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184
direction which
cannot fall material benefit to shipping.
to prove of
5. They would, however, at the same time again respectfully urge upon the Government that even by the prompt issue of expresses there are occasions when such Intelligence is too tardily distributed, too late to be of service to the maritime population, whereas, by a code of flag signals, departing vessels might be warned in time instead of being allowed to sail into dangers. Not only are the expresses not sufficiently widely distributed, but the mere delay in printing and circulation is often suffi- cient to admit of ships leaving when they should continue in shelter.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PREES AND
The Committee are unable, of course, to vouch for the accuracy of the statements made in this letter, but, as the letter bears on the subject of the representations made in this Chamber's letter to you of 4th ultimo, and comes from practical men, my Committee deem it f sufficient importance to forward same on to you at once.
Í, accordingly, have the honour to hand you a copy herewith, and my Committee wish to express the hope that you will use the matter of the complaint made by the signatories to be carefully investigated. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant,
A. R. LOWE, Secretary.
6. The remarks of Mr. Figg on a fag tiguel code, to the effect that unless a very extensive HON. Colonial SecrETARY. and therefore impracticable code were adopted it could not give the information in a definite form, are noted, but it is wi hin the knowledge of the Committee that such a code has for a number of years been in daily use in Shanghai, where it has given the greatest satisfaction to shipmasters frequenting the port. The Com- mittee further venture to think that the Government will, on examination of the arcom. panying copy of this code, together with the forms of bulletins issued by the Sicawei Obser- vatory, admit that the system adopted at that port of making general the various weather reports is in advance of that in force here, and which the Chamber is justifiably auxious to see improved.
Swatow, 4th August, 1902. SIR.-We, the undersigned, who have passed through the recent typhoon between Hongkong and Swatow, wish to bring to your notice in the strongest possible manner the inadequate and misleading system. of storm warnings in the port of Hongkong. Relying on the weather forecast and the absence of storm warnings we left Hongkong for Swatow at 7 p.m. on Friday, 1st August, and met the typhoon soon after midnight.
The adoption of a flag signal service, which would be principally for the use of the foreign shipping in harbour, reed net recessitate the abolition of the pres at drum, cope, and ball siguals shewn by 11.M.8 Tamar for the benefit of native shipping and craft.
The
Certain improvements in the Sicawei code are now being effected and are expected to be published by the middle of September and to come iuto force on 1st November uext. effect of these will be that without making any water al change in the present indications more precise particulars can be given about storms. It may be worth mentioning that the code has been generally adopted by the German, Russian. and Chinese Governments along the coast of China.
7. With regard to paragraphs 4 and 5 of your letter, the Committee respectfully submit that they never suggested that the Hongkong Observatory should be made responsible for the storm warnings of other institutions, but they cannot help feeling that the observations made at Sioawei must surely furnish more accurate data than can le supplied by a possibly un- trained though doubtless intelligent observer at any of the const stations, such as Gutzlaff. Moreover, it seems to the Committee lament- able that there should be a want of reciprocity between the Hongkong and other observatories, and they find it difficult to resist the con- clusion that the absence of sympathetic and friendly relations with such an institution a the Sicawei Observatory is calculated to limit the usefulness of both institutions.
[September 8, 1902,
COPY OF THE REPORT BY THE ACTING.
DIRECTOR OF THE OBSERVATORY. HON. COLONIAL SECRETARY—With re- ference to the letter of the Chamber of Com- merce dated the 16th instant and its enclosure. I attach the storm-warnings issued prior to the departure of the steamships Decima and Haiching.
As the masters of these vessels admit receiv- ing this information-it is incorporated as usual in the weather forecasts of July 31st and August 1st (see C.C.M.R. attached) it would appear that they left this port n 1st August for Swatow with full knowledge that a typhoon existed to the eastward and that it was likely to approach the southern entrance of the Formosa Channel about 18 hours after their departure.
The accompanying letter from the captain of the Haiching throws some light on his own action and on that of the captain of the Decima. It would appear that the latter vessel was hove to off Chelang Point about midnight of the 1st and there quietly awaited the arrival of the centre of the typhoon, which must have passed over her about 15 hours later, siy at 3.00 p.m. on the 2nd.
The log of the Hatching, whose captain appears to me to have acted in a more seaman- We, and I believe the great majority of ship-like manner, shows that he put back to Bias masters, think the shipping should have Bay for shelter, that he experienced no more than a fre:h breeze until 10 a.m. on the a quate notice of weather changes
2nd, and that the centre did not reach the neighbourhood of his ship until 7.30 p.m. the same evening.
The present system of forecasts is little better than a snare and a delusion. We are Sir, yours faithfully,
Supported by
HANS-SCHLAIER, Master, Ger, str. Decima.
A. C. HODGINS, Master, Brit. str. Haiching.
G. PARKINSON. Master, Brit. str. Laertes.
SPENCER WILDE, Master, Brit. str. Hangsang,
W. PALMER-BAKER, Mas'er, Brit. str. Taksang.
J. DEWUR,
Master, Brit. str. Tungchow.
