1929-08-23 — Page 1

NEW 1929

GRAHAM - PAIGE

SEDAN and TOURING MODELS

Touring from $2,300-Sedan from $2,550.

Sale Distributors for Hong Kong &

South China:

KOTEGATE & CO.

Pedder Building, 3rd floor.

Telephones C. 93 and C. 741.

IN THE

Burnett

Edwarping Director,

ChinaTMTM Mail

大英八月廿三

拜五日

中華民國已已年七月十九日

ESTABLISHED

1845

No. 27,265) HONG KONG, FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1929,

WAKE

OF THE

TYPHOON

GRAPHIC DETAILS OF DAMAGE DONE

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF SHIPPING IN THE HARBOUR

OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE MAIN FEATURES

Remarkably Small Addition To Island's Water Supply

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES RECOUNTED BY "CHINA MAIL" MEN

The Colony has suffered to a surprisingly small extent as the result of the typhoon that pass- ed close to the south of the Island yesterday afternoon.

Shipping, in particular, has come out of the dread ordeal almost unscathed with the excep- tion of same motor launches and smaller craft. It has been indeed a miraculous escape for which the whole Colony, and especially those "who go down to the sea in ships" must be profoundly grateful.

Ashore, the greatest damage has lain in the unroofing of a few houses and verandahs on 'both sides of the harbour whilst the number of casualties is likewise surprisingly low, looking to the high velocity of the wind when the typhoon was at its height.

There were thrills aplenty ashore, particularly in the business part of the city, the erash of signboards, windows, motor car tops, and so forth, combined with heavy rain and a cyclonic gale, being eerie in the extreme.

Special stories and impressions are given below, affording room for congratulation that the Colony as a whole has escaped so lightly from the mighty hand of King Typhoon.

this morning) might have not con- stituted a danger to the public- and to the poor journalist who must needs gather "copy"if an Ordinance were passed laying down heavy penalties for careless- ness or callousness?

*WS

Difference from 1923. Typhoon In one material act, yester- day's typhoon differed from the memorable blow of 1923.. vears ago. live wires fused and cracked in many parts of the city to the danger of pedestrians- and if memory is right. life was In lost through electrocution. none of the streets traversed by a "China Mail" man between 2 and 3 pm, yesterday was any severed wire seen lying loosely across thoroughfures. And the "Mail" man went particularly to the Cen tral Market and its adjoining lanes. where much sparking had been observed in 1923.

-even OB

TO-DAY'S DOLLAR. The closing rate of the dollar on demand, to-day was 1/11 3/16.

PRICE $3.00 Per Month.

bilious

PERHAPS ITS EYES!

Seme forma of eyestrain cause biliousness. Chur examination will quickly determine whether you need glasses or not. We never prescribe glasses unless they are necessary.

LAZARUS

Hong Kong's Only European Optician. 13, Queen's Road, Central. Telephone Mr. Cooper C. 2203 for upp intment.

The typhoon appears to have form- Once he was under the big they all rammed againstrach other, ed during the afternoon of August verandah of the block of building, with the result that several of them 20 in Latitude 19 North, about 150 he was thoroughly exhausted. He were sunk. The "Vancouver' is miles-west of North Luzon. It followed rested for quite a while, and after submerged with only her funnel a west-north-westerly track until 2 the typhoon had moderated; be showing. Salvage work will be p.m. on August 21 after which a more safely made his way home.

northerly course was taken until 10 p.m. when it passed east of the Pratas. Subsequently the typhoon moved north-west, passing immie- diately south of Hong Kong at 1.30 p.m. on August 22.

The lowest barometer reading re- corded at the Royal Observatory was 28.048 at 130 p.m. The greatest

LAUNCHES SUNK

Four Police. Craft. Suffer Damage

A complete and detailed report of

proceeded with at once, and it is hoped that she will be in working order shortly.

The "Bank Line" Another European-owned launch to share the same fate was

the "Bank Line," a vessel belonging to

the Bank Line Steamship Company.

squall velocity was from the east at damages sustained by vessels in the She was also inside the shelter, and the rate of nearly 120 miles an hour. harbour as a result of yesterday's the cause of her foundering was The wind reached gale force at Gan blow had not been made to the identically the same as in the case The Hong Kong & Rock at 10 am, at Wagian at 11 Police or to the Harbour authori-of the others.

