Pirates seize the British merchant ship North Star out of Hong Kong

Background. The North Star affair occurred in May 1861 when Chinese pirates attacked the British merchant ship North Star. The affair began on 13 May 1861, when the British brig North Star left Hong Kong for Nagasaki, Japan. Most of the people aboard the brig were Chinese civilians though some were pirates, according to Henry Marks, who was a fourth mate on North Star.

Suspicions and Internal Threats. Henry Marks claimed that the compradore at Hong Kong, named Ty-kee, was in league with the pirates as he placed a young Chinese boy and a steward on the ship who acted suspiciously during the event. The pots contained a smelly, flammable liquid and were used commonly by the Chinese pirates for taking over merchantmen.

Outcome. The pirates escaped capture with 4,000 dollars' worth of gold. The supplied passages document the pirate attack on the North Star and the theft of gold, but do not state the fate of the ship's officers or crew beyond the attack itself.