Sessional_Paper_1907 — Page 630

235

12. There were three instances when a strong gale occurred, and the gun was not fired, but in each case the typhoon had been previously notified several hours in advance by notices and signals issued. On three occasions the gun was fired and no gale followed, owing in one case to recurvature of the typhoon, and in two to no local gale resulting from the typhoon, the centre of which passed the Colony. Twice the gun was fired too late. In the first case warning had been given some hours previously by the hoisting of signals, and in the second instance, that of September 18th, 1906, both sigual and gun were late.

13. It will thus be seen that warning was given of every typhoon that blew in the Colony during the past 23 years, except in case of that of September 18th last, when owing to the extremely small diameter of the disturbance, its existence was not known beforehand and the indications were insufficient to justify the hoisting of signals till half past seven in the morning (Hongkong Mean Time).

14. Could earlier warning have been given it would doubtless have contributed to the saving of life and property as far as the boat population in the harbour is concerned. The damage in the Colony must in any case have been extensive, for apart from the suddenness with which this gale came on, it occurred at flood tide, which, owing to the typhoon, was of exceptional height and was responsible for a great deal of damage along the sea front, against which no precautionary measures would have availed, the damage being quite out of propor- tion both to the duration and severity of the storm. The maximum hourly wind velocity 77 miles, registered between 9.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. (H.K.M.T.), did not reach full typhoon force. On the other hand there were during this interval some four or five squalls of great severity.

15. During 1906 in addition to meteorological registers kept at about 40 stations on shore, 2,064 ship logs have been copied on board or forwarded by the captains. The total number of vessels, whose log-books have been made use of, was 314. The total number of days' observations (counting separately those made on board different ships on the same day) was 16,610.

16. The following is a list of ships, from which logs have been obtained in 1906. When not otherwise distinguished the vessels are steamships: Acara, Achilles, Aki Maru, Alabama, Alacrity (H. M. S.), Aldershot, Algoa, Amara, Ambria, America Maru, Amigo, Am Hamelin, Amur, Andalusia, Andrée Rickmers, Arabia, Aragonia, Arcadia (P. & O. S. N. Co.), Arcadia (Hamburg-Amerika Linie), Arratoon Apcar, Arroyo, Athenian, Atholl, Australian, Australien, Austria, Banca, Bayern, Bellerophon, Benarty, Benavon, Bencleuch, Benledi, Ben Nevis, Benvenue, Binh Thuan, Bombay Maru, Borneo, Braemar, Brisgavia, Bülow, Calédonien, Capri, Carl Diederichsen, Castor, Catherine Apcar, Ceylon, Ceylon Maru, Cheangchew, Cheongshing, Childar, China, Chingtu, Chiyuen, Chowfa, Chowtai, Choysang, Chunsang, City of Delhi, Colombo Maru, Coningsby, Coptic, Cowrie, Cranley, Crusader, Cyclops, Daiya Maru, Dakota, Daphne, Dardanus, Delhi, Denbighshire, Derwent, Deucalion, Devanha, Devawongse, Doric, Eastern, Elizabeth Rickmers, Ellen Rickmers, Empire, Empress of China, Empress of India, Empress of Japan, Esang, Fausang, Feiching. Ferndene, Flora (H. M. S.), Fooshing, Foxley, Franklyn, Fukushu Maru, Germania, Glenfarg, Glenlochy, Gregory Apcar, Haiching, Hailan, Haiman, Hainam, Haitan, Hakata Maru, Hangsang, Hanoi, Hans Wagner, Heimdal, Herzogin Cecilie (Schulschiff), Hoihow, Honghee, Hongkong Maru, Hong Wan I, Hopsang, Hué, Huichow, Hupeh, Idomeneus, Indrani, Ischia, Ithaka, Japan, Java, J. B. Aug. Kessler, Jeseric, Joshin Maru, Kabafuto Maru, Kaga Maru, Kaifong, Kamakura Maru, Kanagawa Maru, Kasado Maru, Kashing, Keemun, Kensington, Kilbrennan, Kina, Kioyei Maru No. 2, Kohsichang, Korat, Korea, Koun Maru, Kowloon, Kueichow, Kumano Maru, Kumsang, Kutsang, Kwanglee, Kwangse, Kwangtah, Kweiyang, Kwongsang, Laertes, Laisang, Lawhill (sailing ship), Lennox, Liberia, Lisa, Loongsang, Loosok, Lothian, Lydia, Lyra, Machew, Madeleine Rickmers, Magallanes, Malta, Manchuria, Masan Maru, Mathilde, Mausang, Mazagon, Meefoo, Mernnon, Mercedes (H. M. T.), Minnesota, Moldavia, Mongolia, Monteagle, Mortlake, Namsang, Nanshan, Newby Hall, Nicomedia, Nikko Maru, Nile, Ningpo, Nippon, Nippon Maru, Nordkap, Numantia, Oceana, Océanien, Onsang, Paklat, Palamcotta, Palma, Patrol, Pekin, Peleus, Pera, Persia, Peshawur, Petchaburi, Phu Yen, Pindari, Pingsuey, Pitsanulok, Polynésien, Prince George (barquentine), Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinzess Alice, Prinz Heinrich, Prinz Regent Luitpold, Prinz Sigismund, Prinz Waldemar, Progress, Prometheus, Providence, Quarta, Radnorshire, Ragnar, Rajaburi, Rajah, Rajput, Ramsay, Reigate, Rhenania, Riojun Maru, Roon, Rubi, Sabine Rickmers, Sachsen, Sado Maru, Saint George, Salazie, Sambia, Samsen, Sandakan, Sardinia, Saxonia, Scandia, Segovia, Senegambia, ceydlitz, Shah Allum, Shahjehan, Shansi, Shantung, Shachshing, Shinano, Shinano Maru, Siam, Siberia, Sibirien, Sierra Morena, Silesia, Skuld, Slavonia,

Page 630Page 631