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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH JULY, 1896.
On the 8th at 10.45 a.,
"The
On the 7th at 6.15 p. Black South Cone hoisted. "The depression, about 300 miles to the SSE of Hongkong, appears to be moving towards NW at present.' area comprised by strong winds in the depression to the S. of Hongkong, appears to be small at present. At 11.15 a,
"The barometer has continued to fall quickly on the S. and SE coasts of China, but has risen at Shanghai in rear of the depression in the North. At Bolinao there is little change. Pressure now exceeds the normal by about 0.05 inch at Shanghai, but is in defect to the extent of about 0.1 inch at Hongkong and Bolinao. Gradients for NE winds are becoming steeper on the China Coast." Forecast:- moderate NE winds, freshening; unsettled, showery and squally." On the 9th at 6.0 a. Black South Cone lowered. At 11.15 "There are no longer any indi-
a., The barometer has fallen on the SE cations of a cyclonic depression to the Southward of Hongkong. coast of China but is almost steady in Hongkong. Pressure continues considerably below the normal along the S. and SE. coasts and, apparently, in the N. part of the China Sea." Forecast: derate SW winds; unsettled, thunderstorms probable.'
66
mo-
The depression indicated above made its appearance very suddenly, conditions as to pressure being normal on the 5th both at Bolinao and Manila. The barometer however was, and had been for the two or three previous days, high over Japan and the East coast of China. The following readings, which are the mean of the observations telegraphed to this Observatory in the morning and afternoon, show the pressure conditions prevailing on the 5th; Tokio 30.16, Nagasaki 30.13, Shanghai 30.06, Hongkong 29.93, Manila 29.86. Pressure on the 5th was thus normal at the latter station and abote the average, in Hongkong about 0.1 inch, at Shanghai 0.25 inch and to Japan about 0.3 inch. The distribution of pressure thus favoured the prevalence of NE and E winds over the Pacific area and along the China coast. On the Western side of the China Sea the marine data show that winds were generally light and variable between lar. 20° and the Equator and therefore that SW monsoon did not prevail in the SW part of the Sea; but in the SE part we have no information. On board the S.S. Sungkiang, lying in Manila Bay, gentle W and WSW breezes were experienced and the ship Conqueror had moderate ENE breezes with barometer 29.94 at noon, in 17° 52′, 126° 04′.
Between the evening of the 5th and the morning of the 6th the barometer fell rapidly at Manila and at 10 a. on the latter date read 29.73, i.e., a full of nearly 0.2 inch during the past 24 hours. Accord- ing to observations made on board the Sungkiang, lying in that port, moderate NW breezes, accom- panied by heavy rain, were experienced during the morning, veering to E by N force 6 at 2 p. The lowest barometer reading, 29.60, was made at 3 p. with the wind at E by S force 6 and still veering. These observations indicate that the centre passed at a short distance to the South of the port near
p. morning in a WNW direction.
2
Pressure remained high over Japan on the 6th, but was giving way on the China coast particu- larly at Shanghai. We have Tokio 30.18, Nagasaki 30.11, Shanghai 29.89 and Hongkong 29.90. Winds were still light and variable on the Western side of the China Sea and the S.S. Yuensang off the W coast of Luzon, steering for Manila, had only light breezes from NE by E with sky partially clouded during the morning; but the barometer was falling rather quickly. At noon in 15°53′, 119° 43′ the barometer read 29.66 and calin prevailed with gloomy weather. Subsequently the centre passed over the ship. At 4 p. the barometer read 29.55 with NË 4, but the mercury then descended rapidly rea-hing its lowest point, 29.25, at 6.20 p., the wind being at this time a fresh gale from NE accompanied by rain squalls. The barometer then commenced to rise with only light airs, at first from E and afterwards from S, until after 6.45 p. The sky remained overcast, rain was falling and the sea, which had hitherto been moderate, was rapidly getting worse during the interval of calm. At 7 p. the wind came again from the W, a strong gale, which increased to a storm from SW at 8 p., the barometer having in the meantime risen quickly to 29 54. The wind backed to SSW and S by W but continued to blow a fierce gale until after midnight when it decreased slowly with the direction backing towards S. From 6 p. until midnight the vessel was steered westward at a speed . of 6 miles per hour, the course being then altered to SSW and afterwards to E. This manœuvre between 6 p. and midnight was, of course, calculated to keep the vessel near the centre, but as she was close to the coast it was necessary to get an offing and could not be avoided. It will be observed that the winds experienced on board the Fuensang were comparatively light to the N. of the centre; but this was probably due, in part at least, to the shelter afforded by the coast.
On the 7th the high pressure still covered E. Japan but the barometer had fallen much in W. Japan and on the China coast, while it had risen rapidly in Luzon-We have Tokio 30.22, Nagasaki 29.93, Shanghai 29 74, Hongkong 29.77 and Manila 29.86. The decrease of pressure in the North Around the China Sea winds were as was caused by a low pressure area traversing N. China.
follows:-light or gentle breezes chiefly from an E direction along the S. coast of China, light SE and S breezes at Bolinao, and light or moderate S and SW breezes of the Annam and Cochin China coasts, the barometer reading about 29.85 in 10°, 110°. The S.S. Esmeralda was nearest to the centre which may have been situated at noon in about 17°, 1154. This vessel was in 19° 26′, 116° 45′ at noon, steering for Hongkong. She was thus some 150 miles to the NNE of the centre at noon when the barometer read 29.70, inclined to fall, the wind being a fresh E breeze backing to NE accompanied by overcast sky and confused sen. The ship Savona, distant 250 miles to the SW of the centre, had a moderate WSW breeze, and the captain of the ship Conqueror reports a moderate SSE breeze at about the same distance to the NE by E of the centre the barometer reading 29.74. On board this vessel,