Company have a. and at Hong Kong at 11.50 a... ties this morning, but so far (from Whampoa Dock It reached typhoon force at Gap Rock the few reports received). the in- commenced salvage work. at noon and at Waglan and Hong dication is that small craft in the Kong u. about 1 o'clock, and lasted harbour suffered considerable dam- for over two hours at each station. age. It is quite likely that within

ing.

A MIRACULOUS ESCAPT

Thrilling Experience of Foreigner

Other Crafts Sunk The coxswain of the steam launch "Choy Fat" made a report to the a day or two more reports will be Harbour authorities this morning to the effect that his vessel was made to the Harbour Office.

Flying inside the Yaumati Shelter,

A Triangular Collision

A triangular collision, resulting near the Southern entrance. The in no damage to any one of the "Choy Fat" was herded in by a three crafts concerned, was report number of other launches, lightere, A most miraculous escape from ed to the Police. The "Meridian and junks. At 230 p.m. when the serious injury and probably death Star" was cast adrift by a heavy gale was at its height, he noticed. "Sight-Seeing"

was the alarming experience which gust of wind whilst she was moor- that there was a danger of his a foreigner met with yesterday. ed inside the Government Shelter. vessel being crushed by others. Another puint of comment is the

If there is such a thing as "nine In her aimless wandering, she ran He then started his engines going, emparatively large number about

lives." he must have been the one headlong against the No. Fire the hope of getting clear away the Praya-at the rifted with that mythical bless- Float which was also in the same from the others. height of the storm. This was

Did Not Work shelter. The impact caused the probably due to the fact that mosti

Qwing to the terrife wind, the He left his Office at about 1.50 latter vessel to clash with a Police people had, during the tiffin inter-

"Choy Fat" made no headway, and cal resigned themselves to "a of a friend, set out for his home

pan, und, in spite of the warnings faunch.

Four Launches Damaged

the rough sea which was running day off."

gear out sight-seeing at Causeway Bay. He took a

Four Police launches--Nos. 7, 8, at the time greatly prevented any and then walked to the danger

The result was that manoeuvring. motor car from the Post Office, 9, and 14 were damngad as a re- zone without realising that the

stern came in centre of the typhoon was passing and everything went well until he suit of ramming against other ves- the "Choy Pat

arrived at the corner of Arsenal- sels whilst they were in Yaumati contact with the stern of another close by just after 2 o'clock. Ir

boat. The "Cboy Fat" began to Shelter. street and Queen's-road East. 1923. the only people on the Praya

The wind was blowing furious-

The No. 7 launch sustained dam-make water. and subsequently she between the Yaumati ferry and tv. and the car had

to go past age to her panel and gunwale, foundered. taut another showed that all the shipping, so far the Harbour Offee were Chief

The steam launch "Cheong Hing" Queen's-road East instead of by No. 3 had her gunwales extensively as they could see, was in good order. Preventive Officer S. J. Clarke, a whilst a Dutch ateamer even had the Pressman, and two coolies the Praya. The typhoon was at damaged and also her extension met with similar fate. temerity to steam out from the

were at the very tip of the Osake its worst then, and from the superstructure. The No. 9 launch corner of Arsenal-street until had her bulwark torn off, and her as if voyaging over whart

of order, Shosen Kaisha wharf valiantly reaching Wanchai-road, where the steering gear put out but vainly attempting glassy waters of an inland lake.

also The Taikoo Dock launch, the line out to the old "Loongsane Naval Monument is. no fewer than while her gunwales

damaged. Kowloon Dock launch and the Naval before she went down within 100

Crew Take Bath steaming yards or so of the sea-wall.

Launch No. 14 was similarly launch were to be seen

damaged. round the harbour looking for

Several casualties.

THE PUNY HAND OF MAN

At 1.45 yesterday the force of the wind was such that in Wellington Street, Wyndham Street, Queen's Roat Central, Des Voeux Road and Connaught Rout it looked as if some enormous dragon had come along and simply dragged his tail along the entire thoroughfares mentioned. It apart flower stalls, knocked off pinster, flicked off signboards, and with one mighty lap of his tail left everything looking like nothing! That is what a wind of typhoon

force can do.

The rain, driven by the wind, soon blocked the channels which the puny hand of man had provided against such contingencies, showing that the puny hand of nag is very tiny compared with the forces of Nature.

Up to the Knees At the corner of Duddell Street you saw coolies wading nearly up to their kneeS in water. At the corner of Wyndham Street and d'Aguilar Street there was another food. At the bottom of Pedder Street there was another food. And at the bottom of Ice House Street, at its junction with Des Voeux Road, there was yet another flood.

