360
24
VESSELS.
July 24th.
"
"2
S.S. Salazie,
Frejr, Zafiro,
.21° 34′ 113° 44′ 29.72
20 33 111 27 ..20 34 115 34
NE .68 ENE 4 .70 SSE 5
3
C.
q.
Bk. Alcides,
ep.
S.S. Decima,
.16 36 113 38 .14 41 110 00
I.M.C.C. Kaipan, ...18° 16' 109° 43′ 29.74 W 2 C.
.65 WSW 7 orl. .72 WSW 3 0.
July 25th.
"1
S.5. Phra Chom Klao,20° Để
110 20 Devawongse, ...18 45 111 49 I.M.C.C. Kaipan, ...18 16 109 43 S.S. Bygdo, .........18 11 111 00
2950
.53
NE 4 NW 2 dg. .69 W 2
0.
Bk. Alcides,
S.S. Decima,
0.
""
Tsinan,
.60 WNW S
ur.
19° 01′ 115° 21' .17 54 111 18 18 01 117 16 ,, Bisagno,.........17 28 114 04
.61
S
29.65
NDAO
0.
.65 SW 5 or. .73 SW 5
oq.
July 26th.
S.S. Shanghai,
"
Activ,
21° 22' 114° 21′ .20 05 110 20
20.71 S 5 q.
.58 SSW 4 op.
S.S. Decima,
.19° 43′ 112° 56′ 20.72 SSE 2 q.
I.M.C.C. Kaipan, ...18 16 100 43 .72 SW 1 C.
The above observations for the 24th July indicate that a small depression (VII) was probably central in 18°, 113°. To the northward of this position, at Hoihow and Hongkong, pressure was decreasing and moderate E to NE breezes prevailed between the two places with the weather becom- ing wet and squally. The S.S. Zafiro experienced fresh and strong SSE breezes with a cross sea at a distance of about 150 miles to the ENE and E of the position indicated above while at a distance of about 120 miles to southward of the centre, the bark Alcides experienced a moderate WSW gale. The noon observations of the 25th place the centre in 19° 15, 112° 30′ and the disturbance had thus moved in a northwesterly direction at the slow rate of about 3 miles per hour during the preceding 24 hours, but its speed was now accelerated. During the morning the S.S. Devawongse crossed the path of the disturbance with the barometer falling rather sharply until noon and the wind backing from NE to NW and subsequently to SW during the afternoon as the vessel progressed towards SW by S, but only gentle and moderate breezes were experienced although the weather was very threaten- ing in appearance. As this vessel probably passed within 40 miles of the centre it would appear that stronger winds prevailed at a distance from, than near to, the centre. The steamships Decima and Bygdo in the lefthand semicircle and steering to the NE both experienced fresh SW gales accompanied by heavy rain during the evening and at the same time the wind increased from the N at Hoihow. The centre passed about 40 miles to the NE of Hoihow during the early morning of the 26th, the barometer being at its lowest point (29.49) at 4 a. with the wind gradually backing from NW to SW and decreasing. The depression was now affecting the weather at Pakhoi. The barometer was fall- ing and the wind increasing from N during the morning. At noon a moderate gale was blowing from NW the centre being situated at this hour in 21° 20,' 109° 45′ or a few miles to the E of the port. At 2 p. the wind died away to almost a calm, light N and NE airs prevailing until 4 p. at which time the wind shifted to SW and gradually increased, attaining the force of a strong gale during the evening when the barometer commenced to rise. The lowest barometer reading recorded was 29.38 at 3 p. The centre thus passed over the port during the afternoon moving to the NW in the interior of China. During the 24 hours ending at noon on the 26th the depression had moved towards NW by W at an average speed of about 8 miles per hour.
It is seen that this disturbance never attained any very great intensity and the strongest winds reported were fresh or strong gales only. The typhoon referred to in the weather notice of July 25th, as having entered SW Japan on the previous day, did not directly affect the China coast. From observations made at the Japanese Station of Naha (26° 13', 127° 41′) in the Loo Choo group of islands, it appears that Typhoon VIII approached this station from the southeast on the morning of the 23rd and passed it, at a short distance to the eastward, about noon moving rapidly towards the north-northwest. The barometer fell to 29.38 at 2 p. the wind backing from NNE at 10 a., to NW at 2 p. and to WSW at 6 p. and blowing with the force of a fresh or strong breeze accompanied by very heavy rain. The disturbance was encountered, early next morning, by the steamships Ethiope and Verona. The S.S. Ethiope was situated in 30° 40', 127° 45' at midnight of the 23rd and had then a falling barometer (29.62) and a strong ENE breeze with showery weather. At 4 a. of the 24th the barometer had fallen to 29.09 and typhoon force of wind from the north was experienced at 6 a. At 8 a. the barometer had risen to 29.31 and the wind had backed (in the lefthand semicircle) to NW of force 11. Thereafter the wind rapidly decreased in force maintaining, however, the NW direction. A heavy cross sea from E and NW prevailed during the storm with thick blinding rain and the vessel became unmanageable at 2 a. and fell off into the trough of the sea driving dead to leeward. From these observations it is seen that the centre must have passed a little to the Eastward of the vessel about 6 a. and that it was now recurving to the NE. Its average rate of progress during the past 18 hours was about 15 miles per hour. The S.S. Verona was also in the lefthand semicircle. They experienced a fresh N gale at 8 a. (barometer 29.36, minimum) in 31° 12, 127° 49′ the wind backing to NNW of force 6 with rising barometer (29.63) at noon. The remainder of the track is taken from the Japanese Weather Maps. The centre passed near Nagasaki about 2 p. on the 24th and continued on its course to the north-eastward with increasing velocity, but on the 25th it had almost filled up.