Looting ard Pilfering Excluded Under Policies The menace of pirates attacking a disabled vessel is amply portrayed the following account of a vessel's experiences after striking a rock in the Upper Yangtze.
As duly reported in the "North-China Daily News," the Chinese ste. Ping'u struck a pinnacle rock near Sancau in the Kunglingtan rapids situated about 33" miles above Tehang on February 17 last and it was impossible {0 dislodge vessel, The Customs River Inspector decided that salvage of the vessel was oan impossibility and she must blown uy as she was a menace to navigation, At the water level obtaining at the time of the accident it was possible to pass through the rapid with a 50 feet clearance, but when the water rises she would be ight in the steamer track, Demolie tion was accordingly commenced and information is now to hand that the vessel was completely destroyed on Friday last.
The Vessel Abandoned the time of the accident, the master, Capt. Pagani, an Italian subject, ordered the vessel to be abandoned as soon as it became obvious that the position was oxtremely dangerous. As soon as the crew left the ill-fated steamer, the usual crowd of pirate-bandits assembled and commenced looting, continuing their work until after darkness set in and then set her on fire. Capt, Pagani who had been taken on board the str. Ting Yuen reported the matter at 1 am, on the morning of February 18 and a radiogram was despatched from U.S, 8. Palos at Ichang to U. 8. 8. Tatuita cutliningg the situation. Another vessel also reported that the vessel was burning at three different points during the carly morning. The photographs show the damage done. The fire completed the destruction of all cargo. that the pirates had left above the waterline, Tt appears, however, that certain rao Was subsequently salved and 600 pieces of Pivee goods and {600 bales of cotton yarn wer saved but the actual quantity of cargo looted and removed from the vessel by the pirates is at present unknown but presumably the Customs have a good iden as to what quantity of cargo was in the ship at the time when she was destroyed and, if so this will able a fair estimate to be formed, Underwriting Risks disaster affords a further instance of the risks attending undorwriting on the Upper Yangtee, Quita apart from damage done to cargo us a direct result accident, no sooner is a vessel than invariably a crowd of Potential pirates arrive on the scene ready to loot from stem to stern, Such cargo as is stolen in this manner is merely declared "missing" when the salved cargo reaches destination and owners insist that tas been rest in the river owing to torved discharge and claim ander their insurance policies for compensation, Looting and pilferage are, of course, excluded from ordinary insurance polices—in any case, no company would cover such risks on the Upper Yangtze—but, being wvable to procure definite root that the cargo was ne tually stolen, underwriters are often compelled' to pay such losses although not actually' liable,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.