Lively Scene at Barrow Docks: A A Dive for Liberty There were lively scenes at Ramsden Dock, Barrow, recently, six refractory Chinese seamen being the cause. They were part of the crew of the oil tanker Acardo, who joined the vessel in Persia. On arrival at a port in the Bristol Channel, however, they deserted, and the ship proceeded on to Barrow without them. The next heard of the Orientals was that they had been arrested by the police in Liverpool, where, probably having come to the end of their tether, they were seeking employment, and later they were taken Barrow, by two Liverpool detec-
This was where the fun com menced. Four members of the Barrow police force had been called in as escort, but on arrival at the ship-side, the Chinese, caring naught for the majesty of their guard, resolutely refused to.board the vessel. Persuasiveness was of no avail, and the difficulty of getting them on the ship was ae centrated by the fact that the gangway was almost vertical, owing to the Acardo being light. The Chinese continued to remain adamant, so much so that one of them wriggled out-of the grasp of a policeman who held him, and rushing along the dock dived into the water, while another, who tried to emulate his example, was restrained. One of the ship's officers, it is said it was the captain, fearing for the safety of the foolhardy Chinese, commenced to divest himself of his clothing to dive in to the rescue, but it wag noticed that the Oriental was not in any difficulties. and the police constable went after him in a boat.
Then began a chase between the policeman' in the boat and the swimming Chinese, who as soon as he noticed that he was pursued, swam for all he was worth away from the vessel. The chase did not last long, however, for the Chinese waa and brought back to the dockside. This act appeared to break the spirit of the recalcitrants, although it was not without difficulty that the six of them were taken on to the ship. They were confined to their quarters, and later commenced a hunger strike, but the strength of their appetites defeated this, although they still declined to do any work.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.