ENCLOSURE 2.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING
POST.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1937.
HONGKONG'S WORST TYPHOON
WIND REACHES 164 M.P.H.
FIRE DISASTER DEATHS EXCEED 100
THIRTY-ONE PERSONS BELIEVED DEAD
AN ENTIRE BLOCK INVOLVED
FIERCE GUSTS DRIVE BIG SHIPS ASHORE
WEST POINT BLAZE SEVERAL VESSELS BELIEVED TO
The heaviest loss of life throughout the period of the typhoon was that in the disastrous fire which broke out in nine four-storey buildings in West Point during the height of the storm. Thirty-one persons were afterwards reported missing, and of these seven have been definitly found dead. As the bodies were brought out of the blazing buildings they were piled on the Praya preparatory to being re- moved to the Public Mortuary, but huge waves swept them all into the sea, and only seven bodies were recovered yesterday.
The premises involved were 131- 139 Connaught Road West. The Central Fire Station received the first call shortly before 4 a.m, and fire appliances were immediately rushed to the scene, under the supervision, of Mr. J. C. Fitz-Henry, Acting Superintendent.
winds,
The outbreak started, it is believed, at No. 131, the ground floor of which was occupied by the Tak Sang, rice- dealer. On the arrival of the fire engines, the blaze had already spread to the adjoining two houses. The fire-fighters were rendered helpless by the strong wind
ds, but eventually succeeded in bringing two hoses into action. Unfortunately, by this time. the other houses had also been ignited, while those where the out- break started were burning through The street was flooded and the handicap under which the members of the Fire Brigade had to work could be gauged by the fact that the. water was at one time up to the waists of the men.
the
a
As the fire engines arrived, woman with baby on her back was seen to jump from the top-storey of one of the buildings. Both she and the child were killed instantaneously. The ground floors of the buildings in question were occupied mostly by rice-dealers, and there were also two garages.
Tribute to Police Interviewed, Mr. Fitz-Henry paid great tribute to the splendid work and assistance given by the Police under Sub-Inspector Nolloth. The tremendous force of the wind made the work of subduing the fire almost impossible. Water in the roadway, was waist high; and it was found' impossible to send the jets of water: more than a few feet into the air, as transferred the wind immediately
scaffolding to
them into spray. It was two hours before anything could be done, and another three hours before the fire could be controlled. The collapse of Jubilee Street at one time during the night threatened to prevent the fire engines and ambulances from coming out of the station. A gang of coolies, however, were soon on the job and cleared it away partly, so as not to interfere with the work of Brigade.
MANY COLLAPSES
Several Killed on Island And in Kowloon
the
BE TOTAL LOSSES
MANY KILLED IN FIRE
Hongkong is recovering again from another typhoon. The swift-moving cyclone which formed east of Manila a few days ago lashed the Colony from midnight Wednesday until after dawn yesterday. Irresistible gusts continuously swept the streets smashed plate glass windows, tore heavy signboards adrift, ripped and overturned parked motor cars and shifted everything movable.
The Observatory states it was the fiercest typhoon yet experienced in Hongkong. At 125 miles per hour the wind instruments at the Observatory ceased attempting serious register. An unofficial recorder declares the force reached 164 miles per hour. The barometer dropped to the low record of 28.298.
Huge waves surged over the Praya, reaching almost to Queen's Road. Mariners on the harbour spent a night of unrelieved labour and anxiety. Among the many ships in harbour were some laid up because of the war, or under repair at docks and without steam. A score of these broke loose from their doubled moorings and careered drunkenly about the harbour in macabre dance. Among them was the Van Heutsz with 1,260 passengers on board. Most of them grounded comfortably. A few are in bad position. One, the coaster An Lee, after colliding with three warships crashed stern first on the Central Praya wall and remained there poised with forepart in the water.
At the height of the storm a tenement block of nine four- storeyed houses in the Western District went afire and 15 inmates perished.
Rain, totalling 5.5 inches, persisted until 10 am.. while relieved residents ventured from barricaded dwellings to survey shambles debris everywhere, much damage to property, some 20 ships ashore, scores of smaller craft sunk, and thoroughfares, with drains choked, a foot deep in water.
The shore damage, as usual, is largely superficial, but in the aggregate very great. Several buildings were unroofed, old houses collapsed, garden walls were blown down, roads blocked by landslides, fallen telegraph poles and uprooted trees.
No estimate of total damage is possible. Casualties are estimated at more than 100.
