ABOUT OUR SERVICE AND PRICES:
Our eyesight testing equipmont is probably the fincat in the Far East, our native staff have had years of training with us, and all work is dono undor the supervision of Ralph A. Cooper, Registered Optometrist *. by Canadian Gövörnment Examina- tion. We invite comparison of our :pricos with any reputable optician
in Great Britain or America,"
N. LAZARUS
Hongkong's Only European Optician.
12, Queen's. Road, Central.
The
Hongkong Telegraph
FOUNDED 101
50.21,0)2
‘拜禮·號九十月七英港香
MONDAY, JULY 19, 1926. 日十月六
INGLE QUIT, 10OENTS,
HONGKONG FLOOD DISASTER.
Unprecedented Downpour Causes
BUILDINGS
Widespread Havoc.
WRECKED LIVES LOST...
BUSINESS DISTRICT COMPLETELY INUNDATED.
Hongkong hus 10-day been visited by one of the most disastrous foods in its history. A continuous torrential downpour of rain converted hillside roads into roaring catorneis, swept down to tho City level tons of rocks, earth and debris and flooded the main roads of the town with a brown food to a depth of several feet.
¿
This followed one of the most intense electrical storms over. experienced either here or.elsewhere, according to residents ac< quainted with all parts of the world.
Serious collapses of houses and ronds have been reported, a fire cracker factory at Kowloon City has been blown up as the re- sult of lightning whilst the pumping station on Pokfulum Road has been buried under tons of debris, and the lives of five Chinese workers lost.
ri
Thousands of dollars of damage must have been caused, and the Colony's, business has been virtually at a standstill all day:
THE BEGINNING. Glenealy, loosened tons of yellow Yesterday afternoon, soon after}
earth and these were washed down five o'clock, the first indications elf was a roaring waterfall for
at torrential speal.. Glendaly it were given that the typhoon, which hours, and the water, sweeping had earlier in the day passed to
On down Wyndham Strget and the south of the Colony, was to give us some of its rain. Heavy Ice House Street, flooded the town Big stones, trees,
on,
this
storm
with refuse,
then impassable.
Later, news"shows that five Chinese were killed through the collapse of a portion of the rear
all of the pumping station,'
RECORD RAINFALL.
گرد
17 INCHES IN SIX HOURS.
·
The ruininil from 10 am on Sun- day to 10 ann, today was 21:13 Inches which is a record in somu respects for the Colony. The greatest fall train midnight on Sunday,
HAPPY VALLEY FLOODED.
A SCENE OF UTTER DISOLATION
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BA NỞ THI CHUNG HAPPY VALLBY
NEWS FROM CANTON. BOYCOTT SETTLEMENT
יד
SOME INTERESTING ITEMS,
The topographient formation of.
-Canton, July, 17- Happy Valley is such as to make The Customs situation seems to the locality, one peculiarly liable have cleared up, and probably there. to heavy rain with consequent will be no trouble in the future. disastrous results to the Raco
Course. Rarely if ever, have For some time the Commissioner, Below is the hourly fall for the ed as those of last night. The Ing at the Custom House night and such torrential rains been witness-Colonel Hayley Bell has been stay, worst period of the storm.
.01 inches
11.30 to 12.30
12.30 to 1:30
1.30 to 2.30
-.05 .54
5.80 to 6.30
3:30 to 7.80
2.30, to -3.50 .!! 1.89 3.30 to 4.80 3.96 4.30 to 6.30. 2.00
· 2,64
2.00
3.20
1.01
7.30 to 8.30 8.30 20 9.30 9.30 to 10,30,. The storm was caused by
deluge of two years ago, notable.
as it was, was eclipsed as rain day, the writer is informed, fear poured down incessantly, accomg that at any moment trouble might break out. The Ching which played without a break. Chais, or office employees, also slept Bader these conditions It did and had their meals there for some not take long for the depression of the Valley to fill up, and the days, but the writer has been told breaking of dawn disclosed a that all these men'now return to scene of utter desolation Where their homes at night, and are not the Race Course used to be, a lake being ruolested on coming to had formed overnight, its surface reaching as high as the railings, leaving the Custom House. and its waters extanding to the uttermost limits. of the Course. theAll the reareation grounds were
MORE CHANGES.
ur
The larger engine was wrecked typhoon going ashore 80 miles from submerged, while Club matsheds Chan Kung-pok as head of th: Pea
and the smaller one was damaged to some extent.
cn-
Visiting the stene later in the day, a Telegraph reporter was abled to appreciate the serious
future of the disaster.