The elements showed that man is lle can not what he thinks he is!

devise and construct sluices, chan- nels, and nuliaha-but when King Typhoon comes, where is he?

"Mir. Wind"

And there is Mr. Wind, who says: "I don't like this signboard."--and down it comes! "I don't like this other signboard"-and down comes! A whisper of his mighty breath and down another comes. What

for humans?

cares

he

else was tria and tribute to the P.W.D.!

were

came

ail

Twisted Water Pipes Walking further along we

been across the pipes that had specially laid down to give water to a thirsty people during the water The pipes famine.

They were lying beaten zig-zag. and broken up into all shapes, some lying across the road entirety our of their original alignment. And the shelters that had been

erected to protect the water carriers from the fierce rays of Old Sol were all levelled to the ground.

Neary every wharf had its little office at the entrance laid flat.

At Yaumati Ferry the concrete elevation or rising over the water pipes had simply been all washed away, which showed the force of the wind and the water.

There was

AMAs maar we can!

"It's an l wind." etc., and those who expected consider- able further improvement in the water situation were dis- appointed.

Yesterday's typhoon was re-

into markable-taking

CON- sideration the intensity and the duration for the com- paratively small quantity of attendant rainfall.

Tytamtuk reservoir, the big- gest in Hong Kong Island. which some had hoped would be full, gained about three feet, bringing the level to be- tween 16 and 17 feet below overflow.

£******PVOCATESS&COD

Mr. and his work of devastation.

Verily a Sight to See?

the

It was reported that a B. and S. steamer had broken her moorings and was drifting in mid-stream, but that was unthinkable because the force of the wind was not sufficient to overpower it.

who

to pass

twenty signboards were blown against the motor-car which was going at a "snail pace."

were

Broke Away

The steam launch "Tai Sang," belonging to the Wong Choy Ho Co.. made a report to the effect. that she was towing two cargo bonts and lighters from Canton, and when opposite Tai Lam Chung, Castle Peak, the lighters and junks A Fall Size Brick

members of the crew broke loose from the launch owing No. 2 Police Station was reach were thrown into the water, but to the cable having snapped. ad and just before turning into they

The launch lost control with the were rescued. They were Wanchai-road, a full size brick nothing the worse for their immer-result that she was badly buffeted. was hurled at the wind shield of¦sion. In the case of the crew of Her Crew of twelve inen the ear by the gale. The thick No. 8 launch, they lost all their thrown overboard, and only after Buildings and structures along plate of glass was smashed to personal belongings.

much difficulties did they gain the

PRAYA BAST

Motor Truck Bonnet Among Debris

people were unable to say.

Wharf Incident

were

on the Praya Easi smithereens, and the driver ve- Nos. 7 and launches are laid up.shore. It was noticed that the water the new road

have received the full ceived a slight cut in the left eye. their damage being too extensive to On the lighters there was a mix- piping hereabouts was all right, seem to

In fact few Luckily for the foreigner inside permit of their being put into ed crew, but to which direction which shows that the wind struck force of the gale. only a certain section of the water- escaped and were either complet the car, he had his raincoat off commission without the necessary the boats had drifted to the launch

or on the verge of and using it as a screen, he was And yet in setting out ly wrecked front.

Naturally they could able to break the observed collapse.

force of the $53600*36*******$*UTIF from Blake Pier it was

to the elements as brick. that one enterprising firm had built not stand up

COURSE OF TYPHOON The Car up the front of their premises with they are all more or less of the

was then unable to It backed to a wooden planks in approved forti- matshed type with tiled roofs. proceed further.

They consisted mostly of contrac-side channel near the M. Y, San tore and wood merchants buildings Factory. There they waited for and garages, and here and there about ten minutes, and when the one could see the bonnet of a wind, had slightly subsided, the motor truck among the debris.

driver plucky motor

ventured gale had forth once more. At Ming Yuen the blown down two tall palm trees, which had completely damaged

fication fashion.

"The Wreckers"

Proceeding along the Wing Lok Street Wharf of the Steamboat Com- pany it was found that this was standing good and strong. Coolies -gangs of them were observed picking up pieces of timber and bits of sampans to take home for fire- wood.

A fine harvest for "The Wreckers."

