643090-1895-Meteorological-Observations-for-September — Page 4

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 12TH OCTOBER, 1895.

1085

On the 11th strong NE breezes and moderate gales prevailed over the N part of the China Sea and as far South as 14° latitude on its Western side, while fresh SW winds prevailed on the Cochin China coast in about 10° latitude. The weather was showery and squally over the whole of this area.

On the 19th at 1.15 a. Swatow." Black Drum hoisted. and Swatow.”

rain."

At 10.25 a.

Two lanterns hoisted horizontally. At 9.15 a. "Typhoon SE of At 10.10 a. "Severe typhoon approaching coast between Amoy Forecast: "barometer falling: strong N to W winds: squally with

On the 20th Black Drum lowered before daylight. At 11.10 a. moderate or fresh NE winds: unsettled, showery.'

Forecast: "barometer rising:

On the 21st at 5.30 a. Black South Cone hoisted. At 11.0 a. Depression SSW of Hong- kong apparently moving towards W." Forecast: barometer rising slowly strong to fresh NE and E breezes: showery and squally to fair."

At 8.45 p. Black South Cone lowered.

The typhoon which advanced towards the Formosa Channel on the 18th was preceded on the 15th by a depression which moved to the Eastward over N. China. In rear of this depression pressure rose rapidly in the neighbourhood of Shanghai until on the 18th (30.11) it stood at about 0.2 incli above the normal. Pressure had also increased on the SE and S Coasts (Sharp Peak 29.91, Hongkong 29.85) but conditions as to pressure were almost normal in these districts on the anorning of the 18th. In Luzon the barometer (Bolinao 29.73) had been slightly low for the past few days. Strong NE monsoon prevailed at this time on the East Coast of China and at the N. entrance to the Formosa Channel while in the China Sea to the S of Hongkong it was moderate. In the SW part of the China Sea in about 6, 107° the barometer read 29.90, winds being moderate and fresh breezes from W and SW.

The afternoon observations made at the Coast Stations on the 18th showed a slight fall of the mercury in Luzon, winds being light breezes from W at Bolinao and from SW at Manila; but a more marked decrease had occurred at Amoy where the wind was a moderate breeze from NE. From observations made on board H. M. S.'s Pique and Peacock and the S.S. Thales and also from those made and kindly forwarded by Mr. A. W. BAIN, of Anping, we know that a typhoon was rapidly advancing towards S. Formosa from the SE on the morning of the 18th, the probable position of the centre at noon on this day being 21°4 122° or about 70 miles to the ESE of S. Cape. Information from the Pacific area is wanting, but the observations rather point to this disturbance having been rather quickly formed in a region of slightly low pressure lying to the E of the Bashee Channel, the chief agency in its formation probably being the rapid increase of pressure to the Northward and the consequent advance of strong NE monsoon to the Southward.

Consider-

The observations made by Mr. BAIN at Anping show that the barometer began to fall rather quickly after 9 a. on the 18th, the wind being moderate from N but increasing to a strong breeze at noon. After 8 P. the barometer fell very rapidly and a heavy N gale was then blowing which increased to typhoon force from N to NE at 10 p. The barometer attained its lowest point, 29.29, at 1 a. of the 19th. Between 2 a. and 3 a. the wind shifted gradually to SE. Very little rain fell. able damage to houses and godowns resulted. From observations made at Takow and kindly for- warded by Mr. BAIN it is seen that the centre passed over that port at 0.30 a. on the 19th. The barometer fell from 29.94 at 8 a. on the 18th to 29.30 at midnight, the wind being from NNW and N till the evening, when it veered to NE. The mercury descended to its lowest point, 28.90, at 0.30 a. on the 19th, i.e., it fell no less than 0.4 inch in half an hour, at the same time the wind veered to SSE. The barometer readings made at Takow are uncorrected, but are believed to require a negative correction of between 0.1 and 0.2 inch.

H. M. S.'s Pique and Peacock and the S. S. Thales got up steam on the morning of the 8th and left the open roadstead of Anping for shelter at about 2 p., but they were too late and all encountered the storm. The S. S. Thales made but little progress against the N gale and at 7 p. she was hove to on the starboard tack in the right-hand semicircle. Winds of storm and typhoon force from N by E were experienced between 9 p. of the 18th and 2.30 a. of the 19th.

At the latter hour the baro-

meter showed the minimum, 28.98, and shortly afterwards the wind veered to E, but at 4 a. it had decreased to a fresh gale from S. The centre passed at a distance of about 10 miles only to the SSW of the vessel at 3 a. Her position at this hour is given as 23° 9', 119° 36'. II. M. S. Peacock after steering towards WNW was hove to at 6 p. At 10.30 p., the barometer, 29.48, was falling rapidly with the wind at N of storm force. The vessel was then run to the SW. At 1 a. the barometric minimum, 29.34, occurred, but it remained almost steady until after 4 a. The wind, in the left-hand semicircle, backed to WNW at 2 a. and continned to blow with storm force from this direction until after 4 a. when it backed to WSW.

The centre, which was situated in 23° 00′, 119° 35′ at 3 a. passed about 25 miles to the NE of the vessel at this hour. It was therefore situated between the position of the Thales and that of the Peacock, but nearer to the former than to the latter. Both vessels sustained considerable damage.