WIDESPREAD DAMAGE
A spectacular effect of the gale was this huge lattice-work formed
by the scaffolding on the Central Fire Station, blown down into the street by the strong gusts,
--Staff Photographer.
ROMADZAHARJUMAANAMITINDAASTANEANANIE,
CASUALTY LIST
An Lee, aground on Praya; back broken and complete wreck.
Asama Maru, aground in Sai Wan Bay, no passengers: expected to be redoated shortly.
Bonneville, hard Stonecutters Island; little damaged,
THREE DROWNED
|Foreigner Loses Life When
Launch Sinks
SOLDIERS' FINE WORK
aground at
The captain, owner and two mem- apparently hers of the crew of the Portuguese
180-ton motor-boat, Perola, drowned, when the vessel sank Cheungshawan Bay about 3 yesterday.
Dashing, high on rocks. Ching Hue Island.
મ
Eng Lee, hard aground, Kowloon Football Grounciș
H.M.S. Cornflower, aground Tonnochy Pier, Wanchai.
were
off a.m.
The casualties were: Drowned: Manuel Rodrigues. at Master, aged about 36; Li Lam, sea- man, aged 56; Leung Khai-shui, at Second Engineer, aged 31.
Missing: Francisco Xavier Guer-
and |reiro, Owner
Chief Engineer, aged 39, of Woosung Street.
Saved: Kam Hing, cabin boy, aged
to
Gertrude Maersk, aground Green Island but later towed Kowloon Dock; damaged in collision. Feng Lee, high on rocks adjacent to Kowloon Dock.
Hong Peng, ashore at Taikoo Sugar Refinery.
21.
The last-named had a remarkable escape, for he clung to a piece of the Hsingking, aground at Capsing wreck until he was rescued about Island lighthouse.
Hunan, ashore at Ping Chau. India, S.O.S. for assistance when drifting in harbour but later safely
moored.
four hours after the sinking.
The boat was built by the Kwong Fook Shing shipyard only last year. After making one trip to Macao, she returned to the Colony sometime ago, and was lying off Cheungshawan Bay.
The bodies of the Captain and the two Chinese were recovered shortly before noon near the vicinity of the Ching disaster.
The three Chinese rescued were South loud in their praises of the excellent total, work of the soldiers at Shamshuipo
who made indefatigable efforts Lantao Is-Save the boat's erew.
Kalgan, drifted from Cust Rock Mr. C. W. Jeffries, Director of the west of Macao. After passing Pratas and moored at Kowloon Wharf with
severe damage from collisions. Royal Observatory, when issuing his on Wednesday the storm gave no official report on the gale yesterday indication of the intensity which Kausing, total wreck on morning, declared that it was the characterised its passage across the Hue Island; all crew saved. most intense he had ever known.
Colony.
It is doubtful if a storm of
Kwangchow, ashore on The wind force was of such an in- greater severity
destructive Lamma and
Island, probably tensity that the register of the power has ever visited the Colony. wreck.
The barometer minimum of 28.298 Observatory's anemograph was in- Heavy damage was destruction in capable of recording the gusts. The ending of
with the
Luhsing, aground off previous lowest Lower Laichikok Road. The un-register will only accurately record reading of 28.590 on August 18, 1923.
there Shortly after dawn finished top-floor of each house was up to 125 miles per hour, but for a
Mao Lee, sunk off Kellett Bank. blown out of position and is hanging long time the needle was bumping signs that the gale was decreasing in
Severn Leigh, S.O.S. for assistance dangerously over the edge of the the maximum point.
force, although a fierce wind con- floor beneath. Scaffolding erected There is little doubt that new tinued to sweep the Colony, leaving
of
houses under
round the buildings was strewn all records were established in wind destruction in its wake. over the road.
At the De Luxe Garage in Nathan Road employees had a narrow escape when the roof collapsed.
A man and a child were killed when a house collapsed at the corner of Ma Tau Wei and Po Wah Wan
velocity.
were
At 7.20 a.m. the No. 8 signal (gale One record, at least, was proved, expected from S.E.) was hoisted. When the barometer read 28.298 it
Over 160 M.P.H. was
as .292 lower than the existing low Mr. V. Sorby, General Manager of record established on August 18, the Hongkong Electric Company, 1923.
stated yesterday that his
land.
but later safely moored in harbour.
Sheng Lee, hard aground off Chi- nese bankers' bathing shed, North
Point.
