THE HONGKONG TYPHOON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2298, 17 September 1908, Page 1

THE HONGKONG TYPHOON.

» TALE OF THE SEA. “EVERY MAN FOR-HIAISELF.” Tho “01i>iua Mail”,* of August J 8 contains details' of tlio inquiry into tho loss of the canton river steamer Ying King in the recent typhoon. Tho steamer left Canton. at G p.m. Oil tlio fatal 27th July,;'with 430 passengers, including tilired I Europeans. She was one of three .steamers'coining from Canton, and wa/i making for 'the Brothers, which apparently was a favorite place, of the captain for anchoring, as ho had oil'several previous occasions anchored in the vicinity in preference to any other when occasion demanded it. Rllie steamer Fatshan was second to arrive .at The Brothers, and 1 the steamer KwongSal, under Captain Crowe, soon followed. A few minutes after he had dropptd anchor a terrillic squall came on, and when it had passed Captain Crowe was unable to see the Ying King. Anxious inquiries were made regarding the steamer, and all doubts were set- a.t rest when flic chief mate (Mr Ferguson) and a party of about •10 Chineso arrived at Hongkong at about 9.30 on the night of July 28, haring been brought ashore by launches which'ilnrd .been fSUfVt -out to the scone of lllio wreck. The vessel, Sir Ferguson reported, was a total wreck, but he could not say anything •regarding tlio fate of oitlior Captain Page, Mr Foiheriiigliam, or Mr Nowmam. Captain Pago was married, with one child, his wife and 1 little one iiavI ing silled for Australia three months ago. Captain Pago is said to have given the command, “Everyone for himself,” and passengers and crew secured life-belts when tlio Ying King was almost under water. Air Ferguson managed to got ashore neat Castle Peak fairtn with 11 Chineso and n number of passengers. This is tho third' timo Mr Ferguson has been reported drowned, while Air Fotheriiigham, the chief engineer, was; wrecked on the Wing Chi in a. typhoon two years ago. The survivors of the Y T ing King were 'rescued at Pillar Point, and the Castle Peak by tho Customs cruising launch Kowloon Sai. Whilst the launch was steaming past Pillar Point Air Hewett board a gun. fired, and saw men waving. He had the launch headed towards the shoro, and later learned that those ashore fluid been, saved from tho \ T ing King. Ho promptly got the people aboard, and gave them what comfort was possible. The survivors consisted of Air Ferguson, chief officer, an Indian, watchman, two quartermasters, a tallyman, three firemen, one sailor, and) three Chinese passengers. From what could lie gathered from the survivors a pandemonium reigned. Whilst the steamer was at anchor heavy seas and blinding rain wore hurled aboard' by the hurricane, and gradually the steamer listed and went down. Two boats were cut away, but no one was able to got in them. When last seen the captain had a lifebelt on, and was entering the water. The survivors got ashore with the aid of wreckage .and lifebuoys, and they surmised that .all others, including three European passengers, were lost. It was thought that only one European passenger (Air Newman) was aboard, but it was subsequently declared by ono of the survivors that two Europeans, Canton people, were also on board. Off Castle Peak Island oil July 31 the police 'recovered the dead body of a European, which had been washed up from tho wreck of the Y T ing King; but no ono was able to recognise it. Till© following morning four native fishermen were brought before tho magistrate on a charge of having stolen a gold watch avid chain from the body of a dead European. Detectivo Sergeant Ter-ett, who was in the court at the lime, notice*! the watch and rin*i, an] 1 (cognised it as belonging io Captain Page, lie having been present when it was purchased. The v-esd Iniiiiduivu at 2.G0 a.m. A .vifci :ss stated he was on deck all the time, but they had no opportunity to provlo ltfc-bcils, as passengers vro vded round the alloy, and the lifebelts were stowed on the steorage -deck. The Court found’ that the vessel was lost through a typhoon, and that all reasonablo precautions had been taken.

Tho official statement of the typhoon damage at Canton shows that 800 business boats and junks were destroyed, and 11 guard-boats and four revenue cutters, and 30 steam launches. About 400 houses were blown down completely or severely damaged'. Tho loss- of 'life will probably never bo accurately known, but it must have been j'evy grout. Commissioners have boon sent to ascertain the losses at Shuntuc, Heungshan, Sanshui, and many other places. The -'form swept through the Sainoii district, much of which lies on thecoast, and inflicted terrible flosses. Over 80 boats anchored off the coast station awaiting clearance were all destroyed, and men and cargo were confusedly mixed up together by the waves. At Ghicwan 20 cargo and four steam launches were destroyed, and at ITanhoi 30 boats and many others engiged in the oyster industry were caught. It was not known how many boats and lives were lost, but it was stated that from tlio first to the fifth of tho month tflio surface of the water was sprinkled with bodies of the drowned, and the foreshore was strewn with debris. The offifcials displayed callous indifference respecting the recovery of the dead, and the relief of the destitute and starving survivors. Similar reports have been reeived from other districts affected.

Captain McArthur, of tlie steamer Eastern, which left here yesterday, speaking of the Hongkong typhoon, says that no one who has not gone through suclii an experience can realise the terrible force of the wind. During the height of the storm the Eastern began to drag her moorings, and officers had to crawl on their hands and knees into the bows of the steamer, it being simply impossible to standi up against the force of the wind. There was fortunately no continuous rain, or the loss of life and property would probably have been much greater. The Eastern came through tho anxious ordeal withoutdamage, although.at one period there seemed imminent danger of another vessel dragging down bodily upon her. A Hongkong exchange states that the Government proposes to impose a tax of five-sixths of a cent per ton register, and : two cents per registerted tonnage, on all other vesels entering the waters of the colony, to assist in providing a fund for the construction of a new typhoon refuge at Afongkoytsui. Various shipping ifirmsi are indignantly protesting against this proposed tax. The aggregate tonnage of British shipping in Hongkong last year was nearly six million tons, and of foreign ships five and a-ihalf million tons. The estimated cost of the refuge is 1,500,000 dollars.