Politeness Personified

The barometer reading were: 10a.m.-29.50

2,30 p.m.-28.95

3 p.m.--29.20

Huge Signboard Crashes

the stage and dressing rooms con- The car backed out of the kerb

Just as it nected with this popular Chinese and shot forward.

did so, a huge signboard came pleasure garden, while the audi- torium was completely wrecked, crashing down from the very spot In their fall they came in contact river looked at the foreigner and

where the car had parked.

with an electric standard support-

The

The American Consulate- General received at 9 o'clock this morning the following cable from the Manila Ob- servatory:

6 22, August

P.M. Typhoon in about 113 de- grees Long. E. and 22 de- grees Lat. N., moving W. This morning's weather re- port states:-

%

The maater of cargo boat No. 2188V reported that at 11.30 am. yesterday, she made fast to the 3.5. "Sai On," which was lying along- side the Tong On Wharf. When the typhoon was at its worst, the "Sai On" left its mooring place to go into shelter. The cargo boat, which was loading coal on to the "Sai On," then dropped two an- chors from the bow, but the an- chors dragged and the jank's stern was driven against the wharf. The craft foundered almost imme- diately, but all her crew were able to swim ashore. There were twenty tons of coal in the boat, and the total damage sustained was estim- ated at $400.

River Boats Fate

The two Biver boats the "Tai Lee" and the "On Lee" which wont into shelter off Stonecutters' Island immediately after the signal was given of the approach of the typhoon, returned to their wharves yesterday evening at about seven o'clock.

One of them--the "Tai Lee" had her wireless outfit ripped away, and the bridge of the other vessel was

The ss. "Tin Tin"

The 9.8. "Tin Tin"-a vessel on the Canton and Macao tun was wash-

An irregular area of high pressure covers S. Manchuria On returning in ricshas we were

and N. Japan, and extends suuthward to the Loochoos. nearly stopped by the authorities, ing the overhead wires, carrying he at him, both looking relieved

A depression covers Tong- all wearing steel belmets, but they the pole and wires to the ground. at the lucky escape. courteously allowed us to pass with The overhead repair gang arriv The vehicle was, however, able king.

The typhoon probably enter- the remark: "You are lucky to ed on the scene shortly after 4.30 to go a few feet when a terrific

ed the wind literally forced the car back.

coast деаг Macao get through." to which we rejoined p.m., and set to work to repair

The driver abandoned the trip But already they the defect.

yesterday afternoon and filled that that was so.

and left the foreigner to fend for up rapidly, as it is not indicat- were busily engaged in straighten-

Bathing Sheds Destroyed himself.

ed this morning. Exultingly he says: "Come down" piping lying in the middle of the ing out the pipe lines. The Gov-

The Bathing Matsheds at North Getting out of the

Forecast:-S.E. or variable car at the --and down they come and no power road, helpless against the wind andernment courteous to the last! It may

winds, moderate; fair

gen- of mere man can stop them!

the water, helpless against man's seem to blunder at times, but in an Point suffered badly and were all corner of Mallory-road and Wan-

erally. corner, the foreigner Thus you get signboards costing ingenuity and what man can do emergency it comes out on top and destroyed with the exception of chat-road hundreds and hundreds of dollars against the elements. When King is politeness personified.

that of the Chinese Athletic As-tried to make his way home on

which and you get signboards costing Typhoon says: "I come," he comes;

Finally, on coming back, we dis- sociation

suffered little foot. By this time he was drench. 696633992326559360 seven, ten, fifteen, or twenty dollars and man cannot stay his progrese cerned one of the tugs returning damage. The recently built con-ad to the skin.. He got as far as repairs. The other two launches wrecked.

Warren & and they all come down!

Company's from its mission of mercy in the, crete structure of the South China Messrs.

were able to carry on after tem- Wind simply breathes on them and

harbour, showing clearly that ap to Athletic Association stood the test showroom, and in his wake was a

Portuguese girls. porary repairs had been effected. down they come! And he calls

that time there could not possibly and seemed to be little the worse party of three

The s.s. "Cassum" upon his pal, the rain, which comes Eventually we came to the Imports have been any serious casualty of the "how" in spite of its ex-Then came another gust of wind The s.s. "Cassum" is also reported on the rocks off Laichikok. She along and washes them out.

And and Exports Office. And there was amongst shipping.

posed position, although the barn- and drove him and the girls righted to be high on the rocks one mile was bere for repairs and whilst boo structures built out from it back. Luckily for the foreigner, west of Capsuimun Pass. It ap-moored to her slipway at Shamshui- so you see in the streets what were a sight at the receipt of custom.

he seized hold of a tree just outpears that she was cast adrift, and po, her anchor chain snapped. She had completely disappeared. once bamboo structures, lime and Four bare walls were standing and

Many private residences in the side Dr. Majima's Hospital, as he atter dragging her anchor for a was, then drifting in the harbour un- sand that would have been trans- the tiled roof had been blown out.

