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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
wind gradually increased to a strong S.W. gale, which blew with typhoon force on the 29th, with very heavy sea and blinding rain. The ship was hove to until the next morning, when
began to rise, though strong winds and high sea prevailed to port. Between Ocksen and the Heachu Islands a quantity of wreckage was passed, probably the remains of junks which had foundered during the gale.
must have been like a bolt from the blue when the above noted edict was issued commanding the memorialists to be handed to the Board of Civil Appointments for the determination of adequate penalties, "for trying to pre- vent people from making suggestions to the Throne in contravention of his Majesty's previous edicts calling for suggestions from all his subjects, irrespective of rank." The edict also went on to say: "We are the best judge whether a man's memorial is audacious, traitorous, or not and we will not trouble our Ministers in the future to consider such matters for us.
Henceforth, Ministers and high pro- vincial authorities are forbidden to open and read the memorials which they are asked to present to us on behalf of the writers, and the delinquent President of the Board of Rites is now commanded to hand up to us the alleged offensive memorial of the said secretary Wang Hsün." The Reform Party may therefore be said to be triumphant over their old foes at the present moment.-N. C. Daily News.
THE RECENT TYPHON.
The following shipping reports, published by the N. C. Daily News, show the reverity of the récent typhoon and give some idea of the baroc it wrought amongst native craft
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the wind hauled to the N.W. and the barometer
The Newchwang arrived at Shanghai on Thursday evening, 1st instaut, from Amoy and reports having experienced very rough weather. At 2.30 p.m. on the 28th of August anchored inside Double Peak Island. At 8 p.m. the typhoon broke upon them and continued to in crease in violence until about 8 a.m. the following morning, after that the weather began to improve, and at 6 a.m. on the 31st she weighed anchor and proceeded on her voyage,
The Choysang which arrived on Saturday. 3rd, from Hongkong and Swatow reports: At 0.15 p.m. on the 31st of August when in Lat. 24.32 W. and Long 119.05 E. we ob. serred a dismasted junk flying signals of distress. We bore down on her and found her to be a boat of 30 tons hound from Amoy to Taichow with a general cargo valued at $10,000 which was damaged by water. The
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crew of 14 hands wished to be taken on board The agents of the Northern Pacific Steam- which we did as their vessel was in a sinking ship Co., Messrs. Dodwell, Carlil & Co., have condition. At 2.25 p.m. we sighted a large courteously favoured us with the following re- waterlogged fishing-boat flying siguals of dis- port of the weather experienced by the Colum-tress and after bearing down on her we found a bia on her passage from Foochow to Shanghai. crew of 43 on board. They had been dismasted Captain Gow reports that he left Foochow at in the recent typhoon and had been without daylight on Sunday, the 28th ultimo, there be- food or water for four days. The poor fellows ing no sign of au approaching typhoon; after were only too glad to come on board. We reaching 80 miles north of Foochow the weather ceeded on unr voyage and at 4 p.m. we observed assumed a threatening appearance and the bar. a third vessel in a similar state but sinking ometer fell rapidly. Strong winds from the N. rapidly. We immediately bore down on her W. were experienced, gradually hauling round and took off the crew of five hands and theu to N. & N.E., blowing with terrific violence proceeded on our voyage to Shanghai. and accompanied by blinding rain. At 2 a.m. on Monday, the 29th, the barometer reached its lowest reading, viz. 27.90. Confused seas run- ning with great force and breaking heavily; ship lying in the trough of the sea, unable to bead the wind and sea. The storm still hauled more easterly and increasing with the rising barometer the ship drifted considerably to the westward. The sea anchor was rigged aud did good service, seas breaking all over the ship, notwithstanding a quantity of oil being used. Owing to the exceptional violence of the wind and sea the ship continued drifting to the lee shore, soundings being frequently taken, the water was found to shodl rapidly from 24 to 16 fathoms. Starboard anchor was let go
with 150 fathoms of cable and after doing good service and checking the ship's drift, daring a terrific squall, the cable parted. The ship was in the midst of confused and breaking seas and the situation was indeed critical; however, the last squall seemed to break the backbone of the gale and the wind decreased, so that the ship was enabled to head off shore and proceed to Shanghai. Captain Gow, whose experience on the Pacific and the Atlantic has been considerable, reports this to be the worst blow he has ever experienced and thinks him. self lucky in arriving at Shanghai with only the loss of his anchor and cable and minor damages.
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The Shell Line steamer Cowrie arrived at Woosung on Thursday, having sustained severe damage during the typhoon. She encountered the full force of the blow off Turnabont; and bad her decks awept and batches stove in, some 600 tons of water finding its way below. The ship became almost un- manageable, owing to the flooding of the stoke- hole and engine-room, and all the officers, en- gineers, and petty officers were compelled to go below and work with the firemen in order to keep steam. During the gale the carpenter was washed overboard and drowned. The vessel was bound for Nagasaki, with a cargo of kerosene in bulk, but after the weather moder- ated the Captain determined to proceed to Shanghai for temporary repairs to enable the ship to continue her toyage, and as soon as they have been effected she will leave for Nagasaki.
