645637-1894-Report-of-Typhoon-of-25th-September-1894 — Page 1

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 13TH OCTOBER, 1894.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 382.

879

The following Report is published.

By Command,

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Acting Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 8th October, 1894.

H.K.O.

No. 34.

SIR,

HONGKONG OBSERVATORY, 28th September, 1894.

I have the honour to forward herewith for the information of His Excellency a detailed report of the typhoon of September 25th, 1894, as requested in your letter of the 26th instant (No. 1897).

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable

THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

REPORT

JOHN I. PLUMMER,

Acting Director,

On the Typhoon of September 25th, 1894.

The typhoon which reached Hongkong on September 25th was first indicated in our observations upon September 22nd at 10 a.m., when a fall in the barometer at Bolinao and Manila together with wind froin the NW at the former, and W at the latter place shewed that there was a depression in the Pacific probably somewhere near lat. 18° 0′ N, long. 124° 30′ E.

At 4 p.m. on the same date, the wind at Bolinao had backed to W, and the other conditions remained practically unchanged. This indicated some progress in a W, or W by N direction.

On September 23rd at 10 a.m. the barometer at Bolinao and Manila had again fallen somewhat, and the wind had backed again to WSW, but was very light. This again indicated progress in the same direction, and a notice was issued that "the depression appears to be situated to the East of the Balingtang Channel." Its actual position was probably in lat. 18° 30′ N, long. 121° 30′ E, giving it thus a motion of about 190 miles W by N in the 24 hours.

At 4 p.m. on the same date, the barometer had risen a little at Manila, and was stationary at Bolinao, with light SW winds at both places. The wind was W at Hongkong, shewing that we had not yet come under the influence of the typhoon. There is no reason to suppose, therefore, that the course of the typhoon was in any way altered. It had probably now about arrived at the 600-mile limit from Hongkong, but owing to the approach of night and the small chance of any ship being bound ESE from Hongkong, the hoisting of the signal was deferred till the following morning.

On September 24th at 10 a.m. the barometer had risen slightly (0.04 inch) at Bolinao and Manila, and had fallen the same amount at Hongkong; the wind was SSE, 3, at Bolinao, and N, 1, at Hongkong. The influence of the typhoon was affecting our weather here, and the position of the