The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-12
THE TYPROON.
The Terrible Storm That Blows in the
China Sea.

The Terrible Storm That Blows in the
China Sea.
From the New York Evening Sun.
The worst storms, " said the captain Of
a tramp steamship theother day, are the
typhoons of the Chinese seas. They cover
large area, are uncertain in their move
meDts and follow each other quickly The
typhoon season is on just now And |
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.
"1he 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 glori-
ously colOred with crimson, gold and
amber, and the twilight rays are beauti-
full beyond description.
Then at distance of about 500 miles
$rOm the center activity of the typhoon
heavy swells begin to heave the surface
of the ocean. A heavy swell in the China
sea is certain indication of a distant
typhoon-
Then the cirrus clouds begin to be re-
placed gradually by heavy masses of cum
illus and where the blue Sky is visible be-
tween it is seen to be Strcaked by faint
dashes at pale cirrus clouds. Next the
temperature begins to fall and the air be-
cones very Offensive from increasing
dampness. During the early hours of The
morning slight haze is noticed, aud the
sky presents a threatening and vaporous
appearance.
At this stage Of the typhoon's growth
the animal world, including human be-
ings, is seen to be strangely anected
Numerous writers have very graphically
described the ominous terror OF some ami
mails and the nervous excitement of 9TH
ers, while the overpowering sense in the
human mind of foreboding, presentimeut
and coming danger are in many cases lit
tie short Of AFFECT terror.
The weather is depressing and many
people 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 ner-
vous terror that may be noticed in very
heavy thunder storm in western lands.
There is no thunder with a 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
a typhoon, the sea birds as well as but
terhies, 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 i'm
prisoned oy the seething foam and the
crest of the huge'waves lashed into fury
by the force of the wind.
In 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
cheerlullY through
But woe betide the ships that are de-
ceiyed by the lull Of this central calm.
For around il on all sides the winds
are bowling and shrieking and apparently
blowing in dozen directions at once. and
the moment a ship passes out of the calm
it 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. IL is caused by the
rotary motion OF the winds and the sky is
usually clear directly over it,
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"