Piracy on the Niger.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7367, 15 November 1898, Page 3

Piracy on the Niger.

j Acting under instructions from Mr Wallace, C.M.C., Agent-General of the Royal Niger Company, Major Arnold, on Augußt 28th, attacked and destroyed the town of Siama, in the Forcados branch of the Niger delta. In spite of repeated warnings from the company, the inhabitants of that town have persisted in reviving their former habits of piracy, and have for some time past ceased to pursue peaceful avocations, living upon the result of their depredations upon the native river traffic, which in consequence, came to a complete standstill. The force employed consisted" of Major Arnold, Lieutenants Tighe, • tallard, and Engelbach, of the Royal Nigpr Constabulary, Captain W ilkinson, of the sth Fusiliers Dr Craster, and the District Agent, with 65 rank and fi'e of the Royal 2s iger Constabulary Tho company's gunboat Liberty, under the command of ■> aptain Franmer. conveyed the expedition from Lokoja. The town was bombarded by 2i-inch Maxim Nordenfeldt quick-firing guns, and raked by the fire from Maxims for 25 minutes, when patties under Lieutenants Tighe and Engelbach and Captain Wilkinson were landed, and after three hours' fighting, assisted by the fire from the Liberty, drove out the pirates and burned the town to the ground. The enemy defended their homes stoutly, and contested the town yard by yard. The British casualties were one killed and five wounded. Lieutenant V. J. Tighe, of the West Indian Regiment, was severely wounded in the hand, but is doing well now. He has been invalided to the Canaries. The expedition had to return on August 29 and 30, before the Srunaß finally submitted and agreed to sue for peace. A heavy fine will be imposed and hostages detained until it is paid. The effect of the expedition will be to clear the waterways of the Forcados branch once and for all of piratical attacks on Native river traffic.