Shuntien, adrift in harbour but later moored.
Shenandoah, sunk off China Light company and Power Company's works.
was
Pass.
The official report issued by the owned an anemograph which Roads, Kowloon. Three were killed Royal Observatory yesterday morn- drawn for 160 miles per hour. Be- Talamba, aground in Lyeemoon and one injured in another collapse ing states:
tween 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. in Hunghom, near Bailey's shipyard.
yesterday The typhoon formed to the east morning the instrument recordings Collapses on the Island occurred at of Luzon during August 28 and 30. showed that the wind did
not drop 234 Queen's Road Central, 11 Nullah Its position was indefinite until the below 140 m.p.h. Two gusts in the Lane, 1B, Western Street, 1A Centre afternoon of the latter date when early morning topped the index Street and 47 Third Stret. In all it was situated about 300 miles N.E. paper and it is estimated they were these accidents there was only one of Manila, moving N.W. By the appromiately 164 miles an hour. Fatality, at the collapse at Third morning of August 31 it had reached Street. One man was killed and four the eastern extremity of the Balin- were injured.
tang Channel, from then on moving
hut
In
Timely Evacuation
the servants' immediately collapsed.
afterwards
the
of
COURAGEOUS ACTION
European Saves Six Chinese From Shenandoah
wrecked.
00
TREE UP-ROOTED
Nathan Road Blocked In Many Places
RESCUE HEROISM
Police and Civilians Oo Good Work
CHINESE SAVED
to
was
Some splendid rescue work carried but during the height of the storm by a party of Revenue Officers and Police sergeants along the Praya. Seven of them-C. P. O. Buller, Mr.
Tymeric, aground at North Point. Tensing, aground at Stanley Bay.
W. Ward, Sub-Inspector Goddard, Van Heutsz, sunk off Green Island. Sergt. Davis, Sergt. Scott, Sergt. Hay- Among other smaller craft lost wa
ward and Mr. Ellis linked together were.-Perla, steam yacht; Portu- treacherous wed
by
ventured out in
the guese motor at Perola; No. 6 treacherous weather to rescue crews
launch, Police
from ships, and to save little chil- several launches, from scores of junks and sampans.
dren wh
who were atrunded in huts No. 7 Police launch is lying on her along the Praya. in a westerly direction until 6 a.m.
starboard side
Darkness added to the terror of the the breakwater A timely evacuation during the on Wednesday, when it was situated height of the typhoon saved a Chinese about 100 miles east by south
severely damaged and No. 8 Police night and the tremendous difficulties female and her son from almost Pratas Shoal. From this period it mov-
launch had its cabin and searchlight confronting the rescue party. Never- theless they succeeded in saving some certain death when the gardener's
70 lives, all of whom received treat- of No. 11, Cumberland Road, ed west north west passing to the Kowloon Tong collapsed,
ENCHENNAI DICENDANAOJICAMA TEMPLATESHUAÐILIEZINAKAKALIAMUSTANKE ment for various injuries, none of north of Pratas Shoal about 5 p.m.
and the One of the most courageous and
them
very serious, in the Imports and The gardener being absent from and to the north of Waglan
Exports Department. the Colony, the hut was occupied by south of the Royal Observatory be- thrilling rescues of the typhoon was
Unhappily it was found impossible his wife and child during the night tween 3 and 4 a.m. yesterday. The effected by Mr. F. C. Clemo, Execu
to obtain enough dry clothes and and at 2 a.m. both left to take shelter stand-by signal, No. 1 was hoisted at tive Engineer of the China Light and
Power Co., Ltd.
several of the unfortunate men had quarters. Almost 12.35 a.m. on Wednesday and signal
to spend the early hours up to dawn No. 5
The hulk of the Shenandoal, once denoting that a gale from the hut north-west at 3.20 p.m. The No. 10 a luxurious yacht, ran aground sear
in blankets. denoting a wind of typhoon force the wharf of the Company in Wow-
One of the most dramatic episodes occurred about
do
5.30 a.m. when was expected was hoisted at 1.58 a.m. loon Bay, with ten Chiness aboard.
Dozens of trees were uprooted by one of the Taikoo tugs was sunk as WASHOUTS and bombs were Bred at 2.10 am. At great risk to himself, Mr. Clemo the gales during
yesterday.
Wednesday night, she approached the An Lee which had swam to the scene of the wreck with Nathan Road in particular being been driven
and took six of these men off. completely blocked in many places Praya. The line
ashore on the The wind increased rapidly in a
rescue pary rush- Service Suspended Until force until 2 a.m. blowing from the It was not until some time after the during the early morning.
