372
Bk. F. Skolfield,
Kitty,
....26° 34' 120° 26' 29.83 NE 4
.21 51 119 27 .75
var.
1
36
VESSELS.
September 22nd.
C. Bk. Amy Turner,...20° 12′ 133° 28′ 29.80 C. S.S. Chisan, .............
19 01 115 53 .80
1
September 23rd.
C.
S 4 NE 3 b.
Bk. Kitty,
"
Japan,
.21° 57′ 120° 22′ 29.68
21 16 114 55
NNE 4 E 2
Bkt. Bittern, S.S. Lightning,
.17° 05' 115° 27′
,, Amy Turner, ...20 07 182 05
.82
S
"}
Progress,
September 24th.
16 40 113 27 29.82 .15 49 119 11 173
NWIN 3
NE 2 WAS 5
Die
S.S. Taiyick,
Bk. Kitty,
S.S. Frejr,
Bk. Japan,. S.S. Lightning,
.22° 30' 115° 35′ .22 16 120 29 22 01 113 46 .20 38 115 37 20 10 113 46
20.74 N 4 .82 ENE 1 .71 N 5 45 ENE 10 org. .78 NNW 4
C.
pq.
I.
September 25th.
S.S. Machew, Bkt. Bittern, S.S. Progress,
China, Sh. Siutram,
19° 48′ 112° 32′ 29.73 NW 2 op.
.18 45 113 01
18 29 117 22
16 00 110 15 14 25 114 31
.70 W/S 6 od. .59 SW/W O 0. .80 N 1 C. .80 N
S.S. Pakshan,
.92° 16' 114° 58′ 20.66
..21 24 115 38
.21 20 118 27
.20 47 115 30
.20 31 114 08
.62
SSE 7 rq. SSE 6 .13 S/W 11 orq. .71 SSE 8 0.
SW 10 rq.
S.S. Ethiope,
"
Bkt. Bittern,.. S.S. Darmstadt,. China,. Pakling,
.19 37 115 27 .19 10 112 15 19 02 111 48 18 53 113 59
2)
Bk. Japan,. S.S. Machew,
Progress.. Lightning,
.19° 40′ 112° 23′ 20.70 NW 4 C.
+++
.70 S + .64 SW 2 or. 75 WSW 3 rq. .79 SW 2 rq.
Between the 21st and 22nd of September a decrease of pressure amounting to about 0.07 inch took place in S Formosa and Luzon. Light breezes from W prevailed at Manila and Bolinao and at South Cape a moderate breeze from NNE. These observatious together with those made on board the bark Amy Turner, which was situated far to the Eastward in the Pacific, faintly indicate the existence of a depression (XV) to the E of N Luzon. It may have been central in about 18, 125°, but this is very uncertain.
On the 23rd a further very slight decrease of pressure amounting to 0.02 or 0.03 inch had occurred at Bolinao, Manila and South Cape (Formosa). The baroineter had also fallen to the extent of about 0.05 inch on the S and SE coast of China. At South Cape the wind, which was of the strength of a moderate or fresh breeze only, veered from N at 3 a. to SE at noon, but it backed again at 3 p. to NE and blew from this and an ENE direction for the remainder of the day. The weather was showery. At Bolinao and Manila light airs and breezes prevailed backing from WSW in the morning to SW in the afternoon. The sky was clouded at both stations. The observations, are insufficient to give the position of the centre on this day with accuracy, but as an approximation it may be placed in 19°, 121° at noon. There was no well defined barometric minimum either at South Cape or Bolinao on this day and when it is considered that winds of no more than force 5 prevailed at the former and of force 2 at the latter, although the centre was passing between the two stations at a distance of about 175 miles only, it is evident that the disturbance was either one of slight intensity or that the area comprised by a low barometer and violent winds was a small one at this time.
On the 24th at noon the centre was situated in 19° 45,' 116° 45′. Assuming the position given for noon of the 23rd to be correct, the disturbance had thus moved towards W, about half a point northerly, at the rate of 10 miles per hour during the interval. At Hongkong the Red Drum was hoisted at 11 a. on the former date as the centre of the depression was believed to be at a distance of just beyond 300 miles to the SE of the Colony, whereas we now see that it was situated to the SE and distant 220 miles only at this hour. The weather forecast was, therefore, made on the assump- tion that the disturbance was, firstly, one of no great intensity-and, in fact, it was hardly discernible from the observations telegraphed at the time from the stations--and secondly, that it was moving westward and therefore likely to pass at a distance of about 250 miles to the S of the Colony the next morning.
Fisher Island, South Cape and Breaker Point are not telegraphic reporting stations and the Hoihow observations were, as usual, not received. On an examination of the noon observation made at the coast stations on this day, those made at the above stations being also now given, it may be seen low little evidence is furnished of a depression of the intensity of the one which in reality existed. From the sea observations it is found that the disturbance, although small, was a violent one and also that the course which it had taken during the 24 hours ending at noon on the 24th, viz., to west, was changed to NW by W during the evening. For these reasons, as will presently be seen, the weather forecast issued on the morning of the 24th failed, and the failure arose, firstly, from the fact that the depression, as indicated by the observations, was not considered to be of great intensity, and secondly, from the alteration of course which occurred during the latter part of the day.
The changes which had taken place at the coast stations since the previous day were a slight increase of pressure at South Cape and Bolinao and a slight decrease at Hongkong. Winds were light at the two former stations, the weather being showery at Bolinao. At Hongkong, the decrease of pressure amounted to 0.03 inch only during the preceding 24 hours, and at noon the barometer read-