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[September 22, 1906. !
THE TYPHOON.
SERIOUS SHIPPING LOSSES.
MANY FATALITIES.
WHOLESALE DAMAGE AFLOAT AND ASHORE
Not for many years has such a destructive typhoon visited the colony as that which on Sept. 18th struck Hongkong. Coming almost unexpectedly, it took a large section of the best colamunity by surprise, and this unpreparedness led not only to wholesale destruction in the harbour but to enormous loss of life. One of the most disastrous that has taken place hera within recent years, the full extent of th damage and loss which it has occasioned canne 8) yet be estimated.
dar
Very few words, however, suffice to show that it was something quite beyond the ordinary. At least three large steamers, one French vessel of war, a large sailing ship, some water- boats, and many launches, are total wrecks. The Kowloon foreshore and buildings present a heart-rending scene. The fine new ferry wharf and offices just erected on the Kowloon side are gone. So are many other piers. The damage must represent millions of dollars while many hundreds of people must have perished. On the Kowloon side workers were employed for two hours picking up corpses.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
once reached, opposition that would other thoroughly acquainted with technical ter wise be insurmountable begins to give way: minology of such matters, it is permissible How far this is the case is illustrated not perhaps to refer to points that are too inaptly by what occurred in connection with elementary for weather experts. For the section of the Canton-Kowloon railway instance, we heard of a local discussion in which was a short time back commenced, which the point was seriously debatedĮ and which is referred to by H.E. the Gov-whether the alleged typhoon was ERNOR, in his annual Report upon this Colony really a cyclone. These, as many readers for the year 1905. He there says that "the know, are names for one and the same negotiations and clerical work involved in thing. A typhoon is a vast whirl of winds the resumption of the large number of small which have joined forces and circle round padi" fields required before construction a central space of calm. This peaceful could be started, was expeditiously carried storm centre is relatively much smaller in out by Mr. C. CLEMENTI, the assistant land area than the area affected by the hurricane officer, and the first sod was turned on ring. Thus a typhoon has two distinct December 9th," and he pointedly adds
movements, rotary, or cyclonic, and what The decision to use labour supplied by is called its movement of translation, gene the elders of the surrounding villages for rally in these parts, from the eastward the earthwork, was found, as had been to the westward. Some hurricanes appear anticipated, to obviate local difficulties to have only this straightforward progress, arising from removal of graves, Feng and many people confine the use of that Shui" difficulties, prejudices, &c." This, on name to strong gales. The derivation of a small scale, is fair enunciation of what, our local name typhoon" is not certain; on a larger scale, has been going on in but HIRTH has stated his conviction that China in various directions. Let the it comes from tai-fung, tai being a word Chinese see that a given change will be to from Formosa, at one time signifying a their advantage, and difficulties will speedily strong, veering wind. Fang is an old disappear. The lesson is not perhaps a
Chinese word meaning wind. It is even very elevating one, but it is, after all, one possible that the phrase may be Japanese, which practical men cannot afford tai equalling dai, very strong, in conjunc altogether to overlook. If local opposition tion with the word fung. We prefer to can be overcome by giving some legitimate think the name of local origin, although advantage to those who are likely to raise there are philologists who have found a it, in respect to a matter which in itself is Greek derivation for it. It would be too for the general good, there is no valid trite to say that by any other name it would reason against adopting such a course. be equally terrifying; and it will be more This fact has often been overlooked in to the purpose to consider the origin of the respect to the changes which it has been thing itself, rather than of its names. It proposed to introduce into China. It has will be obvious to many minds that one been assumed too much that the only thing half or semicircle should have different to be done was to gain the assent of the effects to its fellow. The right half of the Imperial Authorities, and that mere local whirling, travelling storm blows with its opposition would then be at an end. course of translation; the left half may be Experience, however, proves that this said to blow back upon its own course.
If is often beginning at the wrong end, and this were so the right half would pre- that it is worth while to ascertain how not sumably be the more dangerous, as here only local officials but also the people on the would be encountered two distinct move- spot will be affected, and if possible to get ments co-operating as to direction. But them on the right side. The main objection here it is necessary to mention that the to most changes in China is really that experts in whom we put such confidence the Chinese fail to see any benefit to he got are at variance. Like doctors, they disagree, from them. By degrees they have found and it follows that some of them must be There are several this out with respect to railways-a great hopelessly in error. stride for them to have made when the prejudice which existed in old days is remembered; and it may be expected that opposition in regard to other reforms will be removed in proportion as the material benefit from then becomes more generally appreciated.