The Loongmoon arrived from Hongkong on Thursday evening, 1st inst. She reports that she left port at 5 p.m. on the 27th ult, with light southerly winds and smooth sea. The
The blue-fannel steamer Antenor reports that on the passage from Amoy, at noon on the 1st inst., when off the Chinchu Islands, a lot of junk wreckage was sighted, with a dead body floating near. Shortly after a man was seen holding on to a floating spar, and the ship was stopped and the man picked up. He stated that he was the sole survivor of a crew of 18, belonging to the junk Kim-yik-seng, bound from Taiwanfoo to Ningpo with a cargo of sugar, which foundered in the recent typhoon on the 29th ult., the man having been three days in the water. An hour later a derelict junk was seen, with a number of fishermen alongside looting her. At 2.30 p.m., when off Ocksen, the ship was stopped in response to siguals of distress from a disabled junk. There were nine people on board who said the junk had been dismasted in the typhoon five days previously, and that they bad been without food and water for three days The Antenor supplied them with food, firewood, and a cooking above, and left them standing in for the land under jury rig. The junk's mas- ter, in describing the affair, said, "plenty junk have go." Several other derelict junk's were sighted, but none were showing signals of dis- tress. The Antenor reports that she experien- ced beautiful weather throughout the passage from Hongkong,
The Japan Mail states that the British steamer Maroa, Captain C. A. Adams, while on the voyage from Hongkong to Yokohama, rescued sixty-three shipwrecked Chinamen off the China coast. Fifty-six were off one large junk, and the remaining seven off another. The steamer passed several dismasted junks which were probably caught in the last typhoon off the China coast. The rescued men will be turned over to the Chinese Consul at Yokohama.
WEIHAIWEI.
Liukungtao, 15th August. During my temporary absence nothing of importance has occurred here. The change of temperature was very noticeable on my return. With the thermometer at something over 90 deg. at Shanghai, it was considerably under 3 deg, at this port. On nearing the island the first thing that attracted my attention and made my heart glad, was a fock of wild ducks! A good angary of the fine sport we will have
up here later on.
On the island, things have been steadily im. proving, new roads have been made, and many
[September 17, 1988.
of the old houses have been removed altogether, Consul Hopkins has gone to Chefoo again, and it seems doubtful whether he will return. In the meantime Mr. Wilkinson is in charge. The Government buildings are now connected by telephone, and the system reminds me forcibly of that of Shanghai-a sure remedy for per fecting the temper.
The death of a seaman occurred on the Grafton last week. Deceased bad been suffer- ing from acute dysentery for some time and finally succumbed on Friday last.
He was buried on Saturday by the side of Dr. Macaulay. To-day the few vessels in harbour dressed ship in honour of the Emperor of China's birthday, and at noon the Grafton fired a salute of 21 guns.
On
This is our rainy season and it has been raining nearly every day for a fortnight. the 10th and 11th we had quite a heavy gale. Most of the small craft were beached, but the larger ones rode it out. sustaining little or no damage. The weather keeps very cool, as I write the thermometer standing at 76.-Mercury correspondent.
1st September.
For two or three weeks past there has been little of general interest occurring in connec tion with this place. About a week since the flagship Centurion returned from her cruise in Japanese waters, as did the Victorious, Nar. cissus, Barfleur, and others. At present, includ. ing destroyers, some twelve or fourteen ships are in the harbour.
At times one of the number steams out for target-practice or goes to Chefoo to coal, other- wise there is not much movement among them. Little as there is at Weihaiwei to make it an attractive place, I understand that many of them were glad to be back from Japan, owing to the fact that here it is much cooler.
Our maximum heat this summer has been about 87 in the shade, and this only on one or two days. For a month or so it ranged abont 82 in the hottest part of the day, cooler at nights, and now and then a drop of eight to ten degrees in the day. And this has been, in that matter, ap average summer. On Liukung- tao cricket and other games have, during the whole time, been freely indulged in. It is cer- tainly a cooler place to spend August and Sep. tember in than Chefoo, and in time Weihaiwei may take away much of the popularity of that place as a summer resort.
Occasional steamers now call on their way to or from Chefoo, but as yet there is little busi- ness outside supplying the Fleet; it, however, makes it possible for residents or visitors to come and go without having the trying over- land journey. There is a report that a steamer belonging to a Chinese firm, but subsidised by the naval authorities, is soon to be regularly running between here and Chefoo.
Among the natives persistent and widespread reports prevail of imminent trouble between England and Russia. Yesterday had been fixed as the day when the Russian Fleet of twenty-two ships was to come along and clear out the English,-or at least attempt it. In the minds of many there seems to have been. a doubt as to whether it would succeed. In recent years there have been so many changes, that to many of the population another change would not be unwelcome, especially were it brought about by a quarrel between two of the outside Western Kingdoms.
The Ruchi is still here, and is the only war- like ( representative of China on band, though some few days since the Tungchi paid a short visit to the harbour.
The Waterwitch is still here busily engaged in survey work. The harbour itself has been well surveyed and I understand given general satisfaction. In places a good deal of dredging is called for, but as the bottom is mostly mud this will not likely be a great expense. I hear that a dredger is on its way here for that work.
Some of the sunken Chinese warships have been sold to a Chinese firm, and they are busily engaged in blowing them to pieces and making what they can of the old iron, copper, etc. One hears of important improvements to be under- taken, but anything extensive will, of course, have to be sanctioned by the home authorities and what is to be made of the place in the near future probably even Lord Salisbury or Mr. Goschen have as yet no clear ideas. But it is