Sharp. Measures Against Gang Caught Red-handed on the Yangtze's Banks: Ship Rescued from Bandits strategy and initiative combined in the rounding up of a band of pirates, thought to be some of the now ' notorious gang which captured Captain Lalor for ransom on the middle Yangtze, is shown in '4 narrative which came to hand on jocal population, being thursday from reliable sources.
On December 18, H.M.S. Teal, proceeding downriver between. Tehang and Hankow, on her way to Shanghai, received information that three lighters belonging to Messrs. Butterfield & Swire had been eaptured by bandits in the vicinity of Temple Hill which is about 40 miles south of Shasi. The Changning, tug which had managed to escape when the hold.
occurred had given the signal for relief after arrival at Chenglin. Meanwhile the bandits were devot~ ing but a share of their attention to the three lighters, which they looted mildly, as they were busy with other operations, notably on the Wantung and the Haiping, two cargo-craft thought to belong to Young Brothers. The latter they captured and sent down river a transport for six of their number who had been wounded, when some other upriver vessel, thought to have been Japanese, dashed into their activities.
An Uncompleted Job That the bandits thought to return to the three lighters was fairly evident as they had by no means made a thorough job of their pirsey. In the meanwhile, however, the Teal arrived late on the afternoon of "December 18, and about two hours Inter the Changning under convoy of the Mantis. The Teal thereupon started downriver with] the Changning, the three lighters and an A-P.C, craft.
Having arrived at N. 7 Crossing, known to be a dangerous point on account of a twen's neck curve in the river, it was found advisable to anchor for the night, but it developed that the Changning and liber tow would have to go alittle further downriver for anchorage, as their anchors would not hold the immediate vicinity of the Teal's anchorage. They put up for th night, therefore, about a quarter of 4 mile away, but not before a small farmed "guard had been. sent, on board rom the Teal, with ina trace tions to thovart any further attempts the part of the bandits there: started downriver, but rounding the flowing morning'the pai
curve the vanguard received a pep. pering of fire from the bank where presumably the same bandits a Those which had first attacked th Changning were established, avait ing an Italian steamer which have into sight as the firing began, Then the Teal Talks To the consternation of the des-paradoes, fire was returned by the armed guard in the Changning, and they took to fight back to the ville age. They had come out of th Village which lies along an embank~ ment at this point in the river, and were well down on the river's bank started their attack. As ince had been anticipated by them, proved in the fact" that they had' no look-out, posted to' advise them of the rapidly approach= Ing Teal, their surprise was complete, Then the Teal-opened fire on the village, as the Changning and lighters swung out into the stream. Eleven rounds of six-pounder and more than 600 rounds from Lewis guns were involved in the suxpriseparty as a reminder to the bandits that the moment was not auspicious for plying their trade. 'The houses of the village were mostly matsheds and the extent of damage could not be ascertained, but it was. plainly evident that a! large percentage of the shells burst upon' impact, 'As a quick sequel to th formation was passed on to HM. Cricket further down that the Haiping, which the 'Teal had her' way to the relief of the party of lighters but which had given no Jigns. of distress, should chase. This was done, the Cricket overtaking the Haping the bandits on board her Were cape tured. and. the Haiping's release effected forthwith,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.