Bandits, Not Government, Held Responsible rowed Nationalist uniforms, and [working in conjunction with bribed members of the Chinkiang garrison, were responsible for the unau: {thorized raiding and looting f the British 1-C.$. Luen-ho on July 28 st, on the Yangtse River, apcordjing' to an investigation just completed by the Nanking Military Com. missioner and reported to the Britis [Consulate General at Shanghai on October 16, The Nationalist Government, purported warrant from which Jdisplayed at the time of the raid, knew nothing of the temper seizure of the steamer, from $50,000 in contraband opium is to have been stolen, declared the Nanking official. Furthermore, he reported that his investigation' had been successful in locating the Jguilty members of the Chinkiang military garrison, all of whom cluding two officers, have been subjected to severe punishment, Leaving Hankow the day previous to the raid, the steamer Luen-ho, ptain H.'S, Allison in command, [stopped late on the night of July 128 at Chinkiang to take on passengers and cargo. Hardly had the Jgarigway been run out when a party fof armed men in Nationalist. [forms boarded the vessel, and, ai the point of loaded automatics, took the officers as prisoners, For over hours the intruders searched the steamer from stem to stern, finally locating a quantity of opium hidden below decks. As this wa ly the object. of their lgang then withdrew, thei fut the knowledge of the ma On the arrival of the Luen-ho in Shanghai several days afterwards, Messrs. Jardine, Matheson. & Ca. Ltd. operating owners of the ship, reported the occurrence to the Br ish Consular authorities here, The matter, in turn, was taken up with tanking government and am in.
tion instituted. According to the official report, the bandits, who were known around Chinkiang loafers, bribed the two officers and other ranks of the military garrison to supply them with both uniforms Jand arms and to participate in the raid. The soldiers it is" stated ceived a share of the contraband opium in payment.
Several other raids on British vessels, including the boarding of the Os, Tuckwo and alleged torturing of members of her crew several weeks ago, are stll—under investigation by. the British and Chinese authori
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.