1922-08-07 — Page 3

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THE HONGKONG DALLY PRESS,

༩,:་、: ག་ ་

MONDAY, AUGUST 714, 191

ENORMOUS TYPHOON DAMAGE WHOLE DISTRICTS RAZED TO THE. THE CARGO

AT SWATOW.

THE CHINESE TOWN IN RUINS.

VIVID DESCRIPTION OF A TERRIBLE NIGHT.

THOUSANDS KILLED AND TENS" OF THOUSANDS "HOMELESS.

The full story of the calamity did not rench Hongkong until Saturday morning, with the return of the B. & S. steamer, - Auri sem, ta chis port. The Government, on Iraning the extent of the devastation, called a special meeting of the Legislative Council and voted 810,000 towards meet-

į

passing of the tidal wave which follows in the wake of a typhoon, the water

the centre,

(It was at this time that a

GROUND.

BOAT STOPPAGE,

NO NEARER SETTLEMENT. Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's godown

Since the abortive meeting at the has been severely damaged. The Clubs.C.A. offices, the cargo-boatmen have roof has been blown off and now only the been framing new conditions which will, be walls are standing. Garden walls have submitted to the S.C.A. and the Harbour been dashed down and even new.concrete Master in the course, of the next few walls--which look strong enough to have fdays. afforded shelter from the storm-have been The boatmen seem to be unanimous, as overturned and smashed by the force of one of them have accepted cargo during the Tast few days. On the other hand the wind. Almost every tree has been the Chinese merchants-who have ap uprooted and most of the telegraph poles pointed a comunittes representing twenty blown down. One pole was lifted right guilds are making what arrange ments they can. Launches, hitherto used out of the ground and thrown across the for towage, bave carried small lots and wires of a parallel row of poles on the are reaping a harvest. The lighters of the Kowloon Godowns and Holts Wharf are

enlisted the aid of the big junks which usually carry rice, etc. to Canton, and have recently been lying idle owing to the political situation of Canton. We, under- stand that these junks are not licensed to do transport work inside the harbour but they are prominent alongside the godowns at West Point. The Chineko

16

sonic

It is now clear that the typhoon which atrick Swatow on Wednesday night was one of the worst that have centred in being sucked up into the vortexather side of the street, a distance of also very busy. The Nam Pak Hongs have!

same thirty feet. The pole is now 20 these seas"für several years and perhaps the worst visitation that Swalow has hail, tidal wave passed over the Bund.) The feet above the ground. Whole districts wind was literally screaming and the" rain of the town are utterly impassible, for tven in her unenviable experience of

fell in-blinding walls of water. It was rows of houses have been reduced to rub typhoons. The very centre of the typhoon impossible to get one's breath when fable which fills what was once the street. pasted over the town, a great ppm prg the wind and rain. At 3.20 him. theIt is easier to pick out the buildings which which is now in ruins.

squalls gradually decreased in duration have escaped damage than to enumerate merchants who intend building their own

flect of cargo-boats will find with longer intervals between and, as the those that have been destroyed. One thatculty as the cargo-bont builders have not conie to an understanding with their night wore on the weather foderated, has escaped is the new Chinese Post Office. The barometer began to register again at Whole districts of poorly built nativemployers; there is also the question of 2,40,4m. when it came on to the marked houses, behind the Band, have been razed the crews and there are many obstacles

peculiar to Chinese life.

The foreign inerchants have also been portion of the dial and howed 29 inches, to the ground.

Everywhere, from amongst the wreckage affected though not to such a serious From that point 1 grudually rose, and,

The Nanking on dead bodies protrude. Hourly the stench extent as the Chinese, ns Mr. Mandelt, this second officer, ricercases and even the natives walk about arrival had to go alongside the Kowloon now with handkerchiefs across their noses, Godowus to discharge because of the lack pressed it, "eame luck to sauity,"

As day broke it was possible to look The Chinese ministration has display of lighters, when the understanding was ed great promptitude in disposing of the arrived at in March last the representa- round the ship and see what damage had dead. Over a thousand bodies were coltives of the Hongkong Chamber of Com- bren done. The vessel had been wonder-lested on the first day after the disasterence agreed to the conditions and the and taken to a place in the vicinity of Cargo Boatmen's Guild have now written ON THE KWEICHOW."

to the 'hamber. A copy of the letter fally fortunate, Most of the canvass car of the temples. Disposal of the car being given below:-- Theses. Kærlekar crashed Swntow on dodgers (wind screens) had been tornases of animals is an equally urgent and

Gentlemen,--We thank you for your Actuated by

kindness in agreeing to and signing the the afternoon of. Wednesday, August 2nd," away and car had a great piece torn out probably a larger task.