However, ed men had been conveyed
to the assistance of to safety
the the north and veering towards the east
before tiffin hundreds of coolies and Damage Is Ascertained
crew and after a terrific battle with after 3.30 a.m. By this time the that it was revealed here were still
still amabs, armed with
choppers and the elements managed to bring the four others on board, and then it was squalls were of a phenomenal inten- too late to do anything. It is
axes made short work of the debris entire crew ashore. be-ax
Only by tying sity, many occurring which were lieved these men are now dead, and had been removed by early after the rescuers successfully carry
and the greater part of the foliage themselves fast with stout ropes could The Kowloon-Canton Railway suf- beyond the capacity of the register of their bodies either still on board or fered damage from the gale, although the anemograph, that is, greater than washed away. Seen at 5 p.m. yes-rooted were sawn in pieces and left they were gravely hindered by the noon. The trunks of those trees up their hazardous work. Here again, Railway officials are not yet able 125 m.p.h.
terday, the wreck was only about 20 at the roadside. Heavy Rainfall
darkness and the enormous waves Two washouts on the line were re-
feet from the wharf. The lowest reading of the baro-
Scandal Point, in the military area which every second poured over the ported between Shatin and Taipo, but meter was 28.30 between 3.45 a.m.
on the Hongkong side, presented how sious they are had not been and 3.50 a.m.
men and flooded the Praya waist high, while some trees Making a further investigation of ascertained last evening.
around the However the entire train service inches between 10.30 a.m.
party discovered several children has been suspended indefinitely and Wednesday and 7.30 a.m. yesterday.
However, tree damage was less in huts. Frightened and crying pite- the head office is awaiting fuller re-
yesterday morning, when he dived than is usual during a typhoon be-ously, the children The typhoon afterwards entered into the naval dock and assisted them cause so many were stripped during from their dangerous positions and were removed ports as to extent of the damage. the coast and filled up to the north to shore.
the typhoon on August 17 last year, placed in safety.
RAILWAY
to accurately estimate its extent.
The rainfall amounted
ARMY OFFICER'S BRAVERY Captain Rybot, of the H.K.S.B.R.A.
responsible for an act of extreme ar
was
A Great Name
and a
Great Gin-
GORDONS
DRY GIN
DISTILLERY, LONDON.
ENGLAND
9
28
Gordon's
KELLY & WALSH, LTD.
Chater Road
descent into Harley Street Dr. A. J. Cronin's new novel
Hong Kong.
THE CITADEL $6-50
The unoffending profession of medicine has in these days sustained attack by two novelists of distinction, Sinclair Lewis and Dr. Cronin. Mr. Lewis wrote from without; Dr. Cronin's assault is upon interior lines. In "The Citadel" there are presented three types of good doctor: the general practi- tioner possessed of competent knowledge and a big heart, the physician or surgeon possessed of special qualifications, also with a big heart, and the bacteriologist, who, being less subject to temptation, needs, perhaps, less cardiac capacity. Against these stand the pompous old humbugs of the villages and country towns and the ill-conditioned sharks of the great cities.
All this is doubtless very true. But it is true not only of the doctors but also of humanity. What is not true is that a district of London called "Harley Street" is shark-infested, so that an honest man practises there at his peril. Dr. Cronin would deny, certainly, that he had made any such suggestion; but it is in this sense that his indictment has been read by many.
It may be conceded that, within limits, Dr. Cronin has presented a lively tale full of more or less dramatic incident.
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REACHES MACAO
out
Heavy Damage To Fishing Craft
scene of desokong Cricket Club Connaught Road Central, the rescue to 5.055 gallantry and the saving of the lives were also uprooted.
On of several Chinese at five o'clock
BAYER
ROBBERY DURING STORM
During the height of the typhoon at 4.30 a.m. yesterday, three men entered the first floor of 1080 Can- ton Road and robbed Lo Shiu-yuen. Macao, Sept. 2. A severe typhoon struck Macao in described as a kept woman, of money the early hours of the morning after and jewellery to the total value of causing great damage to fishing craft here and ashore also.
$540. Some loss of life is feared.
There were three other inmates of Junks sheltering in the inner har- the house at the time. One of the bour were torn loose and wrecked robbers was stated to have carried on the shore in many places.- Our Own Correspondent.
a revolver.
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