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Appendix A.
THE TYPHOONS IN 1895,
By W. DOBENCK and F. G. FIGG.
JANUARY.
The first typhoon in 1895 crossed Yap (lat. 9° 30′, and long. 138° 16′) and. Palaos in January, the centre moving from east to west. For several days before the 20th the air was clear, the NE monsoon was blowing moderately and the sea was smooth. The barometer stood somewhere at about 29.8. Very slight flashes of lightning were usually noticed at night. The following account has been fur- nished by Captain O'KEEFE and Herr PAUL HAGEN. They did not notice any signs of bad weather but state that a common sailor expected a typhoon for several days before the wind burst, for which people laughed at him. On Saturday, the 19th, the barometer began to fall On the morning of the 20th the wind blew from NW in squalls at first light but afterwards with violent typhoon force. The sky was cloudy but not a drop of rain fell. After 6 p. the wind calmed down. The calm lasted till 10 p. The barometer (about 29.2) continued falling slowly. The sky was densely overcast, but no rain fell. Then the wind rose again from NE veering to SE. The barometer reached its minimum (about 29.1) near 1 a. From 1 a. to 3 a. it blew a fearful typhoon from SE with some rain. But there feil very little in this typhoon. Most of the houses were unroofed or blown to pieces. People were blown over except when four or five men clutched each other tightly. The sea rose ten feet above its spring height and carried away the warehouses. Cocoanut and mighty trees which had "been uprooted by the NW typhoon were lifted up and thrown over in the opposite direction by the SE typhoon. After 3 a. the wind began to moderate. The barometer continued rising for a week. The wind backed to NE.
MAY.
On the 11th at 10.30 a. "A depression appears to be situated off the SW coast of Luzon." At. 11.10 a. Forecast:" barometer steady: fresh or strong NE breezes: fair."
On the 12th at 11.10 a.
'Depression still lies off the SW coast of Luzon.' meter falling: moderate NE or N winds: fine."
On the 13th at 10.50 a.
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Forecast: "baro-
"The depression continues to lie over Luzon and neighbourhood." At 11.10 a. Forecast :- “barometer falling: moderate N or NE winds: fine."
On the 14th at 10.45 a. "The depression over Luzon appears to be passing slowly away to the Eastward." At 11.10 a. Forecast:-- barometer steady: moderate NE winds: fine."
.
On the 11th and 12th a shallow depression (II) lay off the SW coast of Luzon in about 14° to 15" latitude.
On these two days pressure was about 0.2 inch below the normal at Bolinao and Manila and wet weather prevailed at both places, winds being light chiefly from an E and SE direction. The S.S "Yuensang experienced strong NE breezes at noon on the 11th in 17° 44, 117° 37′ and on the 12th in 15° 03', 119° 58' at noon, the barometer (29.66) having fallen 0.15 inch since the previous day, a moderate SE gale, veering to SW as the vessel proceeded southwards, was encountered accompanied by rainsqualls and a cross sea. Off the Annam coast (barometer about 29.82) and to the S of Hongkong (barometer 29.90) winds were chiefly light or moderate NE breezes on this day.
Between the 12th and 13th a further decrease of pressure took place in Luzon, At 4 p. on the latter date the following observations were telegraphed :--Bolinao, 29.59 NW 2 o; Manila 29.61 SSW 4 og; but on the 14th the barometer had risen about 0.1 inch at both places gentic NW breezes prevailing at Bolinao and moderate SW breezes at Manila.
In the absence of complete observations the depression would appear to have moved slowly towards NE between the 12th and 14th. On the 15th it may have been in 22°, 126°; on the 16th in 25, 128°; and on the 17th in 30°, 132°. The bark Belmont in about 25°, 13240 had SE 10 and a fast falling barometer at midnight on the 16th, veering to SSW 9 on the morning of the 17th.
JUNE.
On the 10th at 10.50 a. There are some indications of the existence of a depression to the SW of Luzon." Forecast:-"buroineter falling: fresh or strong NE breezes: fair to showery."
On the 11th at 11.0 a. "The low pressure area appears to be situated in the neighbourhood of the Paracels." Forecast:-barometer falling: fresh or strong NE to E breezes: unsettled, showery." On the 12th at 10.20 a. "The depression appears to be now situated in the S part of the Gull of Tongking and to be moving towards NW." At 11.10 a. Forecast:-"barometer unsteady: strong or fresh E to SE breezes: showery and squally."