Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-01
THE TNPHOON.
The Storm That blows fn the China
Sea.

Inc Storm Ihat blOws Ina the China
Sea.
From the New York Evening Sun.
THE worst storms" said the captain of
tramp steamship the other day, ARE the
typhoons of the Chinese seas They cover
a large area, are uncertain in their move
ments and follow each other quickly. The
typhoon season is on just now. And 1 see
that one reason the japanese and Chinese
war fleets are anxious to stay at home is
because they are afraid of the big storms.
The first signs OF the storm are light
cirrus clouds coming from the east with
hot. dry weather. very light winds and a
slight rise In the barometer. This fine
weather lasts for several days.
There are usually halos to be seen around
the sun by day and round the moon by
night, while the phosphorescence of the sea
becomes suddenly increased: the sunsets
and sunrises become gloriously colored with
crimson, gold and amber, and the twilight
rays are beautiful beyond description.
Then at distance of about 800 miles
from the center activity of the typhoon
heavy swells begin to heave the surface of
the ocean. A heavy swell in the China sea
is a certain indication of a distant typhoon.
Then the cirrus clouds begin to be re-
placed gradually by heavy masses of cura-
illus. and where the blue sky is visible be-
tween ii is seen to be streaked by faint
dashes of pale cirrus clouds. Next the tenn
peiature begins to fall and the air becomes
very oppressive from increasing dampnes
During the early hours of the morning a
slight haze is noticed. and the sky presents
threatening and vaporous appearance.
AT this stage OF the typhoon's growth
the animal world, including human beings,
is seen to be strangely affected. Numerous
writers have very graphically described the
ominous terror of some animals and the
nervous excitement Of others. while the
overpowering sense In the human mind of
foreboding, presentiment and coming dan
ger are in many cases little short Of abject
terror.
The weather is depressing and many peo-
pie find IL impossible to sleep. All sorts Of
vermin, including snakes, spiders, beetles,
frogs and typhoon flies. become unusually
active.
THE larger animals, such as horses, cat
tie and dogs, show all the signs of nervous
terror that may be noticed in a very heavy
thunder storm in western lands. There is
no thunder with typhoon, though the
sound of the wind may often be mistaken
for it. The air becomes very dry. and the
wind blows in sudden. short and terrific
squalls. lasting perhaps six to ten minutes.
The sky is black and threatening, and has
a peculiar. ominous appearance.
Among the rigging of ship caught in
typhoon the sea birds. well butter
flies, birds and insects from the land. may
be seen. The surface of the sea presents
the appearance OF boiling water, due to the
air. which is caught and imprisoned by the
seething foam and the crest of the huge
waves dashed into fury by the force Of the
wind.
I'm the exact center Of a typhoon the sea
is calm and the winds are hushed, while
overhead the clouds are thin and high, often
allowing the stars to peep cheerfully
through.
but woe betide the ships that are de-
ceived by the lull of this central calm.
For around 1t on ell sides the winds
are bowling and shrieking and apparently
blowing I'm a dozen directions at once.
and the moment a ship passed out OF the
calm 1t will be impossible to tell from
which quarter the dangerous sQuall will
swoop down and strike her.
THE central calm is often twenty square
miles in size. 1t is caused by the rotary
motion of the winds and the sky is usually
clear directly over II.
During the typhoon season the storms
follow each other quickly. and there are
often several at once raging in different
parts of the far east. During August and
September. in fact. just at this time, the
season is at its height"