696874-1874-Typhoon-Reports-of-Damages-and-Loss-of-Life-caused-by- — Page 2

572

THE HONGKONG government gAZETTE, 17TH OCTOBER, 1874.

Captain Superintendent of Police to Colonial Secretary.

[No. 168.]

VICTORIA, HONGKONG,

30th September, 1874.

SIR,I have the honor to forward, for the information of H. E. the Governor, the following particulars as to deaths and losses caused by the Typhoon of 22nd and 23rd September, 1874, on the Island of Hongkong and in British Kowloong..

2. The bodies of 17 Europeans and 604 Chinese have been recovered by the Police, and by them buried, or by the friends of the deceased.

3. Over 200 houses have been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, as recorded in Appendix 4; one house was also burnt.

4. Two steamers, Albay and Leonor, have sunk in the Harbor, and the Pacific Mail Company's Steamer Alaska valued at $250,000, is on shore near Aberdeen, and will with difficulty be got off.

About eight Ships are supposed to have been lost.

5. The destruction of Chinese Junks and small boats, it is impossible to estimate. At Stone Cutters' Island about 100 were stranded; at Shau-ki-wán 37 large Junks, and several house boats; at Aberdeen about 100 Junks and Sampans; at Stanley no boat was left when the Typhoon was over.

6. The telegraph posts were blown down in different parts of the Island, so as to prevent all communication. The majority of the lamp posts also lost their lanterns, and the Gas Works were so damaged that Gas could not be supplied to the Streets for two nights.

7. The roads were almost impassable from the obstruction caused by the fallen trees.

8. The loss of personal property is also great, nearly every person complaining of some loss or damage..

9. The details that I have given above are of necessity meagre, the number of bodies recovered in all probability represents only of the actual loss. In many cases the Junks and Ships have gone down with their crews on board, and are thus probably buried in their vessels.

10. I enclose readings of the barometer taken at the Central Station by the Colonial Surgeon during the Typhoon,

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

W. M. DEANE,

The Honorable J. GARDINER AUSTIN,

Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG.

Appendix A.

List of Houses destroyed, &c., by Typhoon,

CITY OF VICTORIA.

Captain Superintendent of Police,

St. Joseph's Chapel. Praya East,

Shek Tong Tsui,

.11 Houses.

.Nos, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 22,

Battery Road, .......................Nos. 1, 3, 7, 52, and 5.

Tai Wong Street,

7 and 8.

...... "}

Kwong Foong Lane,....... „

1, 2, and 3.

Tsoi Lung Lane,

Nullah Lane,

Nullah Street,

7.

Praya Central,

43, 44, 51, 82, 85, 86, 100,

""

16.

""

""

57, 58, 59, and 60,

Yau Ma Ti,

Kat On Street,

1.

">

Station Street,.

15.

Tai Kok Tsui,

""

Hollywood Road,.....

""

150, 152, 154, 156, 192, 194,

and 196.

First Street,

55 and 74.

"}

Second Street,

27

51, 53, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 65,

Third Street,

""

High Street, Yü Lok Lane,.

2 and 3.

Gap,

""

})

1 to 12,

67, 63, 61, 59, and 57.

10, 8, 14, 18, 12, 13, 11, 9,

7, 5, 3, and 1.

50 and 75.

.30 Houses.

Stone Cutters' Island, Gaol Wall blown down.

Mong Kok, Stanley,

Shau-ki Wán, Aberdeen,. Ap-li-chau,.. Pok-fo-lum,

.16 Houses.

.14 22

.Greater part of Village.

..Several Houses.

""

.40 Houses.

.3 Bungalows and 1 House in

course of building.

..2 Bungalows.

W. M. DEANE,

Captain Superintendent of Police.

30th September, 1874.