The typhoon that hit Hong Kong caused significant damage and loss of life. A junk was smashed to pieces, and several Chinese were rescued from the sinking vessel. A small boat was launched from the junk, and women and children were brought on shore, but this was not accomplished without considerable trouble on the part of those who risked their own lives. Among those brought to shore were two little children, about four years of age.
After their rescue, a second trip was made by the little boat, and another complement of passengers was ferried across the extremely dangerous passage between them and the shore. This was one of the cases where the desire of the Chinese to save their goods and chattels dwarfed all interest in their own or their people's lives. The boat was nearly swamped due to the enormous amount of goods sought to be put in it.
Much credit is due to the man who volunteered from the Sailors' Home for their behavior regarding this junk. The members of the Humane Brigade, under the Hon. P. Ryrie, were also industrious in saving life. Near Peddar's Wharf and the Canton Steamer Wharf, five or six junks were wrecked or sunk. In one case, 14 people were brought to shore, and in another, ten persons were rescued.
A lot of wreckage from junks, sampans, and boats was strewn about from one end of the Praya to the other. The pile was thickest towards the West end, and although there was little to show the severity of the gale towards the Far East quarter, the scene was one that was almost impossible to describe. It is hoped that those who were the inhabitants of those junks have been saved by finding protection elsewhere.
Page 80
As to the further continuance of the storm, opinion seems to be divided. Some nautical friends believe that there may be a return of the symptoms of a typhoon when the tide turns. The fact that the Chinese did not obey the Harbour Master's notification of an approaching storm is notable, as they would have had ample time to be in a position of complete safety before the typhoonic gale was felt.
As to casualties, there are three lives to report lost. In one case, three men less were brought to shore than were on board when the junk got into difficulties. There can be no doubt that there have been not a few lives lost in this gale, even in the harbor, of which there is as yet no record.
Among those who distinguished themselves was Mr. Orley, Inspector of Markets, who sprang onto a junk that was drifting rapidly on shore and searched the vessel to see if anyone was on board. A stone junk sank within sight of the people on shore. A lighter believed to belong to Messrs. Butterfield and Swire has gone down off the Onslow Works. The steam launch belonging to the Hongkong Dispensary has also gone down.
As we finish writing, the violence of the gale has not moderated and does not promise to do so. Among many incidents observed during the afternoon, a stalwart Sikh was seen leading a couple of Chinese thieves who had taken advantage of the common misery to loot cargo from the stranded junks.
The Praya Wall has stood the test of the present gale and the north-wester experienced some time ago. The water struck against the wall with a solid impact, but as far as observed, not a block left its place. However, the decayed granite behind the concrete was guttered by almost the first waves, suggesting that something more durable should be used for macadamizing the roads.
Mr. Noble furnishes us with the following figures showing the state of the glass at the various readings today:
TimeBarometer Reading 9.0029.702 10.0029.605 11.0029.504 11.3029.450 12 noon29.400 12.20 p.m.29.370 12.4029.324 1.0029.260 1.2029.240 1.4529.186 2.1529.150 3.1529.120 4.0029.056 4.3029.076 29.080 29.216103
1
be smashed to pioces, and rescued several Chinese from the sinking vessel. A small boat was launched from the junk and the women and children were brought on shore and left there but this was not accom plished without considerable trouble on the part of those who risked their own lives in There were, bringing them to share. amongst those who were thus brought to shore, two little children of about four years of age. After their resche this lot of passengers a second trip was made by the little boat, and another complement of passengers was ferried across the extremely dangerous passage lying between them and the shore.
