Another Chinese gentleman spoke of the cruel treatment meted out to four members of the compradoe's staff when the pirates failed to find the compradore. They had ransacked the safe and taken all the money it contained, some $3,000 odd dollars, but were not satisfied and beat the compradore's staff about the head with the butts of revolvers in an effort to find out where the compra-dare was hiding. One man fell down practically unconscious and he was picked up and thrown overboard, the other tive being treated in like manner.
A note of irenic humour was lent to the story by the ship's compra-dare. He had lost much but still had his life which he said was all he jeered about. When he realized there yas a piracy in hand he thrust al!
is money into the safe and locked He then ran to the forecastle, eased his face and changed hi attire for that of a seaman and stayed with the crew.
"I have been compradore of these] ships on the Shanghai-Hongkoni Canton run for 21 years," he said, "but I shan't be compradore agai Rescuers' Difficulties Captain Purslow, of the Suiyang, while on his way to Hongkong from Shanghai received a wireless message from Messrs. Butterfield Swire instructing tim to proceed in all haste to the assistance of the Suoming off Chelang Point.
The waves were running high, although the monsoon was moderating, and the weather remained; overcast. Manoeuvring was dificult and the casting of a tow line was a difficult operation.
After a good deal of hard work 'a rope was drifted across the bows of the Sunning as the first operation toward getting a hawser over. Three attempts had to be made before this was successful. Not bei equipped for towing work tie Suiyang found the heavy seas too much for her and at the end of period of intense straining the wire hawser parted. The Suiyang was compelled to anchor off the Sunning, it assistance from Hong-A wireless call was sent to]
iles0 to hasten the despatch of a tug.
When darkness came on the scene on board the Sunning became terribly of their quarters. of the flames as they shot into the air they could soc dead and the dying and auld hear the shrieks of Panic-stricken passengers. On board the Suiyang everything was done that was possible to render assis tance; the ship's boats were in read: ness to be lowered as scion as the waves abated, should the fire spread fore or aft. Fortunately it was confined amidships and the to the rest of the ship was minimise Then the Taikoo tug arrived and the ships started on their way to Hongkong. _H. M.S. Bluebell had succeeded! in getting a detachment of men aboard the Sunning and the fire-fighters managed to keep the roar-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.