November 17, 1900.]
threw him a rope, which he seized. A wave carried Duncan and the women out. The wo- men never returned, but Duncan managed to get back twice and was just on the point of get- ing on to the embankment when a wave came and forced him back, and he was never seen again. Duncan was an old 91st (Argyle and He had been Sutherland Highlanders) man. away from home since 1886, and was looking forward to returning to his home in Edinburgh in about two years. He was in the Naval Yard Police at Hongkong for several years up to 1896, when he went to Singapore, returning to Hongkong a few months ago.
RESCUE BY PORTUGUESE SAILORS.
A couple of gallant rescues were made by the crew of the Portuguese cruiser Adamastor which was lying off Kowloon. At about eight o'clock on Saturday morning, while there was still a very high wind and heavy sea, three Chinamen were observed clinging to the keel of a capsized junk. On the matter being re- ported to the Commander, Captain Antonio Julio d'Oliveira Andrea, and to the officer on duty, Lieut. Octavio Augusto de Mattos Moreira, orders were immediately given to lower a boat, and in less than a minute a whale- boat was launched manned by 10 willing hands It gallantly proceeded to the rescue and suc ceeded in taking on board the three men, although not without difficulty, owing to the heavy sea which was continually sweeping over the wreck. Later on four more Chinamen in a very exhausted condition were seen clinging on to a spar and again the brave sailors went out and succeeded in bringing them safely on board the cruiser, where - no efforts were spared to restore them. Conspicuous amongst those on board Was the ship's surgeon, Dr. Carlos Alberto Marques Caldiera, who was unremitting in his kindness to the poor sur. vivors. When the weather moderated the men were sent ashore to the Portuguese Consul, Mr. A. G. Romano, who handed them over to the police.
THE ENGLISH MAIL.
Many rumours were in circulation on Satur. day morning concerning the P. & 0.8.8. Sobraon, which was bringing the English mail and was due on Friday. Telegraphic communication with Gap Rock had broken down and the in- coming mail, therefore, could not be signalled. Late in the afternoon, however, she entered the harbour and went alongside her wharf at Kow- loon. It appears that she saw very little of the typhoon, getting out of its course when near the Paracels. The Sobraon is the first steamer to go direct from London to China with the mails without calling at Bombay. The China Service from London has hitherto been via Bombay, but the Sobraon, avoiding the Indian port, has performed the journey in shorter time The Sobraon is a new steamer, and this is her maiden trip to the East. She brought out a large cargo. She will return to London by the
same route.
LIVES SAVED BY AN AMERICAN SHIP.
During the typhoon on Saturday morning the American ship State of Maine was anchored near to Stonecutters' Island. At about half-
past four a junk came past. There were eight Chinese on board, and as it was evident that the junk could not keep afloat much longer, the crew were terribly afraid. Three of them more bold than the others determined to make a desperate attempt to save their lives. They accordingly caught hold of the channels of the American ship and with considerable difficulty and at much risk to themselves Captain Calcord and some of his men got them aboard. Had the other five bestirred themselves they could have been saved in a similar manner, but they were afraid to make the attempt, as the junk was going along at a great speed. She was out of sight of the ship very quickly, going at the rate of eight or nine miles an hour, and no doubt soon foundered, as she was half filled with water and her masts were hanging over the side. Captain Calcord has experienced many stiff breezes in his time, but he informed a Daily Press representative that this was the strongest he had ever been in. He had never been so near the centre of a typhoon before. He would not have been son ear on this occasion if he had had plenty of water to escapo into.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE STRANDED
16
SEWALL."
BENJAMIN
It seems that when the. American ship Ben- jamin Sewall (Captain Sewall in command) broke her chain during the typhoon she collid ed with the Chinese gun-boat Fu-Po, of which Captain Low Buah is in command. The ship carried away the cruiser's top mast, side lights, cutter, and gangway fender, and did other dam- age to her. She subsequently sprang a leak and was stranded in the mud below the Royal Naval Hospital. The captain of the cruiser is endeavouring to secure repayment for some of the damage. Should he not succeed he will have to make it good himself, as in the Chinese Navy the captain is responsible for any damage done to his vessel. whether it could have been
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avoided or not.
The Benjamin Sewall has now been re-floated and is now undergoing repairs in the Dock at Kowloon. The water was pumped out of her by a floating fire-engine belonging to the Water Police.
FEARED LOSS OF A FISHING FLEET.
Reports of the damage caused in the outlying islands by the typhoon continue to be sent in to the Police Authorities. It is feared that about 19 junks with about 90 persons on board have been lost in the neighbourhood of Lintiu Island. They belonged to the district of Tai Ho, and as they have not yet been hoard of it is not at all unlikely that they have all come to grief, as when the wind veered round they would feel the full force of it. Some junks containing 20 or 30 men foundered off Tai Ho
and the crews were drowned. The small harbour at Tai Ho was crowded with junks during the typhoon, but the bluff kept off the wind and all escaped.
Though the damage doue to the junks and boats at Yaumati was considerable the number
of lives lost does not appear to have been so great as has been reported. In the majority of cases the reports as to loss of junks, etc., sent in to the police say no lives lost."
OFFICIAL TELEGRAMS.