of
This was
one of the cases to which we have already referred, in which the desire of the Chinese to save their gouds and chattels dwarfed all interest in their own or their people's lives. Had there aut been such tragic surrounding cirenrostances it would have been almost amusing to have observed the care with which the goods and chattels were looked after in preference to the The human beings who were on board, boat, through being overloaded, was nearly avamped because of the enormous amount of goods sought to be put in utmost her. It was only with the difficulty that the second boat reached the shore. A third attempt was made and in this the saving of a dog, which was call- ed for by an European voice, caused some considerable delay. Much credit is due to the man who volunteered from the Sailors' Home for their behaviour with regard to this junk. Nor were the members of the Humane Brigade, who, under the Hon. P. Ryrie, and their duly appointed foremen and leaders, were ranged about the sta- tions where they would be likely to be of most uan, less industrious in saving life. Near Peddar's Wharf and the Canton Steamer Wharf five or six janks were wrecked or sunk. In one case 14 people were brought to share, the Society finding in Mr Andreas Wohltera, one of themselves valuable in former days, a bold and assistant. In another case ten persons were rescued; from a third, half a dozen or 30 were rescued. In two or three cases the people on board the junk were willing enough to part with a portion of their com pany if some were kept on board. case, along by this end of the Praya, were A lot of any signals of distress showIL, wreckage of junks, and sampaus, and boats was atrewn about from one end of the Praya to the other. The pile was by far the thickest towards the West end, for although towards the Far East quarter there was little to show the great severity of the gale which had been raging towards the Sailor's Home, the scene is one which it is almost impossible to describe so as to give one who had not seen it any ade- quate idea of the position of affairs. It may be mentioned just for the sake of elucidation, that for some 50 or 75 feet, there was, down by the P. & O. Wharf and the Sailor's Home, several spaces at which one could have walked dry shod, as far away from the wall of the Praya as twenty feet. It is to be hoped that those who were the inhabitants of those junks have been saved by finding protection elsewhere in one place or another. One thing which leads us the more to trust in this hope is this --that on board two or three of the wrecks which were washed on shore there were found no remains whatever of the personal effects, without which no Chinese was ever known to exist for any period of time worth calculating. As on previous years the greatest amount of wreckage from large jmks was gathered around or near the Sailors' Home, 80
the largest amount of sampaus and cargo boats stranded near the P. & 0. godown wharf, and the amount of wreckage there was As to the something wonderful to behold.
was
In no
signs visible at the present time of writing 3k to what form the further continu- will take, opinion ance of the storm
seems, to some extent, to be divided. Some of our nautical friends seem to be- lieve that there may be return of the symptoms of a typhoon when the tide turns, and that the hope from which everybody caught encouragement was simply to be found in the fact that the centre there is the typhoon, (in which
of
eternal quiet) was then passing over us and only presaging more furious atmos- pheric disturbances to come. The fact that makes the non-obedience of the Chi- nese displayed towards the Harbour Mas- ter's notification of an approaching storin is this, that had they gone away when notified there would have been ample time for them to be in a position of complete safety before the slightest blow of the typhoonic gale that has visited us, had been felt. As to casualities, there are three lives to report lost. In the case of one of the junks which sunk or was capsized three men less were brought to shore than was the number on board when the junk got inte difficulties; and there can be no doubt that there have been not a few lives lost in this gala, even in the harbour, of the loss of which there is as yet no record. Amongst those who distinguished himself in the case of one of the junksthrown against the Praya, was Mr Orley, Inspector of Markets, and one of the leading members of the Fire Brigade who aprang on to a junk which was drifting rapidly on shore and smartly went through the whole vessel so as to see whether anybody was on board. A stone- junk sank within sigh of the people on ahore.
lighter believed to belong to Messrs Butterfield and Swire has gone
down-off the Ons Works. The steam launch be- longing to the Hongkong Dispensary has also gone down. There is a large mass of facts which we should have been glad, as public chroniclers.of the times to insert to-night of which we have had some inkling, but WE have not had time to collect authentic particulars and they raust stand over till another time. The following items for a fitting con clusion to our hastily prepared account of the storm. As we finish writing the violence of the gale has not modorated and does not promise to do so.
Am iron
Among many of the incidents observed in the courac of the afternoon we saw a stalwart Sikh leading off, towards the Station, a couple of Chinese thieves who had taken advantage of the common inisfor- bine to loot cargo from the stranded junks, Unfortunately for these chevaliers d'in- dustrie their treasure-trove was just as much as a strong man could well stagger under. It is to be hoped that their destin- inore distant Central Station, for in that case they will have ex- perienced by this time a harder day's work than they may hope to expect within the sacred precincts of Victoria Gaol,
ation was
the
Another thing to be noted is the admirable way which the Praya Wall has stood the test of the present gale and the north-wester ex- perienced some time ago. The water struck against the wall with a solid impact hut as far we observed unt a block left its place, the concrete behind giving a steady sup- port to the sea wall in front. It may be observed, however, that the decayed granite behind the concrete was guttered by almost the first waves, suggesting that along the sea-face at least something more durable and adhesive should be used for macadamizing the roads than this disen- tergrated rubbish, which on the grounds of a false economy, the Surveyor General's De- partment. has employed,
Mr Noble furnishes as with the following figures showing the state of the glass at the various readings to-day -
Barometer
0. 3.702.
...29,605
10.00
...29.504
11...
...29.450
11.30
...29.400
12 noon
.29.370
12.20 p.in.
...29.324
12.40
...29.260
1.
...29.240
1.20
1.45
...20.186
2.15
...29.150
3.15
...29.120
4...
...29.056
4.30
...
.29.216
.29.076 ...29.080
103
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