Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 526

Michael Jebsen and other vessels, off the China Coast near Swatow and steering towards Hongkong, had the wind backing to N and N and NW during the afternoon and blowing a strong gale with the barometer rising late at night.

The disturbance (XV) seems to have been recurving to the NE during the evening.

On the 3rd. we have the following observations :-Nagasaki 10 a. 29.93 NNW 3 or, 2 p. 29.91 NNW 40.; Tokio 10 a. 29.92 NW 2, 2 p. 29.69 NW 2; Shanghai 30.24, Amoy 29.98, Hongkong 30.06. Bolinao 29.86, Manila 29.88. Pressure had therefore increased to a moderate extent at the four latter stations while it had decreased in the North, especially in Japan. Strong winds from N and NE continued on the China Coast and strong winds from NW blew between Shanghai and Nagasaki. At- Bolinao and Manila the wind was as follows:-Bolinao 9 a. SSW 2, 3 p. NW 3; Manila 10 a. W 1, 4 p. SW 4.

A depression was apparently moving rapidly to the NE at some distance from the S coast of Japan on this day, but the observations are insufficient to connect this with the disturbance situated near the Balingtang Channel on the previous day. The latter must have moved with extraordinary velocity if it be assumed that it had reached the southern shores of Japan in 24 hours. On the other hand, it is possible that its position was little changed and that it was filling up in the neighbourhood of S. Formosa. Observations from Formosa would determine the point but they are, unfortunately, not available.

On the 4th pressure had increased slightly at Shanghai and to the extent of 0.25 inch and 0.20 inch at Amoy and Hongkong respectively, and the NE monsoon blew with great severity in the N part of the China Sea during the following two or three days.

The American full-rigged ship John R. Kelly from New York bound for Hongkong crossed the equator in 119° E, and had thereafter calms and light W breezes. On the 6th in 2, 132° they report SW 5 with stormy looking sky and long NE swell. On the 7th in 6°, 134 they report a rapidly falling glass, S 6, and NE swell. At noon on the 8th in 9, 134° they report ENE S, increasing. In the meantime they had made everything snug and taken in upper topsail and mainsail. At 6 p. they put the ship round to S to keep out of the centre of the typhoon, as the wind, they say, worked round to W. They kept her under lower topsails and storm-spanker all night, the sea increasing and the ship being completely under water. The sea had filled the forward house and the cabin. on the 9th they report NW 10. At 8 a. with W 9, they put ship's head to N. At 4 p. on the 9th in 9, 135° they report WNW 9. At noon on the 10th in 9, 136 they report WSW 9. Next day the barometer rose, they say, and the SW gale moderated. On the 12th in 152, 136" they report. NE light breeze, but on the 13th in 17°, 135° NE 8. Sails were lost and 3 men hurt. On the 14th in 17, 134° the NE gale continued with org. The positions given we consider doubtful, and it is very likely that the dates are wrong too, so that, eg., the 8th should have been entered where the 7th is given as the date. The full-rigged ship Selkirk from Cardiff to Hongkong reports:-

At 3 a.

6th, 7ch,

8th, 9th,

8° 21' 132° 53' 8 53 132 40 10 00 132 59

var. 2 or. f 10th,

WNW 2

11th,

29.87

NW

12th,

11 43 133 32 .62 W 12 orq. 13th,

They used oil on the 9th when under bare poles.

The greatest wind force they report at midnight on the 9th.

.11° 37′ 134° 01′ 29.57 SW/W 11 40 134 17 .77 WSW 13 13 133 17 .87 15 02 134 02

1 0.

mod.

NW

5

The date given is uncertain. The' path of the typhoon (XVI) surmised from these data is therefore very uncertain.

On the 8th at 5.30 p. "There are indications of a depression in the China Sea to the SW of Luzon." On the 9th at 11.15 a. Forecast:-"barometer unsteady: moderate N winds, probably freshening fine."

On the 10th at 11.20 a. The depression now appears to be situated to the S of Hongkong in about 15° to 10° latitude." Forecast:-" barometer unsteady: fresh NE winds: fair."

On the 11th at 11.20 u. Forecast:-"barometer steady: fresh NE winds: fair." Forecast:-" barometer rising: fresh NE winds: fine." On the 13th at 11.10 a. Forecast:--" barometer rising: fresh to strong N breezes fine, clear. Strong monsoon, increasing, in N part of China Sen."

On the 12th at 11.10 a.

On the 14th at 11.10 a. Forecast :-"barometer steady drizzling rain. Heavy monsoon in N part of China Sea."

X

strong to fresh NE breezes: dull, some

Pressure remained about 0.2 inch above the normal over China and slightly in excess in Luzon until the 6th November when it commenced to decrease. On the 7th we have the following observations: Hongkong 30.14; Hoihow 30.19; Manila 29 90. Strong NE breezes blew on the S coast of China' and light breezes from NNE at Bolinao and Manila. Off the Annam coast in about 13° latitude the barometer read 29.90 and moderate NE and N gales prevailed. The S.S. Memnon situated in 12° 13′, 117° 39′ at noon (barometer 29.94), and steering S by W passed during the day from a region where moderate NE winds prevailed to one in which the wind was light and variable and accompanied by rainsqualls, and thence, in the evening, to one in which fresh SW winds were blowing with hard rain- squalls.