The China Mail.
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1881.
TO-DAY'S STORM.
The violent gale which has been hanging over our heads for two or three days past burst to-day, and the harbour has been the scene of much destruction of property, and it is feared, of not a little loss of life. At daylight the wind began to rise and continued to do so, until, about eight o'clock, it was seen plainly enough that we were to have another swish of the tail of a typhoon. There is little doubt that the big typhoon of which we had telegraphic information from Manila two days ago has just passed by us towards the North, and that what we have experienced is the result of that disturbance.
An enormous amount of damage has been done to native craft, and although a large number of human lives have been saved by the exertions of the Humane Society and those who have with so much credit been associated with them in their noble work, there is every reason to believe that not a few Chinese have been sacrificed to the fury of the gale.
The typhoon gun was fired at 8 o'clock and the foreign ships in the harbour which had not by that time, in the prospect of very heavy weather, betaken themselves to positions of safety took the usual precautions to secure themselves from the effects of the bad weather the approach of which had been signalled.
A number of Chinese junks, sampans, and cargo-boats were under the charge of men sensible enough to also avail themselves of the warning given, and they were soon seen proceeding to places of safety; but—and this is in peculiar contradistinction to their behaviour when the history which is now repeating itself has formerly enacted itself here—they took not the slightest notice of the warnings made for their benefit by the Harbour Master, and the majority remained where they were, and braved all risks.
The result is that it is amongst them, and amongst them almost exclusively, that the destruction of property and the loss of life which have occurred has to be recorded. The reason, so far as it can be gathered from the boat people themselves, for this disregard of the authority which has so often in the past stood them in good stead, was their belief that the season was too far advanced for any violent typhonic disturbance to be experienced here.
The results have utterly proved the untrustworthiness of their so-called weather-wisdom that probably those who survive the occasion and have an opportunity of availing themselves of any similar warning in the future will not be slow to take full advantage thereof.
If this is found not to be the case it would be well that the Harbour Master's powers should be enlarged, if they are not at present sufficient, or, if there is no reason for increasing their extent, that they may be more strictly exercised.
No one will deny that the principles observable in other things, and so much vaunted nowadays as to the sanctity of the liberty of the subject, must be dealt with in a somewhat elastic manner, when the men with whom we have to deal are deserving of no other appellation than "would-be suicides"; which is about the only way to describe those Chinese boat-people who persist in remaining in positions and circumstances of danger after the state of affairs is well known by the authorities and plainly enough announced to them.
There is the greatest reason for believing that the present destruction of junks and cargo boats has not been equalled since that accomplished in the great typhoon of 1874, and there is perhaps no record, previous to that date, in the history of Hongkong as a colony of any visitation which was the occasion of so much preventible loss of property and of life.
When the gale was apparently at its height, that is, between one and half past three o'clock, a considerable number of junks drifted on to the Praya, between the Canton steamer wharf and the Sailors' Home. In a short time those, or most of them, were shattered into a thousand pieces; and a large variety of wreckage was to be seen, the dissevered parts of what had once been junks or sampans or cargo boats being completely undistinguishable.
Near the Sailors' Home a couple of hulks, of all things in the world, lay "waterlogged together." The middle of the day was a time of wild excitement—an opportunity for display of much foolishness on the part of Chinese, who as a rule seemed to regard the rescue of some lares and penates, which, looked at from a commercial point of view, were not worth more than a few cents, as a matter of ten thousand times more importance than the saving of half a dozen or perhaps a dozen human beings, including some women and children.
This callousness to the value of human life is perhaps due to the fear which a Chinaman naturally entertains of getting himself mixed up with anything so as to suggest criminality on his part, because he knows well from his up-bringing on the mainland how ready his own officials are to take advantage of his situation under any circumstances.
He has a healthy dread of running any risk of incurring such responsibility. It is not too much to say that the iniquitous procedure witnessed in Chinese Courts and the unscrupulous action of Chinese officials are at the root of much of the inhumanity seen in China; and no improvement can be expected until the Chinese Government mend their ways in this respect.
