CLUBS (12) Continuation.
The only two who were saved were Dr. J. A. Lowson, and Lieut. Markham, of the Shropshire Light Infantry. The members of the team shown in this paragraph were as follows:
Reading from left to right, back row standing Lt. G. G. Boyle R.A.; Mr. G. S. Purvis, Hongkong Bank; Sergt. G. Humford, 1st S.L.I; Sergt. T. Donegan, 1st S.L.I; Major J. T. Turner, A.P.D.; middle row seated in chairs, Lt. F. D. Markham, 1st S.L.I.; Capt. J. Dunn, A.S.C.; Dr. J. A. Lowson, Govt. Civil Hospital; Capt. R.H. Dawson, Hongkong Regiment; Mr. G. S. Taverner, H.K. Civil Service; front row seated on ground Lt. F. A. Burnett, 1st S.L.I.; Q.M.S. Jeffkins R.E.; and Mr. C. Wallace of Jardines.
A summary of the Bokhara disaster might be recounted. The vessel left Shanghai on Saturday, October 8, 1892, at noon. There was the usual north-east monsoon and high seas astern, and all seemed well, but on Sunday the weather grew worse, and by night-fall the barometer fell rapidly and the wind rose, indicating the approach of a typhoon. No warning had been received in those pre-wireless days, and no S.O.S. could be sent out. The captain gave orders for all precautions to be taken, the hatches being battened down and other steps taken to meet the oncoming storm. All through Monday, October 10, the ship battled with a fierce gale, but was being steadily driven towards the north-east coast of Formosa. One by one her boats and deck fittings were smashed and either blown or washed overboard, and the captain tried vainly to bring her head round, but she drove on almost helplessly, so by Monday evening everyone was near giving up hope. In a last desperate effort to abate the heavy seas which swept her decks from end to end, the captain ordered oil to be pumped overboard: this had a temporary effect, but the ship's pipe appears to have become choked, and the oil flow stopped. Three huge seas then broke over the Bokhara in succession about 9:30 p.m., which burst through the skylights and poured down into the engine-room, putting out the fires and flooding the machinery. The vessel was now absolutely helpless, and drifted nearer the breaking surf, land lying a few hundred yards away. The engineers heroically went down to attempt the impossible, to get the fires going again; and all went to their doom when the Bokhara struck about midnight, her side being ripped open, so that she sank in less than two minutes.
When she failed to arrive on time, the worst was feared, and vessels were set out in search. First news of the disaster came trickling in to Hongkong through Sunday, October 16, and on Monday, the 17th, the full catastrophe was realised when a telegram was received from Swatow, sent by Captain Burr, R.N., of H.M.S. Porpoise, stating that the Bokhara had been totally wrecked off Sand Island, in the Pescadores, in heavy seas, and about 125 people had lost their lives, only 25 being saved, including the Chief Officer, Third and Fourth Officers, two European quarter-masters, two European passengers (Dr. Lowson and Lt. Markham) and 18 Asiatics, including some Lascar members of the crew. Porpoise arrived the following day at Hongkong with the survivors.
The disaster caused a profound sensation of shock locally and in Shanghai, many being the messages of sympathy received. The St. Andrew's Ball, due to be held a few weeks afterwards, was abandoned; memorial services were arranged; subscriptions were raised; and later a monument was erected by courtesy of the Navy on Sand Island.
There is in the local naval records a letter from the Commodore