and
Hongkong and then filling up, although not a record storm, is ensi 1886 which was cortainly ro worse ly comparable with that of July 15
and one in May, 1889.. ¡7
stood out of the water like ancient Inke-dwellings. Every slope and poses was but part of an admir gradient to all intents and pur-
able watershed system: It was far worse than the big Wongneichong Road, and, in storm of October 1928, which fact, all roads In the Valley were is still fresh in the näblic submerged... making mind and when about 16 inches abroad under these conditions an walking of rain fell. The present rain-extremely hazardous venture. fall beats at least two records. The previous maximum for a July day was 13.48 inches on July 15, 1986, a record bedten by nearby
An enormous boulder, weighing anywhere between 500 and 1,000 tons, had been dislodged from the top of the hillside. At about nine o'clock this morning the whole dis- trist was shaken by a ramble, ac companied by a tremendous uproar, as the boulder, slid down the hill-eight inches. ajde, und, gathering impetus, éharged into the rear of the engine house of the pumping station. Trees standing in the way were where there was stocked a supply of simply: obliterated, Astorehouse waterpipes was crushed like a matchbox, two workmen who were. working in it being killed outright. The enormous mass of rock then
The maximum rainfall for any datc previously was 20.4 inches on May 30, 1889. The record fall 24 hours, set up in 1889, when 29 to 6 am on May 30, has not 29.14 inches between 6 am. May been beaten.
རྩྭ་
Writing at noon the Observatory reported that the rain would pro-
rain fell intermittently during the bricks and all manner of movable came to rest after crashing through bably continue for "several more j evening, and matters got worse things were carried helter-skelter the rear of the main engine house. hours although not so heavily as soon after midnight, when # thunderstorm developed. As the down, making it extremel The main engine was completely during the worst part of the storm.. night Wove
| hazarious to walk (one should wrecked, whilst two fitters in at- The intensified to a degree beyond that say "wade") abroad,
tendance were alan killed. resident engineer, Mr. Tacchi, had. la fortunate escape, by being a few minutes behind his usual hour
to go into the engine room.
remembered by even the afdestd
residents.. Vivid Lightning and heavy thunder were practically
QUEEN'S IDAD.
Queen's Road and Des
Vocux
The whole plant: is now put out
IAT
continuous,, and a downpour, of Road & were flooded to a great vain necompanied by strong gusts depth, shops and ground-floor of wind brought conditions coni-offices being inundated. By the of commission. Cracks have deve-} parable to those of a typhoog. corner of Ice House 'Street and loped in the walls, which, however, Practically all night long the Queen's Road (by the Hongkong still remain intact. The main storm raged with but little abate-Electric Company's showroom) supply pipes are wrecked. and ment, reaching its climax so far there was a raging torrent, that the supplying of water to the Peak. as heavy rain was concerned, was sweeping feet high across the mid-levels and the whole of between eight and nine-o'clock this the road and emptying its flood the western lower district is now morning. Few, if any of the down the lower portion of Icecut off. Colony's residents had spent any House Street. At the Wyndham Four workmen who were in the thing other thin a wakeful night. Street corner there was another main and for many of them the storm torrent, large pieces of masonry escapes from serious injury. The storeroom had miraculous had brought either serious mishap and big slabs of paving being roof of the storeroom came down, or much inconvenience,
washed down into Pedder Street, but the walls still remain intact. which was also already torn about by the force of rushing waters, on being brought out of the ruins. Four men succumbed to injuries Even down to Des Voeux Road The body of a fifth much debris and sand had been remains under the boulder.
victim still carried and there were fully two feet of water running over the road on its way to the Praya.
INEVITABLE DISLOCATION.
Everything has been dislocated. There were no Peak Tramway cars running because of heavy falls of earth across the line; there were no lower level tram ears because Des Voeux Road and Queen's Road were flooded to a depth of two-and
Water fully six feet deep flood-
ed Queen's Road nearer to
three feet; and all those residents Wanchai, as the big nullah, which and workers who have succeeded in "getting into their offices to-day passes down by the side of have had to wade through rivers Barracks burst its sides.
of mud,
details.
HILLSIDE CATARACTS,
Murray
FIVE LIVES LOST.
DISASTER AT PUMPING 'STATION.
ABERDEEN SWAMPED.
FEARED LOSS OF LIFE.
under
»
CRACKER FACTORY
EXPLODES.
ALARMING REPORTS FROM KOWLOON.