"Agreement relative to compensation for having steamed all-day through heavy of its centre, although it was of aubentiments of veneration for the dend the

night work and we are sensitive of your seas and in rough westher. The failing

appreciating our working difficulties.

Unfortunately, twenty-one „Chinese of the barometer and the absence of native

merchants guilds have requested that craft indicated the harness of a typhoon.

Hon. the Secretary for Chiness Affairs On reaching the north at Swatow the

to cancel the agreed conditions. This will inflicted hardship on us and we steamer commencal discharging cargo at

have been reluctantly forced to cease accepting cargo as we cannot work at four o'clock and soon afterwards a war

a. loss. We very much regret any in- ing was revived that the typhoon was

convenience caused you in the trans in the position 2 North and 417 East

portation of your valuable goods and From the direction in which it was travel

trust that you will appreciate our having been compelled to take the pre- ling it was evident that the typhoon was

sent step. heading straight for Swatow

ing immediate necessities, also ordering 60 tons of ries and other supplies tode, sent nt ones to Swatow, consigned to the British Consul there.

י.

Captain Lovegrovi"deemed it advisable to leave the berth--Messrs. Butterfield & Swire's steamers ni watos deal with calgo from pontoons connected to the Bund by steel bridges. "At 6.30 p.m. the) Bleaner intr for the fairway and

anchored.

overcast.

By right o'clock u strong wind was blow. ing and the weather was very thick and As the wind increased, the master veered the ship for safety, and let go the second anchor. At 19.30 p.m. the wind increased to typhoon force and was accompanied by heavy deluges rate For the next two hours.squalls of terrific violence severely tested the vessel and the tremendous rain continued and increased. About this time the barneter Beat: unreadable; 25.40 is the typhoon reading and the ne dle went far below this point, wavering over the unmarked part of the Bial.

**

(stantial canvas. The wooden portion at the back of the bridge had been torn away by the wind, and both sidey had een blown in. At one time during thr night, it may he mentioned, the officers on the bridge were conscious of a dark dhjet passilig over theft. heads and, they believe it was a piece of wreckage Larne by the wind from another vessel'or from the shore. By ang am, the wind had dropped to the force of a moderate gale and continued with squalls of moderat ing forte necompanied by rain.

HOW OTHER SHIPS FARED.

TREMENDOUS HAVOC IN THE TOWN.

Chinese are likely to be far more speedy in removing dend bodies of their fellow countrymen than carcases of animals

There were four European passengers on the Kweichu-Mrs, Hinton, Mrs. Gréig, Dr. W. L. Thomas and Mr.-M. H. Turneri all of Hongkong. The officers of the ship are fall of praises for the coolness, of the hudies in a trying ordeal. When the lull terred the ladies went to their rabins and slept through what proved to be the worst of the typhoon. Dr. Thomas and Mr. Turner were on shore for the right: theg were visiting at European resi dent's and pass a trying night. The house had double sets of typhoon shut- ters, outside and in. Several on the outside were torn from their fastenings andones a pair of the inside ones were driven inwards so that the roof of the

sure from below, Everyone concentrated

at standing, and surrounded by what locks like heaps of spilikina" these are the remains of scores of houses. One observer declared that the town reminded him of nothing so much as of Ypres after

its numberless bombardments.

Estimates of the number of casualties can only be given very approximately. First impressions, on Thursday morning, were that probably about 5,000 were killed town had been visited and the extent of but when the outlying portions of the

inclined to double the first figure med the disaster more fully visualised one, was

tioned.

w

May we respectfully suggest that you use your inftence, to bring about an early settlement? We shall be ever grateful for any actions you take to, bring this about.

