Piracies

 

Before the arrival of the British, the shores around Hong Kong, Lantau, Cheung Chau and the other smaller islands had been a pirates' utopia. After, the arrival of the British, during the 1840s the waters around Hong Kong continued to be plagued by piracies. The Hong Kong Water Police was unable to combat the daring piracies, at the same time, the British Navy’s initial refusal to become involved in anti-piracy duties as the duties were considered to be purely police matters. (Lim, 2011)

 

Why piratical activities were serious around Hong Kong?

 

In general, there were four main reasons for Hong Kong being so called "Islas Ladrones (Pirate Island)" in the past:

 

• Hong Kong lies at the junction of the trade route to Guangzhou, many outlaws found ample opportunities to look for their preys along this route

• The numerous islands in the County provided strategic locations for hiding and sheltering

• The pirates often employed powerful weapons and resorted to fierce attack in order to restrain their victims

• There were insufficient British navy and colonial police to patrol the waters and all the bays

 

Most of the foreigners in Hong Kong described the situation in Victoria Harbour as dangerous. Therefore, the piratical activities in the waters of Hong Kong posed a serious problem to the maritime trade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From where did the pirates come/ who were the pirates?

 

It was believed that piracy in South China was a family affair. The whole family, probably of Tanka or Hoklo origins, lived on board like ordinary fishermen. They would come together and involved in the piracies, all members of the family would be involved. There would have a chief to loot some ship reported to be carrying rich pickings, they targeted the ship and then took actions. In fact pirates were undistinguishable from the ordinary fishermen who could pass with ease from one occupation to the other. This made their capture much more difficult.

 

Apart from the Chinese, foreigners such as English also participated in the piracy during late 19th century in the trade between Hong Kong and Britain.

 

There is a case that mentions the details of how they involved in the piracy:

 

On 23 April 1862, a captain called Thomas Browne died defending his schooner, Eagle, from a piratical attack near Green Island in the harbor in Hong Kong. The unlucky captain was from Plymouth, Devonshire. He had only assumed command of the Eagle the day before. The man at the wheel was shot dead by the boarding pirates and mortally wounded. The first mate escaped by jumping overboard and concealing himself under water near the chains until the pirates had departed, taking with them everything of value they could lay their hands on. The brave mate then brought the schooner back to Hong Kong. Among the pirates was a British man dressed as a Chinese who was recognized as Fokey Bill, well known in the low grog-houses of Tai Ping Shan. He was not the only sailor who ‘helped out’ on pirate ships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why capturing pirates was very difficult at that time?

 

For the Chinese pirates, as mentioned above, they committed in piracy together in a family. All members of the family would be involved and the grandmother, if necessary, would lend a hand with throwing stinkpots. In fact pirates were undistinguishable from the ordinary fishermen who could pass with ease from one occupation to the other.

 

For the Non-Chinese, could like to dress in the way that seemed as Chinese. For instance, in the case of Captain Thomas Browne, the British man Fokey Bill was dressed as a Chinese in the piracy. According to the Illustrated London News of January 1867, many of the river pirates were said to be Europeans in disguise. They dressed as Chinese, it might lower the wariness of people as the image of Chinese was weaker than Europeans at that time.

 

The most important reason was that the Triad Society and other secret societies conspired with the pirates and provided assistance for them such as supporting their resources and serving as "informants" for the pirates. The societies supplied pirates with daily necessities and acted as handlers of stolen goods. The pirates got necessities as rice, gunpowder, tung oil, and water from societies, and back onto the shore again that their plunder was returned for disposal. 

 

The government had offered some money rewards for capturing the pirates: In 1863, the colonial government offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the capture of English and American sailors on board piratical vessels. However, there were no takers. Therefore, the pirates was very difficult to capture at that time.

 

Notorious Pirates

 

Shap-ng-tsai and Chui-Apoo were both notorious pirates in Hong Kong during the mid-19th century.

 

Shap-ng-tsai was once a smuggler and later he became a pirate.  He also collected protection money from smugglers who operated between Hong Kong and French Indo-China.  The Royal Navy finally took action to suppress him in 1849.  His pirate fleet was destroyed at the Gulf of Tongking.  He escaped from death and returned to Guangdong where he pledged loyalty to the government.  He was then given an official post. (Munn, 2001)

 

Chui-Apoo joined Shap-ng-tsai’s fleet in the 1840s.  By late 1840s, Chui had become one of the most notorious pirates and haunted the South China Sea.   He owned over 23 junks and the number of his crew was over 3,000 men. (Lim, 2011)  In 1851, his pirate fleet was destroyed by the Royal Navy.  He returned to China and was captured by the government.  According to Munn (2001), he was delivered to Hong Kong as the colonial government agreed to pay $50 for return of the criminal.  He was sentenced to transportation for life.  The punishment of transportation was abhorred by many Chinese as they would die in a land away from home.  He therefore decided to take his own life by hanging himself in prison on March 27, 1851, before the sentence was enforced.  (Munn, 2001)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is worthy to note that the Qing authorities possessed a double standard in handling pirates.  Regarding the case of Shap, the Guangdong authorities offered him amnesty and an official post as a way to handle piracy.  Thus, the pirates would not commit a crime anymore as they could receive salaries from the government. However, Chui, who was committing the same offenses with Shap, had been punished by the Colonial government. If Chui followed Shap to go to China, his life might be different.

 

 

 

 

Pirates List: