October 15, 1906.]
Wing Chun Wing
Ip Kwong Toi Tong
Mrs. Lau Cheung Shi
Chu Piz Tung
Cheong Shing
Kwong Tung Fook
Chen Kwong Company
Total to date.
100
100
100
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. manding the P. & O. S. Delhi, which was just entering the passes of Hongkong, with the London mails, when the typhoon barst upon the Colony. One thing only was left out of the Captain's report, which we must mention; the clear-sighted and unerring way in which he saw the coming danger. We know from a note of the passengers. that long before $191,850.70 the very first squall, all was tied up and
100 100
10:
109
THE HONGKONG TYPHOON.
SUPPLEMENT T) THE SIKAWEI DAILY`
WEATHER CHArt, No. 92
September 30th, 1906. The interest with which our report of last Faturday has been received, encourages us to publish new particulars, very kindly sent us, especially as these documents will enable to give a definitive track of the storm. We beg the captains who have so kindly sent in their reports to accept our best thanks.
us
The earliest exact position of the cyclone is signalled in the report of the U.S.N. auxiliary transport Cresa, communicated by Mr. Alb. B. Randall, chief officer. It agrees quite. satisfactorily with the warning issued by the Observatory here on the 16th, according to which the centre had been making for the 8. of Formosa. The Cresar had left Cavite (Bay of Manila) for Shanghai on the 13th. The ship's barometer, a first-class one, was showing practically the same pressure as that of the standard of Manila Observatory.
All went on smoothly until the evening of the 14th. At 10 p.m. a light N.N.E. breeze arose but soon abated, the sky became overcast and threatening. At midnight, the wind again blew from N.N.E.. then backed, slowly, to N.W, at 3 a.m. (15th), and W.N.W. at 8 a.. Afterwards the wind blew with short squalls, which gradually increased from force 2 to 4. At dawn, a very distinct north swell was noted
These two remarks we insist upon, for slight as they were, they undoubtedly gave the earliest signs of the coming typhoon. This shows how long in advance a careful navigator can be put on his guard against an approaching danger. The report signals, during the morning and a part of the afternoon, a sky heavily overcast to the Eastwards, bright and sunny over the west horizon: this was the typhoon bank or mantle well known to the navigators.
On the 15th, at noon the ship was found in lat. 19 degrees 53 min. N. and Loug. 120 degrees 20 min. E, nearly eight-four miles north of Cape Bojador (Luzon). At 4 p.m. the wind was steady from north-west, freshened to force 7. The barometric tide could still be observed, but at 8 pm., the mercury began to fell with oscillations estimated about 003; the wind freshened and veered to N.N.W. She was forced to steer sonth-west, to go away from the centre.
At midnight, she was forty miles N. 5 degrees E. of her noon position, viz, eight-two miles west of Batan Island. The following are
the observations concerning the passage of the
Wind. Weather.
centre:-
Dat: Bar.
15th Noon 29.73 4 p.m. 29.63 tip.m. 99.67 8 p.m. 29.66
10 p.m. 29.57
Mtt 29.36
16th
18.m. 29.36
2 a.m.
W.N.W. N.W N.W.
+
09
0,9
NN.W.
N N.W.
N.N.W.
2.9
2.9 2.9
N.W.
11
3 a.m. 29.40 W.
14
f.m.,
F
{
ready on deck to weather the hurricane. Now, of course, since leaving Singapore, Captain Andrews had received no signal of any kind. The report simply says: September 18th, 4 Wet sunrise. hard clouds, greenish sky, north-east swell: short intervals." Не was then to the South of Gap Rock where the swell must also have been felt, even probably on the 17th in the afternoon. The light house was reached at 7b. 46m. a.m. The preceding day's report calls for bat one remark; on the 17th at noon, a distinct E.N.E. swell was noted, the wind blowing Sonth force 2. She was then by 17 degrees 58 min. North and 111 degrees 35 min. E. that is about 420 miles from the vertex that was rushing towards Hongkong. It is not until the next day, 18th, 4 a.m, that the breeze Delhi dropped suchor, not far from Green! veered to West with occasional squalls. The Island, when the wind freshened to hurricane
0.29 29.37 W.N.W. 11 (199 11 0,29 Sea. 4 a.m. 29.46 S.W. 10 confused 6 a.m.
S.S.W. 10 8 a.m. 29.58 8.
9 On the morning of the 17th, a heavy west swell was observed along the shore of the South Cape of Formosa. The reporter says that the continuous rain which fell from the evening of the 15th to the 16th, was the heaviest downpour he has experienced in his life.
The experience of the Caesar clearly shows that the outro passed between that ship and the South Cape of Formosa, on September 16th shortly after 1 a.m.
Another not less important document, is the report of Capt. T. D. Andrews, R.N.R., com-
force and the raiu fell with blinding violence.
OBSERVATIONS ON HARD THE P. & 0. S. "DELHI.** Near Hongkong, September 18th, 1900.
15
Remarks.
Fierce storm of wind, rain and spray.
Rain overcast.-N. E. swell.
Cloudy Passing squally.
Blinding squalls of great fury,
Wind increasing rapidly.
Squally. Rain.
Violent rain squalls.
I
{
61
ti
8
Hour
Baro.
(Corrected.)
20180
29.78
Wind
Dir.
Force.
Var.
W.
.. 29.76
N.W.
29.63
W.N.W.
9.30 a.m. *****
29.41
W. N.
29.31
29.41
S.W., W, 10 W. 3.
S.W. S.
10
29.61
S.
8,7 10
Storm abating.
Moderate.
Midnight...
