1084 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 12TH OCTOBER, 1895.
The S. S. Chiyuen which had put into Namquan harbour (27° 09', 120° 26') experienced there a strong NNW gale with the barometer, 29.31 at noon, almost steady until the evening when it rose, the wind at the same time backing to NW and decreasing. The S. S. Esang at anchor in Bullock harbour (27° 47', 121o 16') in a sheltered position, experienced a moderate and fresh NE backing to N gale accompanied by heavy rain squalls during the morning and in the afternoon moderate to strong NNW and NW breezes with overcast sky. Later in the evening the wind increased to a strong gale from NW and NW by W. The barometer was at its lowest point, 29.25, near 2 p.
The centre seems to have been recurving at a distance of about 100 miles to E of the above vessels. The S. S. Mount Lebanon was situated at noon in 28° 58′, 126° 46′ or at a distance of about 250 miles to the ENE of the centre at that time. At 4 p. the barometer read 29.49 and a heavy ESE gale was blow- ing accompanied by a high cross sea. They steered towards NW keeping the wind on the starboard quarter but at 8 p. she was making such fearful weather in the heavy confused sea which was running that they were obliged to put her on the port tack, heading SSW, that being the only position in which she would obey the helm. Subsequently on the 6th the centre passed a little South of this vessel between 4 p. and 6 p. The following is the account given by her commander :
'September 6th, 8 a.m. Barometer 29.10 falling rapidly; wind still ESE with furious squalls and terrific sea; got ship off the wind again and heading NNW but could only make way slowly on account of the propeller being most of the time out of the water altogether. Right on the storm track, ship in ballast and practically unmanageable. No. 3 water ballast tank had burst, after holds flooded, ship taking a heavy list to port which made matters worse but we managed to steer her making a NNW course; steam steering gear carried away and steering ship with hand gear. At noon, position by account 29° 55', 126° 20′ barometer 28.90, ESE wind blowing with hurricane force, terrific sea and heavy rain. 2 p.m. wind backed to E, barometer 28.80, terrific squalls. and continuous blinding rain. 4 p.m. barometer 28.68, wind had backed steadily to NE by E, ship then heading about NW by W; wind force, sea and weather still the same; 6 p.m., barometer steady 28.68; 7.30 p.m., first rise of barometer and wind had backed to NNE ship heading about WSW, wind hurricane force, blinding rain and tremendous sea; ship taking fearful lurches to port; midnight, barometer had risen to 29.30 and wind had backed to NW with terrific squalls. September 7th 2 a.m. baro- meter 29.56, wind moderating but sea still very high."
These observations place the centre, which was now moving towards ENE, about 50 miles to the WSW of the above vessel, or in 29°, 125°, at noon on the 6th thus giving the disturbance a speed of about 9 miles per hour during the previous 24 hours. The Mount Lebanon had made some few miles progress in a NNW and NW direction by 4 p., so that the centre passed just to the S of her position at this hour.
The barometer was falling fast at Nagasaki (29.50) and SE gales were blowing off the coast of Kiushui. At the mouth of the Yangtze N gales prevailed but the barometer (Gutzlaff 29.49) had there commenced to rise.
The S. S. Verona experienced the typhoon in about 30° 30', 128° on the morning of the 7th. Winds of storm force backing from E to NE were experienced between 1 a. and 5 a. but at the latter hour, the barometer being at its minimum, 28.47, the wind decreased to a moderate gale for a short time. As the barometer rose the wind increased again and at 8 a. they had typhoon force from NW which, however, commenced to moderate very slowly after 10 a. The S. S. Asloun also experienced a hurricane from NNW at a distance of about 60 miles to the NNW of the Verona. They recorded the lowest barometer reading, 29.22, at 8 a. The S. S. Bellona in the right-hand semicircle and situated in 30° 16', 131° 12′, experienced a fierce SSE gale at noon.
The centre was situated in 31° 00′, 129° 30′ at noon on the 7th thus giving it a speed of about 9 miles per hour during the previous 24 hours, and it must have entered SW Kiushui shortly after- wards. The S. S. Mascotte lying in Nagasaki harbour experienced strong breezes veering gradually from E in the morning to N at night, the barometer falling to its lowest point (29.22) at 8 p.
After entering SW Japan the disturbance seems to have filled up to a considerable extent, and at the same time it moved NE with greatly increased velocity towards the Sea of Japan. The S. S. Ancona lying at Kobe experienced a moderate SSW gale at 8 a. on the 8th (barometer 29.38) which, however, quickly moderated, the direction veering to WSW with rapidly rising barometer.
On the 10th at 10.20 a. "A depression appears to be situated to the SE of Luzon,” Forecast: "barometer falling: fresh NE winds: fair."
At 11.15 a.
On the 10th at 4.15 p. Depression in S Luzon moving towards WNW." On the 11th at
Forecast: barometer falling: fresh NE winds: fair."
11.0 a.
On the 10th a sudden fall of the barometer amounting to about 0.1 inch occurred at Bolinao and Manila with moderate N and NE winds; but it appears that a trough-like depression had been formed across the China Sea in about 13° to 15° latitude, owing to pressure increasing quickly over China on the two previous days and the consequent rapid spread of NE winds to the Southward in the China Sea.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.