480
92
NE to NNE strong and whole gales, the record of the Choysang describing the squalls as of "hurricane force."
The Glengarry left Foochow for Amoy at noon and during the evening had 90 tons of coal, which she was carrying on deck, washed overboard. She was hove to for one hour at 8 p. near Turnabout, but afterwards proceeded for Amoy, the weather getting worse all the time.
Vessels approaching the northern entrance to the Channel from the N and NE had the wind rapidly increasing and the barometer falling quickly. Among these were the Phra Nang, Nanchang, Kaifong, City of Peking, Fasana, Cyclops and Bokhara. The latter vessel was subsequently wrecked with great loss of life. She left Shanghai for Hongkong at noon on October 8th and experienced ordinary fresh NE monsoon until the afternoon of the 9th when the wind commenced to increase in force and the barometer to fall. At 8 p. she was estimated to be 8 miles East of Tung Ying, the latter being situated in 26° 23′, 120° 31'. The vessel's course was then altered to make Turnabout and at 10 p. (barometer 29.77 uncorrected) everything was secured and preparations made for heaving the ship to, her Commander and Officers suspecting a typhoon to the Southward. At this time there was a heavy sea and the vessel was taking heavy water on board.
The Austrian corvette Fasana bound for Hongkong had been passed by the Bokhara during the morning and the Cyclops was also not far behind. The former vessel reports having seen the land the whole time, while on board the Bokhara no land was seen. The Taisang was at noon about 20 miles north of the White Dogs proceeding northwards. Captain HOGG states that during the day time of the 9th he could see 30 to 40 miles and at night about 10 miles. It therefore appears probable that the Bokhara was to the Eastward of her supposed position at 8 p. the currents prevailing at such times being often exceptionally strong. The Taisang had the wind decreasing as she steamed north- wards, but there was a tremendous sea from SE with waves 400 feet long.
•
The following are some observations for noon on October 10th which are not included in the appended detailed observations :-
COAST STATIONS.
Bolinao, Kiukiang, Ichang,
29.71.10 30.02 + .01
W
NE
.00 .02
N
141
0.
5
b.
b.
£8
VESSELS.
Sch. Santa Cruz,
(16°, 127°)?
q.
S.S. Cosmopolit,.
at Iloilo.
29.79
S
""
Taksang,
...13° 36' 120° 7'
.79
WNW
bq.
increasing sea.
25
Catherine Apcar,
7 44
108 17
.88
NW
q.
swell.
""
Bombay,
.17 47
113 29
.72
N
high sea.
"}
Bantam,
..20 23
113 56
NNW
+
Zafiro,
.21 57
114 6
.68
NNW
b.
Pekin,
.25 5
119
NE
""
high sea.
"Nurnberg,
...........34 34
134 47 30.00
calm.
C.
On the morning of the 10th October the typhoon was advancing in a N by W direction and directly upon South Cape (Formosa). The barometer was falling at that station about 0.05 inch per hour on an average between 1 a. and 9 a. The wind had veered since the previous evening and was from NE force 8 until 5 a. when it commenced to veer steadily and to increase in force. The barometer fell very rapidly after 9 a.-over 0.1 inch per hour-and at 11 a. the wind had attained full typhoon force from E by N. The lowest reading of the barometer was made at 1 p. 28.28, this being about 1.6 inches below the normal. There was then typhoon force of wind from SE by E. After this hour the barometer rapidly rose and the wind continued to veer but force 12 continued until after 3 p. and then it quickly decreased. At 6 p. the force had dropped to 7 and it maintained that force from about SW during the remainder of the evening. The centre passed perhaps within 10 miles to the west of S Cape about 1 p. There was at that time no trace of any decrease of wind velocity as shown by the anemograph curve neither was there any partial clearing of the sky or diminution of rain which fell continuously the whole day. The steepest gradients near the centre corresponded to about 0.3 inch in 15 nautical miles. The weather prevailing at the other stations during the morning of October 10th may be briefly described as follows:-At Bolinao (NW Luzon) light to gentle W breezes, overcast sky and rising barometer, at Hoihow fresh W breezes, clear sky and steady barometer. At Hongkong the barometer was slightly falling and there was a gentle breeze from NNW to NW with partially clouded sky. In the neighbourhood of Swatow the barometer was falling and the wind a moderate to strong breeze from NNW to NW with detached clouds. At Anping and Takow a fresh increasing NE backing gale was blowing with light rain and rapidly falling barometer. At Fisher Island and Turnabout the barometer was falling but moderately fast and a storm was blowing from the NNE with occasional drizzling rain. At the former station at 1.37 a. on the 10th a bright red glare spread over the whole sky which was observed by the keeper in charge and the assistant on watch to have lasted five seconds and then to have vanished as suddenly as it appeared. At Tamsui the barometer was falling rather slowly with a whole gale from NNE with heavy rain squalls