Thanking you in anticipatión, we are, Gentlemen. Very faithfully yours,

FAN SHUN CHUNG WEL

HONGKONG TRADE. EFFECT OF CARGOMEN'S STRIKE

The fortnightly report issued" by the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce

states:-**

Cotton piece goods and fancy cotton Foods: Scine forward sales of Mercerized Brocades are reported during the interval. Cotton Yarn:-The situation of the Greys and Whites are entirely neglected. market has become worse through the lightermen' demand regarding charges, which is intefering with the trade to a great extent, and practically no business has been effected. Prices are casier by about $2 and quotations are purely nominal.

Quotations are;

No. 10s 8152/178. No. 13 $162/182. No. 16 8102/218, No. 20s 8104/218,

Sales Arrivals 10,200. Shipments nil

1.000 bales. Unsold stock 17,000 balez, Bargains 10,000 bales,

"Woollens: There is no change in the market.

Petroleum Products:-No change.

Now it was possible to sew how utberhause lifted on account of the air pres ships in the harbour had fared. None of their force on the shutters and managed their lights had been visible all night, to a them. The roof then descended

Flower again with a loud clap. After this it Aground, half-a-mile inside

surd as though the roof must be tora Island, was the We Vinh, Chineseoff bedily hat it withstood the strain owned, Japanese-officured steamer. Mesers.until the storm was over.

Photographs taken by the visitors of the Jardine, Matheson & Col's Luk Sudy was on the fishing stakes off Tatau Point. She town next morning and developed in Hongkong yesterday, show that it is no was apparently, in the words of mone looker from the distance, "kitting on thexaggeration to say that it is easier to and two cables lengths from the Point out the houses that are standing than Later in the day it was seen that the Zak those which are demolished, one small Stag was able to get clear of Tatan Pailit.hotograph shows a stone house, damaged. The Tungshing and the Shuntung were anchored, when the storm began, in the Typhon Anchorage off Double island, which is just inside the river mouth four miles from Swatow. When seen" on the morning after the storm, they were both IN THE CENTRE OF THE TYPHOON.shore in the south-west corner of Mud Sudduly, at 1250 a.m, the wind fell Bay, having apparently dragged anchor light and blew like agentle summer a distance of three miles. These vessels bra. After the deafening noise of the were to leave port on thes Wednesday rain and gale she contrast was eerie; one afternoon and when the typhoou warning did hear once more the lesser sounds was received they put into Donbi Island euch as the lapping of the waves against for safety. Everywhere one looked or the ship It was quiet and still, making the waters of the harbour were to be seen it seem as though the storm of the last wrecks of junks and sampans, some Boat-

Raw Cottons:-There is no busifíess to, four hours was nothing but a terribleing upside down. There were many dead With so many people homeless and dream. During this time the wind veered dies in the water and wreckage of every workless it is feared that attempts at loot-report. Quotations: Indian descriptions suddenly from north, through past to cast seription. Looking towards the shorning in strong force will be made upon the at 83/37Chinese staple 833/40 per south-east. Those on board who had pre junks were to be seen high and dry on the ships lying on the mud at various points. picul

Metals-Nothing doing. vions experience of typhoons realised that mud and "musts and wreckage strewn all they were now in the very centre of the round them. great vortex of air enused by the typhoon. The strange calm continued for exactly one hour and five minutes. At 1.40 p.m. the wind commenced to freshen from the A survey through telescopes directed south-south-west, whereas it had pre- towards the town enabled the tremendous viously been blowing from a north-west havoc that had been done to be seen. The and northerly direction. It was evidentfore shore was a dreadful sight. Over a that the margin of the typhoon,, which had į mite or more along the Bund, juuks, pon.. been cireling from a northerly direction, toons and rubble of masonry were in had passed over Swatow, and the opposite extricably mingled and a closer inspec. margin which, like the rim of a wheel, tion showed that there were many dead- was moving in the contrary direction us both men and animals-amongst the

It is to be feared that the fuil tale of the centre of the typhoon revolved, was heterogeneona muss. which completely chiping losses by the typhoon hus stiil now passing over Swatow. Previously covered the Bund and foreshore, over a to be told. New was received yester the full force of the wind had been felt width of 30 yards and for the extent of day by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson Co by the European Settlement, opposite at least a mile.

