Extract from a Report on the state of the room situate at the North-east angle upper floor, in the House occupied by Thomas Hyland, Esquire, Postmaster, at Victoria, Hongkong, taken on the 17th of September, 1849.
The whole area of the ceiling, has fallen down, having given way in the centre by the breaking of a piece of China fir pole, carrying with it all the timbers of the ceiling, and destroyed a portion of the furniture in the room.
The ceiling joists were in two lengths, about 16 feet each, the ends having a bearing of 3 inches in the walls, abutting in the centre of the room and nailed to the piece of pole, which was fixed transversely across the room. The breaking of this piece of wood caused the ceiling to separate into two parts at the centre, and as the joists