North Star affair facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Star affair
Part of Piracy in Asia
Chinese pirates attacking a merchant ship.
Date 13–14 May 1861 Location off Ling Ting, Hong Kong, China, South China Sea Result Merchant ship robbed then released.
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Chinese Pirates
Commanders and leaders
Voight	unknown
Strength
1 brig	1 junk
Casualties and losses
8 killed 1 wounded	none

The North Star affair was a dramatic event that happened in May 1861. It involved Chinese pirates attacking a British merchant ship called the North Star. During the attack, several people died, including an officer from the Royal Navy. The pirates managed to get away with a lot of gold, about 4,000 dollars' worth.

The Pirate Attack on the North Star

HMS Pearl, around 1856

The story began on May 13, 1861. The British ship North Star, which was a type of sailing ship called a brig, left Hong Kong. It was heading for Nagasaki, Japan. The ship did not have many weapons. It only had a few muskets and pistols. These belonged to Captain Voight, who was a Royal Navy officer from the ship HMS Pearl. Other Europeans on board also had some weapons.

Most of the people on the North Star were Chinese civilians. However, some of them were secretly pirates. This was according to Henry Marks, who was a fourth mate on the ship. Marks believed that a person in Hong Kong, named Ty-kee, was working with the pirates. He said Ty-kee put a young Chinese boy and a steward on the ship. These two acted very suspiciously during the attack.

At 3:00 pm, the North Star was about 30 miles from Hong Kong. It was near a place called Ling Ting. Suddenly, a two-masted junk (a type of Chinese sailing ship) was seen. It quickly moved next to the North Star. The pirates on the junk started throwing "stinkpots." Henry Marks described these as pots filled with a smelly, burning liquid. Chinese pirates often used these to take over merchant ships. The North Star's helmsman (the person steering the ship) was the first victim. He was badly burned by the stinkpots and died.

About 20 to 30 pirates then climbed onto the North Star. They carried spears and swords. They attacked the crew and any passengers who tried to fight back. Captain Voight was overwhelmed by six pirates in his cabin. He was wounded before he could even load his guns. One sailor fought the pirates with a handspike (a tool used on ships). He was wounded and later died on May 16, along with Captain Voight. The chief officer also died on May 14 from his stab wounds. A passenger was stabbed and thrown overboard, where he likely drowned. In total, eight men were killed and one was wounded.

After the Attack

Henry Marks later wrote that the Chinese boy helped the pirates find 4,000 dollars on the ship. After they took two treasure chests, the pirates went back to their junk. They sailed away, taking the boy and the steward with them.

Only three crew members survived the attack. Two young British men survived by hiding on the ship. Once the pirates were gone, they steered the North Star back towards Hong Kong. Henry Marks also survived. He swam for several hours, using some floating spears to help him. He eventually landed on a group of large rocks about 400 meters off the coast. Marks was able to watch the pirates after the attack. They anchored in a small bay nearby and did not leave right away.

The next morning, Marks saw a sampan (a small Chinese boat). He paid the crew 300 dollars to take him to Hong Kong. Captain Voight made a similar deal and safely reached shore in another small boat. Marks reported that the Chinese on the sampan treated him like a prisoner. They tried to avoid Green Island, where HMS Pearl was anchored. When Marks realized the Chinese he was with were pirates, he "jumped up and struck one of them." He then grabbed the man and forced the crew to sail to the Pearl.

At least four of the North Star crewmen and one passenger were killed. The other two survivors, who sailed the North Star back to Hong Kong, were first found by a Siamese barque (a type of sailing ship) called Four Stars. Later, boat crews from HMS Pearl found them.

See also

• Sumatran expeditions