F, HOPKINS,
Master, Brit, str. Chunking.
C. GOSEWITCH, Master, Ger, str. Dagmar.
The SECRETARY,
Chamber of Commerce, Hongkong.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
26th August, 1901. SIR.-I am directed to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your letter of the 16th inst., in which you enclosed copy if a letter, dated Swatow the 4th instant, from the masters of the e.s.Haiching and s.s. Decima and supported by the signatures of the masters of six other steamers, complaining of the inadequacy of the storm warnings in Hongkong, stating that the writers (apparently the masters of the ss. Haiching and Decima), relying on the weather forecast and the absence of storm warning, left Hongkong for 8. In conclusion, my Committee wish to Swatow at 7 p.m. on Friday, the 1st of August, disclaim any wish to either suggest impraetic-and met the typhoon soon after midnight." able schemes or any desire to hamper the Director of the Observatory in making his forecasts; they are simply animated by the wish to recure the earliest and widest possible dis- semination of warnings of the approach of storms, to the end 'that the disasters afloat may be averted when possible.-I have the honour to be, tir, Your most obedient servant,
A. R. LOWE,
Secretary.
2. In reply I am to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a report from the Acting Director of the Observatory, with its enclosures, comprising copies of the remarks attached to the usual China Const Meteorological Register issued by Mr. Figg on the 31st ultimo and 1st instant; of two Expresses containing special typhoon warnings i-sued on the same dates before noon, and of a letter from one of the writers of the letter enclosel in your letter under acknowledgment
HON. COLONIAL SECRETALY.
3. These documents prove conclusively that Hongkong General Chambor of Commerce the captains of the s.s. Haiching and Decima 16th August, 1902. left this port on the evening of the 1st instant SIB, I am directed to acknowledge receipt in spite of weather forecasts published not only of your letter of 31st ultimo, enclosing report. in the ordinary way but in the form of typhoon of the Acting Director of the Kowloon Ob-waruings, which were more than ample to warn servatory, on the subject of storm war.ings issued in this Colony, and to state that th matter is now engaging the attention of the Committee of this Chamber, who will address you again on this matter shortly.
A letter, dated Swatow, 4th instant, from the masters of the steamers Haiching and Decima, and supported by the masters of six other steamers, complaining of the inadequacy of the storm warnings issued in Hongkong, has been received by this Chamber.
them of the risk they ran.
|
I give these facts in contravention of the statement in the letter that the typhoon was met by them at midnight on August ist.
The fact is simply that both ships left this port in spite of the forecasts issued and in the face of typhoon warnings separately published and widely distributed hours before their departure, and the risk they ran must have been well known to their respective captains.
F. G. FIGG. 22nd August, 1902.
EXTRACTS FROM CHINA COAST METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER.
On the 31st at 11.15 a.m. The barometer is still falling over the Phillipines owing to the The depression to the eastward of Luzon. barometer has risen over the S. coast of China, fallen in N.. Japan, the northern depression having approached the northern islands. Moderate S.E. and F. winds on the China coast.
Forecast:-E. or variable winds, light; fair.
F. G. FIGG, Acting Director.
Hongkong Observatory,
Thursday, 3'st July, 1902.
On the 1st at 11.50 a.m. The typhoon is probably situated to the east of the Balingtang Channel. It appears to be moving towards north-west. Wind probably freshening from north-east in the Formosa Channel. Barometer falling in S. China, rising over the Southern Phillipines. Iressure still low over the N, part of the Sea of Japan. Reports from N. China and Formosa not yet received. Forecast:-N. winds, moderate; fair.
F. G. FIGO, Acting Director.
Hongkong Cbservatory,
I riday, 1st August, 19 2.
EXPRISS.-1YPHOON WARNING.
Hongkong Observatory, 31st July, 11.15 s.m. The barometer is still falling over the Phillipines owing to the depression to the. eastward of Luzon.
31st July, 19 2.
F. G. FIGG.
EXPRESS.-TPYHOON WARNING.
Hongkong (bservatory, 1st August, 11.50 ■.m. The typhoon is probably situated to the east of the Balingtang Chauvel. It appears to be moving towards north-west. Wind probably 4. I am to request that in justice to the Act-freshening from north eas: in the 1ermoss ing Director of the Observatory and to this Channel. Government you will give to this letter and its enclosures the same publicity that you have already given to the letter of the masters of the steamships Haiching and Decima.—I bave the honour to le, Sir, Your obedient servant,
F. H. MAY, Colonial Secretary. The SECRETARY, Chamber of Commerce.
1st August, 1502.
F. G. FIGG.
FROM CAPTAIN A.C. HODGINS, 8.8. "' HAICHING," TO THE DIRECTOR, HONGKONG METEORO-
LOGICAL STATION.
Swatow, 5th August, 1902, DEAR SIR,-In sending my log of the recent
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