THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 16TH MAY, 1885.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 206.
447
The following Notice, from the Government Astronomer, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 16th May, 1885.
W. H. MARSH,
Colonial Secretary.
NOTICE TO MARINERS.
In the China Sea the earliest signs of a typhoon are clouds of the cirrus type looking like fine ir. feathers or small white tufts of wool travelling from East or North, a slight rise in the barometer,
ar and dry but hot weather and light winds.
These signs are followed by a falling barometer, while the temperature rises still further. The r becomes oppressive from increasing dampness and the sky presents a threatening and vaporous pearance. A swell in the sea and also phosphorescence of the water as well as glorious sunsets are her signs useful to the mariner, who is acquainted with the usual conditions in the locality.
If the typhoon is approaching, the sky becomes overcast, the temperature in consequence decreases, dampness increases and the barometer falls more rapidly, while the wind increases in force. Nearer centre the wind blows so that no canvas can withstand it, and the rain pours down in torrents, there is no thunder and lightning. Still nearer the centre there is less wind and rain and the sky partly clear, but the sea is tremendous. This is therefore the most dangerous portion.
The whereabout of the centre of a typhoon may, in the China Sea, be ascertained by the rule:- and with your back to the wind, and you will have the centre on your left side, but between two and ir points in front of your left hand. There are however certain exceptions to this rule. Thus there blows a steady Easterly gale along the southern coast of China, when a typhoon is crossing the ina Sea, and the gale blows often steady from North-East about the northern entrance to the mosa Straits, when there is a typhoon in a more southern latitude.
When you have ascertained from the changes in the barometer and in the wind, in which semi- your vessel is situated, you should if in the right-hand semicircle keep the wind on the starboard 3. and if in the left-hand semicircle you should run on the starboard tack or heave to on the port 3. but it is dangerous to lic to in a typhoon, particularly before you are sure that the centre is Vessels near the coast of China or in the Formosa Straits generally seek refuge in the nearest hoon harbour indicated in the Directory.
Vessels leaving Hongkong are warned from the Observatory. Vessels leaving Singapore are d by observing the rules given above to sail round the typhoon, till they find themselves on the rn border, when they may regain their lost distance. The force of the wind is usually greatest in
inicircle north of the centre. Typhoons are not met south of nine degrees northern latitude. Typhoons may be encountered at any season of the year but are most frequent in August and
nber. They appear to originate south-east of the Philippine Islands.
ber they frequently pass East of Formosa or travel towards north-west up through the Straits In August and trike the coast of China. Afterwards they usually recurve towards north-east and pass over Japan oss the sea north of Japan, but not with the violence that is characteristic of tropical storms. g the remainder of the year they most frequently cross the China Sea from east to west.
Hongkong Observatory, 11th May, 1885.
W. DOBERCK, Government Åstronomer,
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