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morning and the observations indicate that it was not of a sharply defined character but that it embraced a considerable area where gradients were slight or moderate and the winds light. In this respect the disturbance approximated somewhat to the conditions which prevail in the depressions of more northern latitudes. The disturbance had, of course, just crossed the island of Luzon, but next day the disturbance being then in the China Sea this feature was still maintained. The centre was probably situated in 15° 45', 119° 30′ at noon on the 17th. The bark Kitty reported typhoon force of wind from NE at a distance of about 230 miles to the N by W of this position and the S.S. Pronto a hurricane from WSW with a tremendous sea at a distance of about 160 miles to the S by E of the centre. In both cases the wind force would appear to have been over-estimated. The S.S. Sungkiang situated about 140 miles to the NW, or in front of the centre, had a fresh increasing gale from N by É with high confused sea, and the S.S. Zafiro had a fresh NE gale with high sea at the same distance to the N of the centre.
At noon on the 18th the centre was situated in 17° 45′, 116° 30,' and accepting this position and that for the previous day as correct the disturbance had moved to the NW by W at an average speed of nearly 9 miles per hour during the preceding 24 hours, and thus the notice issued from the Observatory at 4 p. on this day was quite accurate the centre being situated at that time to the SSE of the Colony and distant 270 miles. The barometer had risen much in Luzon since the previous day while it had fallen on the S coast of China and in Hainan. At Hongkong the wind rose to a strength of a strong gale from ENE at 9 p. accompanied by rainsqualls while at Hoihow the wind bad increased to a strong breeze from NW at the same hour. At sea very bad weather prevailed over a large area. The S.S. Sungkiang was not far from the centre at noon. In the course of the morning the centre had passed very close to the vessel. The barometer fell to its lowest point (29.09) at 5 a. and the wind which had been a fresh NNE gale at 2 a. decreased and became light and variable at the former hour. The sea decreased with the wind, the rain ceased and the sky partially cleared. At 8 a., the barometer having risen to 29.17, the wind increased to a strong breeze froin S and rain set in again, but it was not until 4 p. that the strongest winds were experienced. At this hour the barometer had risen to 29.42 and they had storm force from S with rainsqualls and a mountainous sea. A sea anchor was put overboard at this time but the weather moderated in the course of the evening. The observations inade on board this vessel show clearly that the gradients were steepest and the wind strongest at a long distance from the centre and also that the gradients were steeper and the winds stronger in rear than in front of the centre. The bark W. le Lacheur was at noon at a distance of 160 miles to the S by W of the centre. During the early morning they had experienced a whole gale from W by N and she lost some small sails in a heavy squall. The remainder were furled and the ship was kept before the wind under bare poles. The wind was backing steadily towards SW and the heavy turbulent sea which was running caused considerable damage aft. The steering gear was carried away at 2 p., but it was repaired and used again with the aid of relieving tackles. In the course of the evening the weather moderated. The bark Kitty, hove to on the starboard tack, was at a distance of about 130 miles to the NE of the centre at noon. Typhoon force of wind from NE and ENE was experienced during the morning and at 7 a. the fore and main rigging carried away. The lowest recorded reading of the barometer, 29.29, was made at 4 a. In the afternoon the wind veered to ESE with rising barometer, the weather moderating late the same evening. The S.S. C. H. Kian at a distance of about 160 miles to the W by S of the centre at noon had the barometer falling and the wind increasing from the WNW accompanied by continuous heavy rain. The vessel wisely stood back to the southward and had the barometer rising and the wind backing to WSW, but the force increased to 10 and 11 accompanied by torrential rain and a heavy cross sea. The S.S. Japan left the harbour of Hongkong about an hour after the warning gun was fired, her destination being Singapore. During the evening the barometer was falling and they encountered a whole gale from NE with a high sea. They stood to the E and SE, but the weather did not improve and the barometer continued to fall.
On the 19th at noon the centre was situated in 20° 00,′ 112° 00,' ¿.e., at a distance of 180 miles to the SW of Hongkong and 90 miles to the E of Hoihow. At the former station the barometric minimum occurred near 4 a. when the reading was 29.45. The wind was at this time from ENE and blowing with the force of a strong to whole gale. The highest hourly wind velocity recorded by the anemograph was 67 miles at 10 a. the direction being E by S. After this hour the wind continued to veer with the force gradually decreasing. At midnight a moderate gale was blowing from SE and the barometer had risen to 29.73. Rainsqualls prevailed throughout the day, the fall amounting to 3.10 inches for the 24 hours. The centre passed a few miles to the NE and N of Hoihow and entered the Lei Chau peninsula during the evening. At the Hoihow Custom House the barometer attained its minimum, 28.99, at 5 p. The wind increased to a whole gale from NNW during the morning of this day backing to NW and blowing with storm force in the afternoon accompanied by violent rain squalls. In the course of the evening the wind backed to W and decreased to force 6 at 10 p. when the barometer had risen to 29.19. The S.S. Alwine which was lying in this port recorded the wind as SSW of force 5 at 10 p. and as S of force 11 at midnight. The centre was advancing towards Pakhoi during the evening and the wind there had increased to a strong gale from NNW at 9 p. and the barometer was falling quickly. At sea the S.S. Jap an was to ENE of, and distant about 150 miles from, the centre at noon. The barometric minimum, 29.23, was observed at 4 a. and after this hour