Colony have suffered by the force came tumbling backwards.

The considerable distance, she ever-til she landed on the rocks. She le formed into cement, timber for the The small office in the corner was all

of the hurricane. At Seven Sis-three girls were less fortunate tually landed on the rocks, sustain said to be badly damaged. making of signboards invented by bare everything, had been blown

ters, Teat Tee Mui, the property They were rolled on the grounding damage to her back. She was the ingenuity of man to attract away except the framework. And

of Mr. J. Dalziel, the massive plc-by the wind until they landed on boarded by Police Officers at 7.20 people's attention by different so majesty was laid low! All who

turesque Chinese gateway was a heap of rubbish. The foreign last evening, but nobody was on methods of advertising all blown had before walked in with hats off or hats on could enjoy a quiet God of into the gutters by the

completely demolished, carryinger then made his way to the girls board. chuckle now. They could see that.

with it a great mass of stone work to see if assistance was needed. Wind assisted by his pal, the Rain.

even the Government is impotent When will legislature be intro- from the eight-foot wall. Further He found the three girls bleeding and can

do nothing against the duced to make it compulsory for damage was done to the stone in the face hands and knees, but A DETOUR

powers of Nature. One Hast, one

owners of anything movable to work by the flag pole, which suap they refused to be taken to hos earthquake shows take down or secure safely the pet at the base N pitels 3. Before, During and After the

Thunderbolt, one cute and uns same on the No. 1 signal going. The matched stables situated Once more the foreigner made Co., Hong Kong, & few months ago. and wear a un honeta Big Blow

up? It is problematical, as the ear the Officers Meza of the bis way up the slope and this on her trip down to Shanghai, she out to inspect the dama Starting out with a companion At the Steamboat Wharf legal profession might say, whe K.O.S.B. was practically a wreck, time safely got past Mewers met with a severe typhoon, and had town and remove debe from the Club (writes one eye- At the Hong Kong, Macao and substantial or otherwise, after be and were doing their best to rison Hill-road he was again in refuge. Her new

ther one can recover damages, and late in the afternoon officer's Warren's shop. Arriving at Morto go into the port of Wenchow for roads, witacas) there were signs of the Canton Steamboat Company's ng "hiffed on the head by a repair the damage.

The scene in Qu difficulty, Huge boulders came without news of her for a long the Murray Bar heavy storm on every hand, We Wharf-fine and imposing looking window, signboard, or frame 300

tearing down the hill, windows time, and much anxiety was felt for the Central Mar got to the Blake Pier and found to impress the traveller by se yards from where it was original- that the roof held good-thanks be part of the structure had been ly. But, in all seriousness, there

and pieces of glass were soaring her safety.

struction. 3- in the air like paper kites. He C.P.R. Launch Foundered to they who had so solidly erected levelled but part stood. The is far too much nonchalance.

was dodging them here and there Among the several launches that and broken g it It was a tribute to their work typhoon looked at it, bent it, and Of course, those who lose their

in that neighbourhood for fully foundered within the Yaumatt over the rost manship. The only damage done then left itas much as to say: "I property through it being carried

half an hour before he could ar-Shelter was the CP.B. vessel

huge adver was to three planks on the pier that have done this thinuz just to show away are penalised to a certain The following statement on the rive at Messrs. Brown Jones, up "Vancouver. She was anchored had been forced asunder by tho you my power

Kong Amu extent. Yet how much of the de-typhoon has been made to the Preas by dertaker. He was not without a inside the shelter together with a water dashing against the pier and A glance at the harbour at this bris gathered by the Sanitary Denetics, Acting Director of sense of bumour, for he realised number of other boats, but owing blown dow seeking an outlet, Everything juncture it was now 2.80 p.partment (making an early start the Royal Observatory ——

what a handy place he was in. to a sudden change of the wind,

and helpless!

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES -

Danger to Public From. Falling Debris

The

OFFICIAL STATEMENT:

Track of the Typhoon Traced

INSPECTING DAMAGE

Emergency Squads of Police

Immediately after the storm for service on the Yangtare. She abated, two emergency squads was sold to Messrs. Cassumbhoy & the Police, under senior insp

Formerly the "Woodlark" The "Cassum" was, formerly the HMS. Woodlark”—a petrol boat

owners. were

Wyndham-st