In splendid contrast with that of the Chinese, hundreds of whom stood idly by, careless alike whether the lives of their countrymen and of their own flesh and blood were saved, and particularly the lives of women and children, was the behaviour of all Europeans who were present, and so had an opportunity of lending a helping hand as members of the Humane Society, Police inspectors and sergeants and humble members of the Force, or as volunteers, under which particularly creditable title are included representatives of, it may be said, all nations.
It is a particularly invidious thing to be called upon to do, and a task of considerable responsibility, and in case of imperfect information a most ungrateful one, to record who were the men of all who threw most credit, and we had almost said, glory on the name of Europe and America to-day.
A few of the facts which came under our own observation and that of some correspondents we may however be noted at this time. We trust, on behalf of the cause of Humanity, and with a view to the encouragement of public efforts to save life and property under such circumstances as we are just passing through, we hope that some record has been kept by a trustworthy Secretary of what the Humane Society has done to-day in the opportunity they have had of distinguishing themselves.
The funds of the Society, from a weak conviction on the part of the public as to its usefulness or its requirements, have sunk low; but if after what they have done to-day, the list is sent round, there will be not a moment's hesitation in placing the Society in a position of comparative affluence.
One of the most exciting scenes was at the bottom of Wynner Street, shortly after two o'clock, where, or about 500 yards west of the site of the old P. & O. Factory, a large junk was distressed, and it was plain enough that she was doomed to become a total wreck.
The junk was evidently a family one. It was, say a 200-ton junk, and quite a number were on board, comprising the old grandfather and the children in arms, and all the connecting links of the family.
A sailor from the Sailor's Home, seizing the occasion for help, plunged in, as he stood, taking a line in his hand, and swam off to the junk which was threatening to...
Page 3
C.O.
20 389
REOP
102
REGE 21 NOV 81
The China Mail.
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1881.
TO-DAY'S STORM.
The violent gale which has been hanging: over our hearls for two or three days past burst to-day, and the harbour has been the scene of much destruction of property, and it is feared, of not a little lusa of life. At daylight the wind began to rise and con- tinued to do so, until, about eight o'clock, it į was seen plainly enough that wo were to have another swish of the tail of a typhoon. There
little doubt that the be can typhoon of which we had telegraphic in- formation from Manila two days ago has just passed by us towards the North, and that what we have experienced is the result of that disturbance. An enormous amount of damage has been done to native craft, and although a large nuniber of human lives have been saved by the exertions of the Humane Society and those who have with so much credit been associated with them in their noble work, there is every reason to believe that not a few Chinese have been sacrificed to the fury of the gale. The typhoon gun was fired at 8 o'clock and the foreign ships in the harbour which had not by that time, in the prospect of very heavy weather, betaken themselves to positions of safety took the usual precautions to secure them. selves from the effects of the bad weather the approach of which had been signalled. A number of Chinese junks, sampats, and cargo-boats were under the charge of men sensible enough to also avail themselves of the warning given, and they were soon seen proceeding to places of safety; but-- and this is in peculiar contradistinction to their behaviour when the history which is now repeating itself has formerly enacted it- self here they took not the slightest notice of the warnings made for their benefit by the Harbour Master, and the majority re- mained where they were, and braved all risks. The result is that it is amongst them, and amongst thein almost exclusively, that the destruction of property and the loss of life which have ocenrred has to be recorded. The reason, so
, so far as it can be gathered from the boat people themselves, for this disregard of the authority which has so often in the past stood then in good stead, was their belief that the season was too far advanced for any violent typhoonie | disturbance to be experienced here.
