622595-1908-Supplementary-Report-on-the-Typhoon-of-27th-28th-July-1908 — Page 2

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3. I am now in a position to supplement my telegram of the 30th July by forwarding the following documents :-

1. A report by the Director of the Observatory.

2. A report by the Harbour Master.

3. A report by the Director of Public Works.

4. A report by the Captain Superintendent of Police.

5. A report by the Superintendent, Botanical and Forestry Department.

6. The finding of the Marine Court appointed to inquire into the circumstances. attending the loss of the British steamship Ying King between Castle Peak and Pillar Point at about 2.30 a.. on the 28th July.

7. A report by the Chief Resident Engineer, Kowloon-Canton Railway.

8. Two reports by the District Officer, Taipo.

9. A report of the Government Marine Surveyor on damages sustained by

Government launches.

10. A report by the Registrar General on relief of distress caused by the typhoon.

4. From these reports Your Lordship will observe that 26 privately owned buildings collapsed with a loss of 59 lives, while the total number of buildings seriously damaged was 67. Three minor Government buildings collapsed, and damage was done to 77 Government buildings with a loss of one life. The cost of the necessary repairs to Government build- ings, roads, etc., is estimated by Mr. Chatham at $79,440.

5. The casualties to native craft of all descriptions during the typhoon were as follows:-

Trading, Fishing and Unlicensed Junks,

Inside

Sunk.

Harbour Limits, 17 Outsid 66

Harbour Limits,

Wrecked.

25

ུ | ཟ

Damaged. Persons Missing

- N

so far as is known.

2

39

7

219

83

32

258

Cargo and Other Boats and Sampans,...

{

Inside Harbour Limits,

Ontside

Harbour Limits,

136

1

6

6

1

13

緣

42

11

2

13

Total Native Craft of all descriptions,• Harbour Limits, }

Harbour Limits,

Inside 53

Outside 72

125

43

$125

12

∞

39

31

8

232

∙11

271

6. Of the casualties to European craft, by far the most serious was the wreck of the river steamer Ying King, and I deeply regret that in this case the loss of life was even heavier than that estimated in my telegram of the 30th July. From the sworn evidence given before the Marine Court, it appears that the number of persons on board the Ying King at the time she foundered was approximately as follows:-

European Officers,

""

Passengers,

Chinese Passengers,

Crew (including Compradore's Staff),

Total,.....

3

3

.427

33

..466

Of these only 42 are reported as being saved, so that it would seem that 424 persons were lost, including the Master and the 3 European passengers.