Fa.m.
N.W.
02 66
78.m.
Xa 11.
ya.m.
|| a.m.
Noon
Lowest realing: 9 hour 45 minutes : 29.14
So, the centre passed to the North of the Delhi between 9.45 and 10 am.
255
part of the depression signalled on the 15th and 16th coming from the Pacific towards
Formosa.
struggle against the very high pressures of the The velocity, checked by the North, went increasing, as the centre was coming nearer to the coast; the track was approximately W.N.W. or W/N; the swell was noticed at 420 miles' distance on the Chins
The accounts published in the newspapers make it nunecessary to expatiate on the descrip-
tion of the storm.
Ses.
We cannot go further: we should here make of the a.s. Helena (U.S.N.), Moyune, Luchow, a study of the reports sent by the commanders
Kalgan. Kanchow and Poons; but we are not in a position to do so for want of time. We
must content ourselves with thanking the captains for their kindness waiting for the opportunity of a more detailed study.
In a former note, extracts from the log of the French mail s.s. Oceanien Commander Couret, were giren. The registering barometer's curve shows that the minimum of pressure took place about 2 a.m. on the 18th. The centre Consequently must have passed to the South of that ship a little earlier. Assuming that she was a few miles South-west of Breaker Point, we find that it took the vortex eight hours or nearly so to cover the distance of forty-five miles between the French aud english mails. Our first estimate worked out of fewer data had given a velocity of 13.7 miles: we now find 143
miles an hour.
As
S.8.
11
TEAN
IN A TYPHOON.
Captain A. Sommerville, master of the B. & S. 8.8. Tean, bas obliged us with the following account of her experiences in the typhoon of September 27th and 28th :-
•
Lat. 20 degrees 05 N. 116 degrees 41 E.
8.8. Tean.
left Hongkong for Manila on Wednesday The China Navigation Company's 8,8. Tean
September 26th. At that time notice of a typhoou had been given, the storm being East of the Philippine Islands and travelling West. s it was such a distance away and would probably pass South of Manila, no danger from it was anticipated. At midnight Wednesday, the barometer stood at 29.91. Ther. 82. Wind E.N.E. Force 3. Very fine weather. At noon on Thursday, the weather still had a fine look, hat the wind was freshening from the N. E./N. Bar, 29.81 Ther. 80. Wind Force 4. Lat. 20 degrees 0) N. Long. 115 degrees 51 E. Between noon and 4 p.m. the barometer fell rapidly-the wind shifted to N.N.E. and the weather looked very threatening. Made every- thing fast about the decks, doubly lashed awnings, cattle fittings, etc. Bar. 4 p.m. 27th 29.69. Ther. 80 Wind N.N.E. Force 5. At 6 p.m. observed light cirrus clouds floating high up in the sky. Knowing this to be an almost certain indication of an advancing storm, and being uncertain as to the direction of the movement of the storm centre, I decided to heave to and await develop- ments. The barometer fluctuated slightly between 6 and midnight, recording 29.60. Then ran to the South East 1 miles in order to have a good clearance of the Pratas Shoals and then have to again at 1 a.m., the barometer falling rapidly, lam. 29.51. The gale from this time rapidly increased in force with heavy driving rain squalls and the sea steadily rising, the wind remaining at N.N.E. The subsequent readings were:-4 s.m. 29.44; 9 a.m. 29.30 ; 2 p.m. 29.00; 7 p.m. 28.84: 5 a.m 29.42; 10 a.m. 29.27 ; 3 p.m. 28.96; 7.10 p.m. 28.82 (the lowest reading); 6 a.m. 29.40; 11 a.m. 29.25; 4 pm. 28.93; 7 a.m. 29.37 Noon 29.14; 5 p.m. 28.9"; 8 p.m. 28.91; 8 am. 29.35:1 p.m. 29.04;6 p.m. 28.87;9p.m. 28.96; 29.04 at 10 p.m; 29 10 at 11 p.m; and 29.16 mid- night, the barometer rising very rapidly after- wards. At 1p.m. 28th the wind and sea, which had been very terrible previously, started to moderata
The passage from Formosa to Hongkong is much more accurately known. we have said, the centre must have passed about ten or twelve miles North of the Cesar, on the 16th about 1.15 am. It passed North of the Delhi and very near her, on the 18th, about 9.45 a.m, having therefore travelled 380 miles in 36 hours, the mean velocity is 67 miles per hour.
The conclusions of the preceding note are therefore to be kept with the few alterations i shown by the above quoted figures. The typhoon of the 18th was formed in the South
bat as the glass was still falling, we concluded the centre of the storm was near (Position 20 degrees 05 M. 116 degrees 40 E.). At 5 p.m. 28th. scarcely any wind. The sky cleared overhead and the sun shone out but very heavy misty clouds towards the horizon. Another curious fact was that high pon the clear was an advancing arch of cirrus clouds followed by strata coming from the 8.8.E. and we estimat- ed the centre to be in that direction possibly two or three miles away. The sea was curiously lumpy and we observed many fish of about three feet în length, being as it were thrown out of the water by these little pyramids of ses caused through the meeting of opposite seas. Hundreds of small land birds were also seen flying about. of 'which alighted on the ship and were caught. The wind giving_indications of shifting to the Southward, concluded we were in the Northern centre of the storm, and issued orders to drive to the Eastward as
some
hard as possible, as it was obvions the storm was passing a short distance South of us. The wind started again from the E.S.E. st 6.30 p.m.
At midnight the wind was 8.E. blowing with tremendous fury, and the sen being very terrible as we passed round the
i
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