No. 198.)
Appendix No. 1.
354
HARBOR DEPARTMENT, HONGKONO, 14th October, 1874.
SIR--For the information of Ilis Excellency the Governor, I have the honor to transmit a Report of the Typhoon
of the principal casualties that occurred in this Harbor on the morning of the 23rd ultimo.
The
morning of the 22nd 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 panied by an oppressive heat, the Thermometer being 85° Farhonheit.
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 Je 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
th side of the Harbor. With the exception of five, they all left their anchorage; these subsequently became wrecks at
et Puint
The Barometer continued to fall slowly until 10.30 P.M., when it stood at 20.40, the wind having veered to North.
ween 10.30 P.M. and 2 A.M., the Barometer fell upwards of half an inch and stood at 23.88-its lowest range--for about
Lour.
hot.., the wind suddenly shifted to North East and then to East North Fast and blew with terrible violence. strength of the wind brought an immense volume of water into the Harbor, not a tidal wave, but a rapid rise which mimed for about au bour flooding the Praya and ground floors of houses to a height of four and five feet for some distance
hore-
Aithongh according to ordinary calculation it should have been low water at two o'clock; by three, the water had
jer 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 n it has been during any previons Typhoon. But few vessels held on to their anchors without dragging, and many reald otherwise have remained stationary were fouled by other ships and drugged also-in some instances to go down
gether.
The Master of the British Barque Falcon tells me that his ship dragged on to what be supposes was the British Barque ; that the collision stove the Falem's stern in, but the Malvern's bows suffered so bidly that she went down head est with all hands on board just after the Falcon had drifted clear of her.
Anether instance is recorded of the German Barque Maury fouling the German Barque Aldebran causing her to k; the crew of the latter vessel got on board the Maury, but she was so damaged, that, after being fouled by two aners, she also sunk, but later in the day, the crew escaping by means of their boats after the storm had subsided." One l, however, the British Barque Charlotte Andrews, held to hier anchors, although she had been fouled by other craft, Maw aine vessels drift past her.
It is painful to report that two Spanish Steamers are lying suuk alongside the sea wall at the centre of the City. A met regard to the readings of the Barometer and the general appearance of the weather should have warned the Captains thuse vessels to seek shelter the evening 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 Lantno; da Siamese Brig drifted, ultimately becoming a total wreck on the Island of Cheang Chow Ching.
The cases above described are inserted with a view to showing the manner in which the storin acted on some of the
Besels.
Tam of opinion that the casualties to the British and foreign shipping would not have been so great had more of the
is been provided with heavier anchors; and had cable been veered at an earlier stage of the storm than was apparently But the sudden shiftings of the wind and the simultaneous rise of tide were doubtless the principal causes of the
plorable losses afloat.
Janks and smaller boats are so ill provided with ground tackle, that the rise of the water was of itself enough to cause her anchors to start from their holding ground.
No place was safe for this kind of cruft. Stone Cutters' Island and Kowloon Bays, usually such safe harbors of refuge aring 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 an estimated loss of 200 persons omposed of all classes and nationalities.
"I append a Report of the losses sustained by Chinese Junks as far as they could be ascertained, but this does not by any aus show the terrible havoc which the Typhoon las made with this description of vessel. I have only been enabled to Ilundreds of smaller Junks and boats must cut vessels stranded and those sunk having their masts above water.
are 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 have registered the readings of their Barometers, I have been able to ascertain that the Typhoon blew with great violence in the neighbourhood of the Pass Shoal, the British ship Onward, the American ship Highlander, and German barque Amanda having been in it between the hours of 4 and 6 e.m., of the 22nd. The storm travelled thence in a North Westerly direction, the Spanish emer Formoza in Latitude 20° 50° North and Longitude 115° 20′ East, being on its Western limit. The centre passed just South of Hongkong at about 2 3.3, of the 23rd, its full burst being apparently expended at Macao, where it ged at about 4 A.M., the Barometer at that place then registering 27.95, or nearly one inch 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 Fasa she encountered another storm necessitating the cutting away of the main mast 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 shout or on shore. The loss of life in the Junk return is but an approximation of what has occurred; that of the British and foreing shipping is, I think, tolerably accurate as the numbers of original crews and of persons saved could more readily be obtained; but, where passengers were on hoard such vessels, the returns may not be so reliable.
A Report of this nature is generally accompanied by some suggestion to meet 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 ggestion that the Barometer is an unfailing indicator of what is upproaching or what is passing our neighbourhood. With good ground tackle; a cleur hawse; and plenty of cable, veered before the storm is at its height; almost any British
foreign built vessel should be able to ride ont a Typhoon in this Harbor.
The Department warns Juoks of the probability of dangerous weather, but with the indifferent provision Chinese make for such emergencies, it is no wonder there is always so much destruction and loss of life amongst them.
I have the bonor to be,
The Honorable J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
H. G. THOMSETT, R.N.,
Harbor Master, &c.
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