60
gap
Q. What is your average diurnal barometric variation at present ?
A.-About eight hundredths of an inch.
Q-Is there any difference between a tornado and a typhoon?
A. One of degree only, but this storm presents absolutely new features-it bridges the hitherto existing between typhoons and tornadoes.
Q-At what time would you say the storm was at its full force?
A. From 9 o'clock it was nearly at full fury.
Q.-Between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. what was the rise in force?
A. At 8 to 8.15 a.m. force 4 to 7, 8.15 to 8.30 force 7, 8.30 to 8.45 force 7 to 8, 8.45 to 9.0 force 9 to 10 (Report marked E produced).
Q. Had you any communication with Swatow on Monday 17th ?
A. Yes. 3 p.m. at Swatow Bar 29.68 wind E force 2 overcast (received at 5.52 p.m.). But the Swatow barometer is not to be depended on. Mr. Figg has reason to think that it reads 0.07 too low. The correct reading is then 29.75.
Q.-Have you any information from any source that there was bad weather in the Formosa Channel?
A.-No.
Q.-We are informed that at midnight on the 17th there was bad weather 90 miles E by N of Hongkong. What does this indicate and why did you have no information?
A.—It was so sudden. A vessel or two met it 70 miles ESE of Hongkong.
Q. Will your instruments indicate bad weather elsewhere?
A.-In connection with telegrams-Yes.
Q. What is the range of your instruments?
A. In this case about 20 miles, generally about 300 miles.
Q. Have you any special instruments to enable you to tell that a typhoon is being generated ?
A.-No, only the barometer and the wind-gauge.
Q-Is there any such instrument?
A.-No.
Q.-Supposing that there was bad weather South of Formosa would you be told of it?
A. Yes from the Japanese stations. (Reports produced marked D to D 5.)
Q. Is there anything in the high barometer at Koshun (S. Cape of Formosa) and up the coast of Formosa to indicate bad weather?
A.-No.