A MATTER OF DESCRIPTION.
"small"
(Daily Press, 21st September.) THE TYPHOON of the 18th inst. was decribed in the Weather Report issued by the Hongkong Observatory as typhoon of local origin. The experts have ways of measuring these things which lay- men cannot be expected to grasp; it is sufficient for ordinary men to measure by results. It was really the results that were said to have been unexampled during the period since 1874; and certainly the results, which have taken two days and many thousands of words to catalogue, are not publicly regarded as small. The officials have exposed themselves to the suspicion that they belittled the cyclone because it hap pened not to have been foretold. The ouly "small" thing about it was its vortex or centre, if it be true that the actual centre passed over Hongkong, for this spot in a typhoon is calm, and there was no perceptible lall while the whirlwind was travelling through the harbour. Writing for the general public, who are not expected to be
distinct hypotheses as to the cause of ty- phoons, all defended with some heat, and all containing puzzling elements. They may be studied in the excellent work published by the Rev. JOSE ALGUE, Director of the Philip pine Weather Bureau. Electricity and the rotation of the earth are both called in as explanatory factors. In the face of such a conflict of expert opinions, we had better turn to the question of where they are formed. Here, in view of the Hongkong Observatory's announcement, it is important to note that though there are typhoons which originate in the China Sea, they are very few. Generally they come to us from eastward of the Philippines, "in the square roughly included within meridians 125 deg and 145 deg. East of Greenwich and the parallels 10 deg. and 25 deg. North." If any originate beyond that, they never come so far westward as to reach the China coast! Father ALGUE, speaking from personal investigation over a very long period, says we know for certain that there are no typhoous cxperienced in China, Toukin, or in Cochin-China, which have viously exerted their influence over the Philippine Archipelago, not even those which are accidentally formed in the China Sea." This appears to knock the bottom out of the Hongkong Observatory's an nouncement that the typhoon of the 18th inst. was originated locally and without any warning.
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THE FIRST WARNING.
Day dawned rather dully bat nothing unusual was anticipated until about seven or eight o'clock By that time a number of sampans had decided to seek refuge, but it was not until the warning gun was fired about 8.40 that anything like a general exodus was attempted. And then it was too late. The steamers due to depart exercised a wise prudence and remained within the harbour, but prepared to steam ahead to meet the force of the gale which was already beginning to assert itself, The "white horses were galloping, and the sampans that attempted to leave the Praya for a less dangerous place were dancing on the waves in a manner that left little hope even for skilled seamanship to save them. Shortly after nine o'clock there was no doubt that a real typhoon had descended on the Colony. The north-easterly wind had risen to a hurricane; its violence on sea and land made short work of any but the most On this side the substantial obstructions. waves were not dashing over the Praya as is usually the case at such visitations. They devoted all their fury to the Kowloon shore, doing terrible mischief.
AT BLAKE PIER.
The Praya afforded the best point of view from which to see the operation of the elemental forces and to note the awful results which fol- lowed. About ten o'clock a large crowd had gathered in the vicinity of Blake Pier. By that time the driving rain and mist enveloped the greater part of the harbour and only the craft nearer shore were visible. The sampan people who had not been able to get away in time cleared from their boats, taking ashore their small belongings and leaving the boats to the mercy of the wind and the waves. Soon it was seen that several junks hat broken from their moorings and were being carried down east-
wards, and they had not passed out of view whòn the neighbourhood were seen to be having an a big lighter was seen adrift. The launches in anxious time and though they were steaming against the gale it seemed as if in spite of all efforts, they would drag their moorings and be carried against the deadly wall. Happily, with the several exceptions which will be noticed, most of the steamers rode through the terrible storm
practically scatheless.
TIMBER FLYING LIKE FRATHURA. The bamboos and pieces of wood which were being torn from the temporary roof erected over the site of the new Post Office, and whirled along the Praya, attracted attention to that building. It was seen to be swaying as esch gust struck it and every moment it was expected to collapse. But bef that event happened the matshed over Blake Pier, which was now looking somewhat dishevelled, gave way. Its sapports were unable to stand the great strain and with a crash the structure fell in, the greater part of the matting falling
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