By the courtesy of His Excellency the Gov. ernor we are enabled to publish the following telegrams between him and the Secretary of State relating to the typhoon of last week :-
GOVERNOR, HONGKONG, TO SECRETARY OF
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801
› THE CRISIS IN CHINA.
LOCAL MOVEMENTS. The U.S. monitor Monterey returned from Canton on the 9th inst.
The British transport Mohawk arrived from Taku on the 10th inst. and left the harbour again on the 12th inst.
On the 11th inst. the French gunboat Comele left for Kwangchauwan.
The Zibengħila arrived on the 12th inst. from Shanghai.
The German cruiser Gefion arrived on the 12th inst. from Canton.
The French transport Bordeaux arrived on the 11th inst. from Singapore.
H.M.S. Undaunted left on the 12th for prac- tice.
H.M.8. Undaunted, conveying H.M.8. Fame and the captured destroyer Taku, arrived on the 12th inst. from Shanghai.
The British transport Pentakota departed on the 12th inst. for Calcutta.
The surveying ship Waterwitch went on a cruise on the 12th inst.
The Chilian training ship General Baque- dairo left the harbour on the 12th inst.
The British gunboat Protector arrived on Tuesday morning from Weihaiwei, which port she left on the 8th instant.
The British transport Claverdale arrived from Sydney, bringing horses, fodder, and hay for the forces in China.
The storeship Humber arrived on Tuesday from Woosung.
The French transport Bordeaux left on Tues- day for Taku.
H.M.S. Undaunted returned from practice on Wednesday
THE VICEROYALTY OF THE TWO
KWANG.
A. Hsian despatch states that owing to being overtaken with illness accompanied by blood- spitting, H.E. Tao Mu, Viceroy designate of the Two Kwang provinces, asked recently for permission to resign the public service, which was denied by the Empress Dowager. Tao Mu therefore, says the N.C. Daily News, went on from Lauchow to Hsian, where be met the Refugee Court on its arrival on the 26th ult. A few days afterwards Tao Mu was again ill with blood-spitting, in spite of which he could fore have to make his journey slowly to the not get permission to resign. H.E. will there- South by easy stages. From the above it is therefore evident that Tao Mu will have to
become Viceroy of the Two Kwang after all, and that K'usi Chun and Wang Chih-ch-un Governor of Anhwei, respectively, for yet will have to remain Viceroy of Szechuan and awhile.
STATE, DATED 10TH NOVEMBER, 1900. Severe typhoon passed over Hongkong last night. Ten steam launches and over one hun. dred and ten junks have foundered or been driven ashore, H.M.8. Sandpiper foundered. Crew saved by H.M.S. Otter. Now dredger for naval dockyard also foundered. Crew saved by boats from Tamar and Astræa. Several houses THE TRUTH ABOUT SHANHAIKWAN. The N.-C. Daily News gives the following as blown down. I fear that the loss of life is considerable. Fifteen bodies have already been the true account of what happened at Shanhai. sent to the mortuary and seven injured to hos-kwan, about which so many different stories pital. Am arranging to afford necessary relief. | have been spread. SECRETARY OF STATE TO GOVERNOR, HONG-
KONG, DATED 13TH NOVEMBER, 1900. I have received with great regret your
telegram of the 10th November, reporting damage done by typhoon. Please convey to sufferers expression of my sincerest sympathy.
The sunken French transport Caravane which collided with a Japanese transport steamer, the Yamaguchi-Maru, in the Inland Sea on the night of the 24th ult., has been dis. covered one knot north-east of Ogijima, where the sea is 22 fathoms deep. The body of Lieut. Capitaine, who was second in command of the transport, has been found on the coast of Shodzushima, and that of a sailor has been picked up on Ogishima. A Kencho officer with
an escort had the remains of the deceased con. veyed to Kobe where they were buried with all appropriate rites. It is now known that but three of the ill-fated vessel's crew have met their death, having been struck down and killed by the falling of the Caravane's mast shortly after the impact The rest, 83, in all, including Capt. Diacre, have been landed at Kobe. Court of Enquiry into the disaster is being held by the Japanese Marine Authorities.
On the 29th of September last there was a conference of Foreign Admirals at Taku, which resulted in the summoning of Lieut. and Comdr.
Powell went
Green, commanding H. M. S. Pigmy, by Admiral Seymour. From the Admiral he received orders to proceed to Shanhaikwan, and there to occupy the forts. Accordingly the Pigmy left Taku about eleven o'clock that night, carrying as passengers Sir Walter Hillier and Colonel Powell, 1st Ghoorkas, who is on the staff of Field Marshal Count von Waldersse. Sir Walter Hillier's political responsibility and knowledge of Chinese pointed him out as indispensable, while Col. representing the military. Shanhaikwan was of September -- and the principal reached about noon on the following day- 30th actors, on one side, of the little comedy to come, went on shore. They were Sir Walter Hil- lier, Col. Powell, and Comdr. Green. Accom- panied by an orderly they went ashore and interviewed the Chinese General in command of the forts. Him they found suave, courteous, amenable in the highest degree to reason. The conversation that ensued was not-nor is it likely to be-reported. They pointed out, how forts, and that he would be avoiding much un- ever, that they desired to have and to hold these
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