Alarming reports of a heavy death roll at a cracker factory explosion at Kowloon City were j proved to be unfounded when representative of the Telegraph visited the scene this morning,
The factory is known as the after four o'clock, this morning Kwong Man Loong, and shortly
it was struck by lightning on the South-west side, when the atorm
having an area of about 60 square was at its height.. A thick wall
feet, was hurled in all directions, women, who had been sleeping in the building, were unharmed. Realising that they were now in a place of extreme danger, they ran to the men's tjuarters and sought sufety.
but only fifteen feet away some
The worst conditions obtained at the eastern end of the Valley where the water reached waist,
· TO PEAK RESIDENTS.
Water Must Be Conserved..
We are asked by the Water Authority to state that in consequence of the disaster at
the
pumping station, the taking of baths by residents of Conduit Road, Robinson Road and all the Peak district " must cease at once, whilst the absolute minimum of water- must be used for cooking" „purposes.
No water from the mains should be used for flushing purposes, and residents aro advised to catch as much rainwater as they can. All water, should; moreover; be boiled before use..
At the moment the water to the Peak has been cut off and there is very little in the storage reservoira. The utmost care must be used, and residents are even asked when returning from town to take them to the Peak that they as many bottles of water with
oun secure.
י
14
high. Care were washed into the middle of the roadway, whilst a swirling stream was the only visible indication of where the course of the nullah from Wong netchong Gap ran,
Completely overwhelmed by the floods, it was not yet possible-this morning to ascertain what im- provement had been obtainable by the widening-ohly, recently com-
TALK.
LATEST REPORTS FROM CANTON.
PICKETS STILL BUSY.
A Canton correspondent says it
is hard to say what the prevailing sentiment is among the Chinese there regarding the likelihood of a successful termination of the boy. cott. However, the fact that very few Chistene went to Hongkong when the pence ncgotiations were first talked of, but that they are now going to and from Hongkong In greater numbers would seem to show that most people are fairly
Lau Shiu-wing has surweled "ptimistic. There is no doubt, that labourers as well as merchants sants and Labourers' Bureau, and
want to see the end of the boycott,
M. Chan expects to leave within has already taken up his new office. but there is a question whether the strike leaders will willingly submit the next few days for the North tuto a settlement that does not give working men some financial consi- carry on propaganda work. All
Kuomintang organisations will, be this work will be under his control deration."
The same correspondent" says that river pickets are attempting established, speakers will address.
to prohibit all Chinese boats from audiences, and a great quantity of literature will be distributed in passing Pakhoktung at night, so.as Hunan and other provinces which to prevent the taking of provisions the Nationalist Army may enter.
passengers to Hongkong
and
After Wu Han-min Kft Canton, steamers. So. far, this blockade. Ng Che-fai took his place us head does not seem to have teen very. of the Labour Department of the successful, for the writer has seen Kuomintang.. It is understood that a number of Chinese cargo boats he has now resigned, and that
Chan Shiu-yan has been appointed that have reached the Futshon und his successor..
Lungshan during the past several It is also rumoured that Au days, and since the Canton schools Yeung-ku, commander of the 17th closed there have been daily a Division, who recently took Gene
ral Wu Te-chen's vacated post, great many students as well as will be dismissed from ofice he other Chinese who have gone cause it is said that he is still aboard the Hongkong, boats. loyal to General Wal":
UNION TROUBLE.
INDIAN TROUBLES.
Carrying the corpses of two of the toothbrush makers who were killed a few days ago in a battle with members of another organisa-
VIGOROUS DISCLAIMER BY tion of workers, representatives
LORD IRWIN. of 170 Unions on, the 15th inst marched to the Central Kuomin-
London, July 18. tang Headquarters, the Govern-
Speaking at a banquet at the ment Building, the office of the Chelmsford Club, which was found- Military Command, and to the. office of the Peasants, and Laboured to promote friendly Intercourse ers Bureau to present a protest between the communities of India, against the activities of certain The Viceroy Lord Irwin, dealt ex- labour bodies that refuse to co-haustively with the present com operate with the. recognised
way
Unions. The arrest of Chan Sura, mumal troubles in India, j head of the Kwangtung Labour includes all the "rebellious" ele-
He vigorously disclaimed the in Union, the organisation which sinuations that the Government ments,
demanded. It is was indifferent to or even welcomed thought that the Government may these disorders and dwelt on the abolish the Kwangtung Labour measures taken by
aken by the Central Union, and it is also reported Government in conjunction with the that Chan Sum has fled.'
Local Governments to cope with the situation, and the impartiality of
GERMAN SHIPPING INCIDENT.
The
FRENCH CRISIS.
M.
ERRIOT TO FORM A
CABINET
3
Herriot has agreed to try. and form a Cabinet-Reuter.
DEATH OF MRS. FRASER
From Aberdeen it is learn.
