390
2
4. From these reports Your Lordship will observe that 26 privately owned buildings collapsed with a loss of 59 lives, while the total number of buildings seriously damaced (s 67.
Three minor Government buildings collapsed, and damage was done to 77 Liovernment buildings with a loss of one life. The cost of the necessary repairs to Government build- ings, roads, etc., estimated by Mr. Chatham at $79,440.
5. The casualties to native craft of all descriptions during the typhoon were as follows:-
1-183
Sunk. Wrecked.
Trading, Fishing and Unlicensed Junks,
Inside Harbour Limits, Outside Harbour Limits,
17 166
25
2 7
Damaged. Persons Missing
so far as is known,
39
219
83
32
0
258
Inside
Harbour Limits 36
5
1
Outside Harbour Limits,
6
G
1
13
42
11
2
13
Inside 53
12
3
Total Native Craft of all descriptions,.
Darbour Livolis, į
39
Outside
Harbour Limits, 72
31
8
232
125
43
11
271
Cargo and Other Boats and Sampans..........
6. Of the casualties to European craft, by far the most serions was the wreck of the river steamer Ying King, and I deeply regret that in this case the loss of life was even heavier than that estimated in my telegram of the 30th July. From the sworn evidence given before the Marine Court, it appears that the number of persons on board the Ying King at the time she foundered was approximately as follows:---
European Officers,
Passengers,
Chinese Passengers,
";
Crew (including Compradore's Staff),
Total,......
3
3
.427
33
466
Of these only 42 are reported as being saved, so that it would seem that 424 persons were lost, including the Master and the 3 European passengers.
7. Excluding the Ying King, the casualties to European craft were as follows :---
Outside the Harbour.
In the Harbour.
Description of Vessels.
Sunk. Ashore.
Dani- Persons aged. Missing.
Sunk, Ashore.
Dam- Persons aged. Missing.
- 3 -
8. The loss of life among the Chinese-more especially at sea-cannot be stated with uracy, and it is probably far heavier than I have stated it to be in the foregoing paragraphs, which are based on the police reports received,
9. The damage done to the railway was fortunately slight, the most serious items being the unroofing of the coolie quarters and the power house at the North Face of the tunnel.
10. The New Territories suffered only slightly from the typhoon, as the crops had to a great extent been already harvested. The District Officer at Taipo reports that no appeals for special help have been made, that there were no serious collapses, and that the only loss of life occurred owing to the wreck of a trading junk on the East Coast,
11. The damage done to trees, shrubs and plants all over the Colony was very consi- derable, and is much greater than that caused by the typhoon of September, 1906. Indeed, it would seem that the force and violence of the wind in this last typhoon was consider- ably greater than in the disastrous storm of two years ago; but, as the Anemometer on the Island was completely wrecked, and that at the Observatory much damaged, any precise comparison is impossible. The results in the harbour were not so terrible as on the former occasion, owing in the first place to the fact that it was possible for the Observatory to give much more adequate warning, and in the second place to the fact that the typhoon came from the N.E., and not from the N.W., as in 1906. The devastation caused on land is, however, much more marked than in the former catastrophe, and many years must elapse before the traces of this visitation in the form of broken and disfigured trees disappear. The storm swept on to Canton--an unusual occurrence-where great destruction of river craft and much loss of life is reported to have occurred.
12. There being a considerable surplus of subscriptions and donations in hand from the funds raised in relief of losses and distress caused by the typhoon of 18th September, 1906, it has not been necessary to raise any special subscriptions in aid of the relief of sufferers by the typhoon which forms the subject of this report. Investigations have been made into cases requiring relief by the Cominittee of the Tung Wa Hospital and the Registrar General, whose report dated the 31st August, I have the honour to enclose.
13. I am glad to be able to inform Your Lordship that the disaster gave occasion for many exhibitions of gallantry in saving life, and that the Police of the Colony sustained their reputation for courage and devotion to duty. I would specially invite Your Lord. ship's attention to the letter of the 11th ultimo from the Tung Wa Hospital enclosed in Mr. Irving's report. I have already conveyed to the officers and sailors concerned my appreciation of their courageous act.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient,
humble servant,
Bugars
Governor, de,
Man of War,.....
Ocean Vessels,
3
River Steamers,
1
1
Steam-launches,
6
10
European Lighters,
10
1
4
Total,..
17
15
17
5
co
8
9
The total number of casualties was, therefore, 71 involving a loss of 5 lives. The cost of the necessary repairs to Government launches is estimated by the Government Marine Surveyor at $4,106.40.