The submarine then proceeded to take off the crew and passengers on board the Irene. The explosion of the shell which stopped the Irene had set the vessel on fire, while a heavy swell was running, #0 that the Jditcutty of the work of rescuing hose on board the blazing ship and taking them on the submarine can well be imagined, It speaks volumes for the seamanship and gallantry displayed by Lieut, Halahan and the entire ship's company that all the passengers and crew remaining on board were taken off safely as soon as a party of navy-men had managed get on board the steamer and drop her anchor.
The Trene was gutted forward and aft as the result of the fire and she was being looked after by H. M. S. Magnolia and Stormcloud and a tug] which were standing by. The vestd was on her way from Shanghai to Amoy when pirates took control of her.
Later.
The Irene, which is a screw steamer of 1,350 tons, was flying the Chinese flag.
At eight o'clock in the morning of October 19 as the Captain, Mr, J. H. Johnson, who is a Norwegian, the second officer and the second engineer were having breakfast, the pirates appeared. 'They shot' the Chinese saloon steward in the chest, overpowered the officers and proceeded to rob the passengers, Having gained possession of the ship, the pirates gave orders for her to slow down as they did not wish to reach the yy of Bias Bay' until night had fallen, Except for those who acted " as guards, the pirates spent their time gambling and feasting.
The Irene arrived off Bias Bay at] eight o'clock yesterday evening, Submarine in Action The British submarine L4, which Thad been carrying out exercises at} sea off Bias Bay, had anchored under the lee of land for the night when her Commander, Lieut. F.
Halahan, observed a_steaier without lights entering the bay. He! suspected piney and flashed a message: "Stop immediately." As the Irene did not stop the submarine switched on a searchlight and fired round of blank. This having no effect, the LA then fired some shots across the bows of the steamer.
It transpires that Captain John-sen, who was on the bridge navigate ing' the ship under a pirate guard, rang down to the engine-room to stop the engines, hut pirates. in the!
By 10 pin. all on board had been reened from the ship, which was blazing fore and aft.
The LA then stood off to rescue those who had leaped into the sea, most of whom had. life-bolts on. Every man on the deck of the submarine, both during this period and when those swimming were being picked up, showed great gallantry, repeatedly plunging into the sea rescue struggling swimmers.
When information of the a'fatr was received in Hongkong, the naval authorities immediately despatched H. M. sloop Magnolia (1,200 tons) to the scene, closely followed by M. destroyer Stormelond (1,075 tons), while H. M. cruiser Delhi (4,850 tons), which had also been learrying out' exercises that day and Thad anchored in Long Harbour for the night, picked up the wireless! messages concerning the piracy and proceeded immediately to the spot, where she picked up 12 survivors from the water.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.