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878
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 29TH AUGUST, 1896.
wards NW, the centre passing close to Shanghai next morning, the 23rd, near 6 a. as shown by observations made on board the S.S. Chingping at anchor near the Kintoan lightship. It was there- fore fortunate that a telegram warning Shanghai and placing the port in the dangerous semicircle, was despatched from the Hongkong Observatory at 4 p. on the 22nd, as it might have been supposed that the centre would advance in a Northerly direction between China and Japan and thus place Shanghai at a long distance from the centre and in the left-hand semicircle, where at some distance the winds are moderate. The telegram was amply substantiated as a warning and it appears that no other warning was given indicating a gale in that port. The Chingping experienced a fierce gale from NNE, the barometer falling to the minimum (28.67) at 5.30 a. on the 23rd when the wind fell almost calm and quickly backed through N and W. At 7 a. they had a decreasing gale from SSW with rising barometer. These observations show that the centre must have passed at a very short distance to the E of the vessel. At noon on this day the centre was situated near 324, 1204. At Chinkiang a fresh gale from NW blew at 9 a. (bar. 29.25) backing to W force 6 at 3 p. (bar. 29.26). At sea the S.S. Nanchang at noon in about 3440, 123° had 29.43 with a fierce E. backing to SE gale. High pressure covered Japan on this and the following day. The disturbance moved towards about NNW and passed a little W of Howki lighthouse (38°04', 120°39′) at 3 a. on the 24th, E veering gales being experienced at Chefoo and at the Shantung Promontory lighthouses between the evening of the 23rd and morning of the 24th. As a result of the typhoon the German gunboat Iltis unfortunately went ashore on the Promontory on the evening of the 23rd and became a total wreck, two only of the ship's company being saved. At noon the centre was in the Gulf of Liaotung. The typhoon was recurving on the 24th. It appears to have passed the neighbourhood of Wladiwostock on the evening of the 25th and thence to have traversed the N part of the Sea of Japan moving probably Eastward. While this typhoon was in existence, exceptionally hot and dry weather prevailed on the S and SE coasts of China.
On the 23rd at 10.20 a. Pressure remains low generally with no marked tendency to increase in the South and it is likely that another depression may form in the N part of the China Sea."
On the 24th at 11.15 a. "A cyclonic depression appears to exist to the South of Hongkong. Pressure has increased generally on the China Coast but is almost unchanged at Bolinao. Pressure is now nearly 0.1 inch above the normal at Shanghai and still in defect about 0.2 inch at Hongkong and Bolinao." Forecast:--"fresh NE and E winds, increasing: unsettled, some rain.”
On the 24th at 4 p. "Black South Cone hoisted. On the 25th at 11.20 a. "The depression to the South of Hongkong appears to be shallow and almost stationary at present. The barometer has risen in Luzon and fallen in the N part of the Formosa Channel, clsewhere there is little change. Pressure remains about 0.2 inch below the normal in Hongkong." Forecast:-" fresh or strong ÑE and E winds; squally and showery."
On the 25th at 4.15 p. "The depression to the SSW of Hongkong seems moving slowly west- ward." At 10 p. Black South Cone lowered. On the 26th at 11.20 a. "The depression has probably approached the coast in the neighbourhood of Hainan Straits. Except a fall at Haiphong and Shanghai the barometer has risen generally, particularly between Foochow and Hongkong." Forecast:-"moderate SE winds; showery and squally."
Between the 23rd and 24th July pressure increased very rapidly in the neighbourhood of Shanghai in rear of the late typhoon. The increase extended Southwards, but was moderate only on the S. coast of China, and at Bolinao slight. Thus gradients had become rather steep for NE and E winds on the China Coast to the S of Shanghai, while from the marine data we see that over the greater part of the China Sea to the Southward of 18° there was a gradient for SW winds. Thus the forma- tion of the depression may be traced to the rapid increase of pressure over China. In Hongkong moderate and fresh E and NE breezes prevailed. The area of lowest pressure 29.50, in which light variable winds prevailed accompanied by squally weather was in 19° Lat. and from 114° to 116° Long. To the W of this area moderate N breezes were experienced on board the S.S. Mongkut with very heavy rain; moderate SW breezes prevailed across the China Sea in about 17° Lat. and strong winds and gales from W and SW prevailed over the entire sea between 14° (bar. 29.60) and 9° Lat. (bar. 29.75).
On the 25th, the observations show that the low area had moved to the Westward. The baro- meter was almost steady, 29.53, at Hongkong; 29.53, falling slightly at Hoihow, and 29.68, rising at Bolinao. Fresh NE and E breezes blew in Hongkong, and gentle N and NE breezes at Hoihow. The centre of the depression was situated in 1993, 112° at noon. The S.S. Mongkut had passed from the W to the N quadrant and now had fresh NE and E breezes, barometer 29.49, at a distance of about 100 miles to the N by E of this position. The barometer read 29.51 and fresh W breezes pre- vailed to the SW of the centre at a distance of about 120 miles and SSW force 6, barometer 29.58, was noted on board the S.S. Congella at a distance of 150 miles to the SE by E of the centre. Strong SW monsoon prevailed to the southward of the centre between 14° and 10° Lat., the barometer reading 29.70 in 11° Lat.