1874 — Page 226

[No. 198.]

Appendix No. 1.

HARBOR DEPARTMENT. HONGKONG, 14th October, 1874.

SIR,-For the information of His Excellency the Governor, I have the honor to transmit a Report of the Typhoon and of the principal casualties that occurred in this Harbor ou the morning of the 23rd ultimo.

The morning of the 2nd commenced fine, with the Barometer at 29,85-the average range of the previous four days. As the day advanced, the atmosphere became unsettled, and, notwithstanding that the wind was North West it was accompanied by an oppressive heat, the Thermometer being 859 Farenheit.

The Barometer began to fall at noon and steadily went down, until at 4 P.M. it was 29.74.

The wind which at this time was about North North West, began to blow in fitful gusts across the Harbor, and it became evident that a Typhoon was approaching.

The Steam-launch was sent round to warn the Junks that they must at once seek shelter in Kowloon Bay, on the North side of the Harbor. With the exception of five, they all left their anchorage; these subsequently became wrecks at West Point.

The Barometer continued to full slowly mutil 10.30 P.M., when it stood at 29.40, the wind having veered to North. Between 10.30 r.m. and 2 a.m., the Barometer fell upwards of half an inch and stood at 28.88-its lowest range for about an hour.

At 2 A.M., the wind suddenly shifted to North East and then to East North East and blew with terrible violence. The strength of the wind brought an immense volume of water into the Harbor, not a tidal wave, but a ra lid rise which continued for about an hour flooding the Praya and ground floors of houses to a height of four and five feet for some distance

ashore.

Although according to ordinary calculation it should have been low water at two o'clock; by three, the wrer had risen to from five to six feet above its high water level, or a rise of about ten feet had taken place.

As the storm subsided, the wind gradually veered to South East and by 7 A.M. it was fine.

Under such circumstances it is not surprising that the loss of Shipping and Junks should have been so much greater khan it has been during any previous Typhoon. But few vessels held on to their anchors without dragging, and many that would otherwise have remained stationary were fouled by other ships and dragged also-in some instuuces to go down Mogether.

The Master of the British Barque Falcon tells me that his ship dragged on to what he supposes was the British Barque Malvern; that the collision stove the Falcon's stern in, but the Malvern's bows suffered so badly that she went down hend foremost with all hands ou hoard just after the Fulco had drifted clear of her.

Another instance is recorded of the German Barque Maury fouling the Gerinan Barque Aldebaran causing her to Link; the crew of the latter vessel got on board the Maury, but she was so damaged, that, after being fouled by two Steamers, she also sank, but later in the day, the crew escaping by means of their boats after the storm had subsided. One wessel, however, the British Barque Charlotte Andrews, held to hier auchors, although she had been fouled by other craft, and saw nine vessels drift past hier.

It is painful to report that two Spanish. Steumers are lying sunk alongside the sea wall at the centre of the City. A strict regard to the readings of the Barometer and the general appearance of the weather should have warned the Cajitains of those vessels to seek shelter the eveuing before the Typhoon set in.

The German Barque Everhard was thrown over a reef of rocks on to a sandy beach on the North East point of Lantao; and a Siamese Brig drifted, ultimately becoming a total wreck on the Island of Cheang Chow Ching.

The cases above described ure inserted with a view to showing the mauner in which the storia acted on some of the Wessels.

I am of opinion that the casualties to the British and foreign shipping would not have been so great had more of the Wessels been provided with heavier anchors; and had cable been veered at an earlier stage of the storm than was apparently Boue. But the sudden shiftings of the wind aud the simultaneous rise of tide were doubtless the principal causes of the

eplorable losses afloat.

Junks and smaller boats are so ill provided with ground tackle, that the rise of the water was of itself enough to cause their anchors to start from their holding ground.

No place was safe for this kind of craft. Stone Cutters Island and Kowloon Bays, usually such safe harbors of refuge Euring a Typhoon, seem to have availed them nothing, the beaches of these places being literally strewed with wreck.

The loss of life is most distressing. Of British and foreign shipping alone, there is au estimated loss of 200 persons momposed of all classes and nationalities.

I append a Report of the losses sustained by Chinese Juuks as far as they could be ascertained, but this does not by any means show the terrible havoc which the Typhoon has made with this description of vessel. I have only been enabled to Hundreds of smaller Juuks and boats must Bount vessels stranded and those sunk having their masts above water.

prve been driven out to sea or gone down in the Harbor of which nothing can ever be known.

From the log books of ships that have experienced this Typhoon at sea and where the Masters bate registered the readings of their Barometers, I have been able to ascertain that the Typhoon blew with great violence in the neighbourhood of the Pratas Shral, the British ship Onward, the American ship Highlander, and German barque Amanda having been in it between the hours of 4 and 6 P.M., of the 22nd. The storm velled thence in a North-Westerly direction, the Spanish Steamer Formosa in Latitude 20o 60 North and Longitude 115 East, being on its Western limit. The centre passed But just South of Hongkong at about 2 A.M. of the 23rd, its full burst being apparently expended at Macao, where it Faged at about 4 A.M., the Barometer at that place then registering 27.95, or nearly one incli lower than it was at Hongkong. The Onward did not suffer much in this Typhoon, but on the 29th when about 60 miles East of the South end of Formosa she encountered another storm necessitating the cutting away of the main wast and her return to this port to repair damages.

The recent Typhoon is without doubt the severest that has ever visited this Colony, whether we judge by the losses float or on shore. The loss of life in the Junk return is but an approximation of what has occurred; that of the British had foreing shipping is, I think, tolerably accurate as the numbers of original crews and of persons saved could tuore readily be obtained; but, where passengers were on board such vessels, the returns may not be so rehable.

A Report of this nature is generally accompanied by some suggestion to nicet the exigencies of similar casualties should hey visit us.

To the Captains of ships visiting this Port, who are as capable of judging of the weather as I am, I can only offer the uggestion that the Barometer is an unfailing indicator of what is approaching or what is passing our neighbourhood. With good ground tackle; a clear hawse; and plenty of cable, veered before the storun is at its height; almost any British pr foreign built vessel should be able to ride out a Typhoon in this Harbor.

The Department warns Junks of the probability of dangerous weather, but with the indifferent provision Chinese make

I have the honor to be, For such emergencies, it is no wonder there is always so much destruction and loss of life amongst tem,

Sir, Your most obedient Servant,

H. G. TuoмSETT, R.N.,

Harbor Muster, Sr.

The Honorable J. Gardiner AUSTIN,

Colonial Secretary.

HONGKONG.