienced by the str. Lungshan when she was hit by rifle fire by the Whampoa cadets. The Kinshan left Hongkong at 8 a.m, for Canton, and the firing occurred at Front Reach, about 12 miles from Canton city. From the story of Captain S. Bell-Smitls and the Chief Officer, Mr.
Stewart, it appears that they had a narrow escape from being] shot, both being on the bridge at] 1.40'pam., just before the shots rang out.
At least three shots (believed to be dum-dum bullets) struck the steamer, that fortunately the bridge is wel] screened by @ wooden frame and glass enclosure. Two men were seen sniping from the bank of the river, and they were aiming at the bri Two shots reached the bridge and rested inside the woodwork instead of penetrating it. Captain Bell Smith heard the whizz of a bullet it flew basta few inches from his ad, travelling in a direct line to the framework on a window of the} starboard side of the bridge. The Chief Officer had a similar nasty experience, All the shots came from the bank on the port side of the Fortunately there were no casualties} to passengers or crew. It does not} appear that the shooting was an] organized affair and, unlike tho} Lungshian incident, it was not done} by soldiers.
The Chinese version of the incident states that the recent floods _have reached almost to the bank of the] rice fields. The farmers have been anxious lest the wash due to the excessive speed of passing steamers} should cause damage to the banks and to the crops about to be harvested. When the strs, Tung On and] Kinshan were approaching Wham-pos, warning was given by those on shore to the steamers to slacken speed. The Tung On immediately} complied, while the Kinshan went on, possibly misunderstanding or ignoring the order. A farmer fired on her as a warning to slow down, 'The Hongkong Government and H. B. M, Consul in Canton are investigating the matter. The Kinshan is a British vessel, owned by} the Hongkong, Canton' & Macao] Steamboat Company.
The Tung On was on her way to Hongkong and when not far from Canton she met a "dragon-boat," closely followed by many other small sampans. One of them capsized, due] perhaps to the wash of the Tung On. She stopped her engines, and the °lerew of the capsized boat managed to swim ashore. The crews of the other boats became angry and fired at the Tung On, many shots striking, the side of the ship, but no one was} hurt.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.