that another of their vessels, the Choy Swatow; now the native town was to get It is impossible to walk along the Water, encountered the typhoon when the full force of the storm, With squalis Froot for the Bund is packed solid with Borth of Swatow and was driven on to increasing in duration, and shorter inter-wreckage which extends from the walls of Fort Island. The Choyenny (master, vals between them, the wind rapidly rose damaged houses to the foreshore. again to typhoon" force and probably The pontoons from which cargo is load reached its greatest viclenco at 2.30 am. ed and unloaded at Swatow did a great The typhoon was then twice as bad ng it dea! to increase the damage done on the bad ever been before the interval of calm. Bund. The potitoons were broken up by the violence of the heavy seas and large THE WORST FORTY MINUTES.

timbers evidently floated to and fro dur From 2.30 to 3,10 am: the typhoon was ating the storm, acting like battering rams its greatest violence; this was also the upon junks and houses. Many of these experience of those 'nahore. The wind timbers are now some distance from the blew with terriic force and without a water edge jammed into solid masser Use The Henry Kerrick tug had arrçady moment's lull, howling and screaming and or six feet high. A new mooring buoy visited the Choysang when the message accompanied by deluges of raja. It was which was on the edge of the Bund ready was received and she reported that the impossible to walk even on the more to replace an old one, in new 200 yards vessel was badly damaged. Yesterday sheltered parts of the ship; the officers away, up a side street. Sampans and morning, by courtesy of the naval authori had to crawl when it was necessary to other small craft are far inland: their ties, H.M.8. Magnolia went to the assis move about the vessel, and, of course, it owners in some casty, have traced them unce of the Choysong and would reach her was necessary to make sure that no one and have now resumed existence in them, at or before daybreak to-day. The Mag- on a special post-watching anchor cables, as though they expected another tidal |nolia was in dry dock at the Naval Tard -for instance was not swept overboard. | wave to bear them out to sea again, -- but when it was found the was needed. During the forty minutes of the typhoon's "The crcupants of a European house, she was hastily refloated and went to heết utmost severity the ship listed heavily to after passing through a terrible might in mooring at 7:30 a.m., yesterday. When

port and trembled violently from stem to stern. As it appeared afterwards that the ship had not run, aground, it is be- Heved that the list was caused by the

Looting in the town occurred during Thursday and Chinese soldiers are patrol Flour Market Report:-Stock ;"-zhout ling the streets. The storm so damaged 700,000 sacks. Quotations: "Ame..can the waterworks that the town is without patent 83.80 per sack, American straight. a supply of water. Atuight it is in 82.70 per sack; American cut off 22.75 per utter darkness for the electricity supplysack, Shanghai flour $2.05 per sack, station was destroyed...

Australia No. 1, 82.80 per sack,

Window Glass:-Market weak due to absence of consumptive demand. S.S." CHOYSANG”

ASHORE

„FOURTEEN MILES NORTH OF

SWATOW.

Capt. H. G. M. Walker, one of the roast experienced mariners on the China Const) left Hongkong for Shanghai, via Ningpo. on Tuesday evening. She anchored on Wednesday night in the Clipper Roads to take shelter from the storm but she lost her anchors and was driven ashore at Fort Island.

BADLY DAMAGED:"

SAIGON RICE MARKET, The Compagnie de Commerce et de Navigation d'Extreme Orient of Saigon, in a report dated July 11th, mys

Our market remains pratically un- changed and the prices are still ruling at about the same level as in last report. However, those for the long grain have made a slight advance owing to the par- chases made by America The total amount of rice exported from January 1st to July 3rd, 1922, is 601,010, tons, against 745,204 in 1001.

We quos today-White Saigan rice, No. 9 iftad, Japan quality, Hongkong 25.15 per picit,ob. Saigon, for July/ August shipment.

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which the roof was partially torn off the leaving Hongkong, she accidentally-ram- 67, QUEEN'S ROAD, CENTRAL, house looked cut in the morning to seemed a junk, as related elsewhero, but be aʼnistor boat in the garden. The house is borself received no damage and proced-

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