The building which was struck,
Strike headquarters, it is said, the authorities, and the general ap- was used as a store room for ed that the whole of the manufactured crackers and when
have taken up with the German peals for tolerance and of the for- village is Never before in the history of
four feet struck by lightning there was a pleted of the lower end of the Consul, through the Minister of bearance Reuter big floods in this Colony have con-
of water, and it is believed Jurtd, display as the, fireworks nullah which. runs along the Foreign Affairs, the cases of two exploded. The balling soon outer edge of the race course German merchant vessels which, ditions approximated to those
that many junks have either been caught fire, and owing to the high experienend to-day It has not
One fact was made apparent, it is claimed, visited Hongkong' washed away or wrecked there. wind the flames rapidly spread to however, that whatever extensive on their way to Canton. been possible for all of The Telegraph's 'staff, either European
Huts and buildings have been the main building
provisions had been made thus far, Consul has been urged to instruct Another fire atarted in a small they were entirely inadequate to his nationals not to violate the or native, to get to office to-day,
Up to the present, the most scri-
demolished, and many inhabitants and we must, therefore, ask our
store building on the south-east A rumour is in side almost simultaneously and there with the phenomenal deluge. strike regulations in the future readers indulgence and sympathyous occurrence that can be ascer-are homeless.
The disastrous nature of this Any vessel visiting Hongkong, if this issue bears the impress of tained is the collapse of No. 3 circulation that an empty motor roof was blown off by the explo hurried work and hastily gathered pumping station, at Pokfulam
boat has been picked up. One of sion. Every house in the Imme experience may be gauged from according to the strike rules, wit
diate vicinity felt a distinct shock. the fact that the outer wall of the be fined $9,000.
Jockey Club premises has been Road, which is now buried under the godowns of the papers mills
The Fire Brigade received a a huge full of earth.
was practically swept away, but enll about 5 am. and mainly brought down along a stretch of directed their efforts, to keeping over thirty feet. stretch of As usual, all of the damage and It was about 10 a.m. when on
the flames from spreading
On the opposite side of the road flooding arose from the streams of urgent call for assistanco cama
The offices and mon's quarters the wall of the Protestant Ceme- water that poured down the hill through that the pumping station roads like mountain torrents. The had been buried under a big land-washed away, or blocked with were saved. At noon Bremen the resulting debris being washed PASSES AWAY AT KOWLOON
Many roads have been either which face Kowloon City Road tery has also been washed down normal drainage proved utterly alide, and that the bodies of men earth and stoned, or trees. All were still playing on the across the roadway completely Inadequate to carry off the storm of the engine room and boiler room Peak Roads have been transform smouldering embers of the gutted blocking all traffic. water. The Peak Rond was well- staff were buried in the debris, ed into miniature water fails, and buildings.
The anme state of affaire obtain- nigh impassable in parts, and Our representative learned that fire several people who had the hardi-
ed, all through the route to town.
We regret to announce the death lower down the hillside, such roads engines were sent to the scene and hood, to walk down to town, owing
Deprived of the usual tramway of Mrs Frager, the wife of Mr. J.. ás Garden Road, Ice House Stroet, they were, making overy effort to to the trams, not running, did so
The Kennedy Road vicinity pro services, residents had to make A. Fraser, District Oficer North Zotland Street, Wyndham Street, extricate the unfortunate men. It with good deal of peril.. sents a scene of havge Several their way as best they could to which took place at Kowloon Hos D'Agullar Street and Wellington is not known at present how many Cascades of water are leaping over landslides have occurred there, town. The way lay along flooded Street became deluges af flood men were on duty, the number is the edges of the road, and one and the nullahs are broken. The areas, and when that part or pital yesterday water. It is almost Impossible in believed to be at least five or six. European, who was sivept off his bottom part of one of the houses Queen's Road East, outside the mere words, to convey the scenes Apparently the landulido was of feet by the torrents, narrowly there has been washed entirely Naval Yard, was reached, the on these roads. A huge landslide huge dimensions, and blocked the escaped serious injury. As it was away. At this place the water water reached breast-high on Caine Road at the top of roads above the station, making he was only slightly hurt.
was breast high.⠀
no one was hurt..
HAVOC ON ROADS.
(Continued on Para 7).
HOSPITAL...
COBHAM'S FLIGHT.
ARRIVAL AT KARACHL
Karachi, July 18. <Cobham has arrived at Karachi.
Reuter
The premises of Ye Olde Print- erle, situato in China" Building, Mrs. Fraser was removed from were badly flooded, machines and her home at Talpa to the Kowloon big stocks of paper being, inun Hospital. Before her marriage she dated. The damage is estimated was Dr. Alice Turner.
at fully $10,000,0