100
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ower is required to move the system and the carrying capacity of the line is greatly increased, the fixed ropes acting pretty much the same as rails. Mr. SHAW recom- mends wire tramways for the hill stations in India and also for transport service on the frontier; and the next generation will no doubt find the system in extensive use, not only in India, but also in Hongkong, enabling a person to move from point to point on the hills as easily as the Londoner makes his way in all directions by 'bus.
FREE TRADE IN VICE..
In his report for last year the Registrar- General refers to some of the evil conse quences which have followed the abolition of the registration of brothels. The in- crease in the number of what are called "sly brothels " is, as the Registrar-General says, "very prejudicial to family life among "the poorer classes and has been viewed "with great dissatisfaction by the Chinese." In September last the number was estimated by the police to be 124, but if information which has reached us privately is to be relied on, the number has since then in- creased very largely, being estimated now at over a thousand. This may be an ex- aggeration, but whatever the precise num- ber there is no doubt the respectable Chinese of the poorer class have a substantial grievance in the results of the free trade "in vice" which has been forced upon the colony by the home Government. The vast majority of the poorer classes of the colony live in tenement houses, and the sly "brothels" are also located in houses of this description, in which they occupy one floor or even only half a floor. It is complained that visitors to the brothels frequently mistake the floor or apartment and go to the doors of respectable tenants in the same house, disturbing them late at night and causing annoyance. It is urged also that the brothels tend to make house rent dear, because they can afford to pay more than other people and are willing to do so, thus raising the rate all round. It is alleged, too, that they afford a refuge to criminals and are more pre judicial to the maintainance of law and order than gambling houses. Why all this should be allowed the Chinese do not under stand, being quite unable to appreciate the arguments of Exeter Hall. They ask that each brothel should be compelled to put up a conspicuous sign, so that persons in search of them may be able to find them without dis- turbing the respectable neighbours, or, better still, that they should all be confined to a par- ticular district. No steps in this direction can be taken, however, without the reintro- duction of the registration system. We believe the Government at present in power is inclined to review the policy adopted of late years of entirely abolishing control over houses of ill-fame, and, if that be so, the time would be opportune for the Governor once more to urge the evil that has resulted to this colony both from the abolition of the Contagious Diseases Act and from the freedom from control now enjoyed by those engaged in the nefarious brothel traffic.
DESTRUCTIVE TYPHOON.
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO PRO- PERTY.
A SHIP'S CAPTAIN DROWNED.
30th July.
of October, that it was the visited the seems to SUDI
August
The following table, which Mr. Figgskindly supplied to us, will prove very interesting many of our readeis!:
Barometer Wind Direction, Forve 8 a.m. 29.501
N.N.W. 10 a.m. ..500
29th
N... N.N.E.
only is the damag extensive that has recorded wind cording to the Observa On Tuesday afternoon the Observatory gave
at 10 p.mwas 108 warning of an approaching typhoon, the red Observatory report of drum, signifying a typhoon to the eastward at 1894, the reference to the w
follows: Unfortunately = - a distance of more than three hundred miles, being hoisted. At 8.45 a.m. yesterday the black paratus of the Observatory drum was hoisted, indicating that the disturbroken by the wind, probably bance had approached within the three hun- the exact record of velocity was dred miles limit, and at 9.5.the gun was fired but from estimations the wind one round signifying that a strong gale might to be at its worst between 4.30p. | be expected. At 10.30 a.m. the black south cone squalls during this time being very was hoisted and at that time the centre of the is, however, doubtful whether th typhoon was, according to the Observatory hourly velocity as yet registered by notice, about 250 miles to the S.W. of the ment, namely, 89 miles per hour, colony, moving towards the W.N.W. The typhoon of September 10th to 11th, steamers in harbour began at an early hour to
was exceeded, although some few of the squall.- seek places of safety in Kowloon Bay and behind on the present occasion were undoubtedly Stonecutters and by midday the harbour was
very great violence." almost deserted. The wind and sea gradually increased and at four o'clock the Kowloon ferry boats ceased running, leaving several Kowloon re- sidents on this side, a very uncomfortable position for family men, who were thus rendered unable to look after the safety of their households. By five o'clock the wind was approaching typhoon force and at a quarter to six two rounds were fired by the Observatory gun, the signal that the storm was expected to pass over the colony. Early in the afternoon the dressing rooms of the Victoria Recreation Club were blown away and probably this morning there will be little of the bath itself to be seen. About two o'clock four cargo boats engaged on the Praya Reclamation were wrecked on the wall, but fortunately without loss of life. It is reported also that while a cargo boat was being towed by a launch to Kowloon about two o'clock she capsized, but all on board are said to have been rescued by the launch. Communica- tion with the Observatory was interrupted early in the afternoon, the land line connecting with the cable being broken. At night the streets were left in darkness,” the electric light not working. Telephonic communication also to a large extent interrupted by the breaking of the lines. Mesars. Falconer and Co.'s barometer read 29.50 at 9 a.m., 29.42 at 1 p.m., and 29.28 at 4 p.m. The storm seemed to reach its maximum between half-past ten and eleven, when the wind, which had worked round towards the south-east, was blowing furiously. Abont that time, however, the barometer At ten o'clock the began to rise a little. reading was 29, but by twelve o'clock it had risen to 29.25. It is to be feared that there will be a long tale of damage this morning, but of what took place after dark we are at present unable to give any detailed account.