The results have
80 utterly proved the untrustworthiness of their so-called weather-wisdom that probably those who survive the occasion and have an opportunity of availing themselves of any similar warn- ing in the future will not be slow to take fulladvantage thereof. If this is found not to be the case it would be well that the Harbour Master's powers should be enlarged, if they are not at present suflicient, or, if there is no reason for increasing their extent, that they may be more striefly exercised. No one will deny that the principles obsery- able in other things, and so much vaunt- ed nowadays ak to the sanctity of the liberty of the subject, must be dealt with in a somewhat elastic man- ner, when the Jen with whom have to deal are deserving of no other ap- pellation than "would be suicides"; which is about the only way to describe those Chi- nese boat-people who persist in remaining in positions and circumstances of danger after the state of affairs is well known by the authorities and plainly enough an nounced to them. There is the greatest reason for believing that the present de-
we
struction of junks and cargo boats has not been equalled since that accomplished in the great typhoon of 1874, and there is perhaps no record, previstis to that date, in the history of Hongkong as a colony of any visitation which was the occasion of so much preventible as of pro- perty and of life. When the gale was apparently at its height, that is, between one and half past three o'clock, a consider- able amber of junks drifted on to the Praya, between the Canton ateamer wharf and the Sailors' Home. In a short time those, ur most of them, were shattered into a thousand pieces; and a large variety of wreckage was to be seen, the dissevered parts of what had once been junks or sampans nr cargo boats boing completely undistinguish- able. Nearthe Sailors' Home a couple of hul- looks, of all things in the world, lay" water- logged together." The middle of the day was a time of wild excitement--an oppor tunity for display of much foolishnews on the part of Chinese, who as a rule seemed to re- gard the reacne of some lares and penates, which, looked at from a commercial point of view, were not worth more than a few cents, as a matter of ten thousand times more importance then the saving of half a dozen or perhaps a dozen human beings, including some women and children. This callousness to the value of human life is perhaps due to the fear which a Chinamannaturallyentertains of getting him- self mixed upwith anything so as to suggest criminality on his part, because he knows well from his up-bringing on the mainland how ready his own officials are to take ad- vantage of his situation under any circum stances. He has a healthy dread of running any risk of incurring such responsibility. It is not too much to say that the iniqui- tous procedure witnessed in Chinese Courts and the unscrupulous action of Chinese officials are at the root of much of the inhumanity scen in China; and no improvement can be expected until the Chinese Government mend their ways in this respect. In splendid contrast with that of the Chinese, hundreds of whom stood idly by, careless alike whether the lives of their countrymen and of their own flesh and blood were saved, and particularly the lives of women and children, was the be- haviour of all Europeans who were present, and so had an opportunity of lending a helping hand as members of the Humane Society, Police inspectors and ser- geants and humble members of the Force, ar as volunteers, under which particularly creditable title are included representatives of, it may be said, all nations. It is a part- calarly invidious thing to be called upon to do, and a task of considerable responsi- bility, and in case of imperfect iniform- ation a most ungrateful one, to record who were the men of all who threw most credit. and we had almost said, glory on the name of Europe and America to-day. A few of the facts which came under our own obser- vation and that of some correspondents Wc may however be noted at this time. trust, on behalf of the cause of Humanity, and with a view to the encourage- ment of public efforts to save life and pro- perty under such circumstances as we are just passing through, we hope that some record has been kept by a trustworthy Se- cretary of what the Humane Society has done to-day in the opportunity they have had of distinguishing themselves. The funds of the Society, from a weak conviction on the part of the public as to its use- fulness or its requirements, have sunk low; but if after what they have done to-day, the list is sent round, there will be not a moment's hesitation in placing the Society in a position of comparative affluence. One of the most exciting scenes was at the bottom of Wilmer Street, shortly after two o'clock, where, or about 500 yards west of the site of the old P. & O. Factory, a large junk was disuaat- ed, and it was plain enough that she was doomed to become a total wreck. The junk was evidently a family one. It was, say a 200-ton junks, and quite a number were on hard, comprising the old grand- father and the chillren in arms, and all the connecting links of the family. A sailor from the Sailor's Home,
-908
ing occasion for help, plunged in, as he stood, taking a line in his hand, and swam off to the junk which was threatening to
C.O.
20 389
REOP
102
REGE 21 NOV 81,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.