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towards 8 Formosa from the SE. The barometer on board this vessel showed a decisive fall on thi day from 29.74 at 8 a. to 29.56 at 4 p. At the same time the wind, which had been light and variable during the morning, freshened somewhat from NW in the afternoon.
Next day, the 3rd, at noon, the barometer having fallen to 29.36 with the wind a fresh breeze from N accompanied by rain, the Ask left Anping to take shelter at the Pescadores. The centre was probably situated in 214, 123 at this time. Since the previous day pressure had given way to the extent of about 0.1 inch at Sharp Peak (29.66) and Amoy (29.60). The fall was less marked at′′ Hongkong (29.66) while at Bolinao (29.61) and Manila (29.67) the barometer had commenced to rise slowly. Pressure was highest, 29.9 to 30.0 inches, over Japan and in the extreme SW part of the China Sea. Winds were strong breezes from E to ESE off the SW coast of Japan; strong breezes to fresh NNE gales off the E Coast of China and in the N part of the Formosa Channel; moderate breezes from N and NNW off the S Coast of China and strong breezes from SW at Manila. The S.S. Ask experienced a strong N by E gale on the passage from Anping to Ponghou harbour (Pescadores) during the evening of this day, the barometer remaining, however, practically steady
since noon.
On the 4th the centre was probably situated off the E Coast of Formosa and in 23°30′, 122°30′ at, noou. The greatest decrease of pressure since the previous day was shown at Sharp Peak (29.50), the fall amounting to 0.16 inch in the 24 hours. The barometer had now commenced to fall at Shanghai (29.78) and in SW Japan (Nagasaki 29.85). At Hongkong (29.60) the barometer was steady and inclined to rise while in Luzon (Bolinao 29.65) a decided rise had taken place. Winds were strong NNE breezes at Sharp Peak, moderate breezes from NNW between Amoy and Hongkong and strong SW breezes in Manila. A very high temperature with low humidity and almost clear skies prevailed on the coast between Amoy and Hongkong. The S.S. Ask in Ponghou harbour (Pescadores) had a strong N gale with rainsqualls (bar. at 1 p. 29.32) during the greater part of the day. The barometer which had been practically steady the whole day began to rise late in the evening, the wind at the same time moderating. At 10 p. it backed to W and fell light.
Between the 4th and 5th great damage ashore and afloat was caused by the typhoon at Tamsui and Keelung. The centre passed a little to the E of the latter port early on the morning of the 5th.
On the 5th at noon the centre was situated in 26°15', 122°30′ and it was now commencing to recurve towards the NE. Its speed during the previous 24 hours had been at the rate of about 7 miles per hour. The disturbance was now of great dimensions and determined the wind circulation from W Japan in the NE part of the system to the Cochin China Coast in the SW. The isobars which were oval shaped were very much elongated towards the SW. Winds were in accordance. The worst weather was felt over a considerable area in the N semicircle where the isobars lay closer together, the gradients being therefore correspondingly steep. The following are the observations made at a few coast stations on the oth:-
Time of Observation.
* Nagasaki.
Woosung.
Ningpo.
Sharp Peak.
Amoy.
Hongkong.
Bolinao.
9 a.
3 p.
29.77 ENE 4 c. | 29.67 NE 6 or. 29.68 NE or. 29.36 W 7 og. 29,49 SW 4 b. | 29.63 NW 3 b. 29.73 SSE 1 c.
.70 SE 4 0. 50 NE 7 or. 53 NNE or. .35 W 4 0. 43 NW 4 c. 57 WNW 3 b. .67 SW 3 0.
* 10 a. and 2 p.
The S. S. Chiyuen which had put into Nainquan 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', 121° 16') in a sheltered position, experienced a moderate and fresh NE backing to Ngale accompanied by heavy rainsqualls 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 150 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 sca; 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
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