was
Much anxiety is felt concerning the light- keepers at Gap Rock. They reported at three o'clock that the barometer had fallen to 29 and that the rook was then awash and at nine o'clock another message was received giving the reading as 28.69.
|
H.M.S. Grafton, Admiral Oxley's flagship, | was under orders to leave for Japan yesterday and in the course of the morning she steamed out, but presumably it was with the intention of taking shelter in Junk Bay or other safe anchorage, and not with that of proceeding on her voyage in face of the threatening state of the weather.
31st July.
|
30th
noon .408
2
p.m.
344
NNE.
4 p.m.
.234
N.E. by N.
6.p.m.
.126
N.E. by N.
7 p.m.
.024
N.E.
8 p.m.
28.982
N.E. by E..
12
9 p.m. 9.30 p.m.
.973
E.NE.
12
.874
E. by N.
12
10 p.m.
.895
12
10.30 p.m.
918
8.E. by
11 p.m. 29.095
S.E.
12
midnight
231
S.E. by S.
11
2 a.m.
394
S.E. by 8.
10
4 8.10.
.509
8.85
8 a.m.
664
S.E. by 8.4
Barometer readings reduced to 32 deg. and Mean Sea Level.
Maximum wind velocity 108 miles, between 9.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m.
The typhoon entered the coast near Macao. Since 1874 we have had only two really serious typhoon until the
present one,
we experienc
оде whigh visited the colony, ni the September, 1884, and the other in October, 1894, and Mr. Figg, of the Observatory, is of opinion that neither exceeded the pr sent one in strength. Fearful wind blew in 1894 and some were violence than those Wednesday night, but the hourly velocity of the wind during the 1894 was 15 miles less than in the prese phoon. The wind during Wednesday was more uniform, more continuous, 1894 strong fitful squalls blew, and some people are led to errone that the latter storm was the more This year's typhoon travelled very indeed, and we happened to be ing thị hand of the course in the dangerous It was no wonder; therefore, that an sive damage was done in various part colony, and it is a matter for congratul that loss of life and bodily injury ver very great.
As usual there were one or two,
incidents in the harbour, and the resone of Captain Jay was the most and the saddest. The Wu Chỏ formerly known as the Montiara and in the evening, when the gale was the vessel drifted towards the Blue Buildings. The tea high at the time and Ins Police Constables Dickso to the vessel and re crew It happened his Chinese ser constables, with the aid o throw them to catch hold safely to and it
The typhoon which raged in the colony during Wednesday night and the early hours of Thurs day morning was followed by the inevitable calm and by nine o'clock, when everybody was turning out of doors after a memorable night's experience, one could quietly ascertain the ex- tent of the damage and composedly discuss the various phases and the various incidents of the great storm. Individual impressions of the On Wednesday evening there were two small force of the typhoon must necessarily be largely fires in the city. One broke out in the cook-affected by the position of the observer and the house at 37, Pottinger Street, and the other in exposure of his house having regard to the the cool house of the Alice Memorial Hospital. various directions of the wind. This will ac Both fres, which were very slight, were put out count for the diverse views expressed yes by the inmates. The cause in each case was terday, some persons being of opinion that holding
erheading of the flue.
the typhoon was of less force than that
were
fellow fall into the wat
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