The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-13
THE HONGKONG TYPHOON
Details of Devastation Brought by
aSteamship.
Fearful Loss of Life Along the Coast
of Chinn Over $500 Natives
Drowned - The Peninsula Near
KOwIOOn Strevn With the
WrecLnge of InnumerabIc Craft.

VICTORIA, B. c., Dec. 1.-THE steam
| ship Empress of India arriving today
brought details of one of the most stormy
passages on record, of the great typhoon
which ravaged Hongkong on November 10,
| causing heavy loss of life and imme nse
| loss to shipping. No part of the city
| escaped wreckage. and general debris
was strewn everywhere. The British
gunboat Sandpiper foundered. and some
of her scamen lost their lives. The Amer
lean ship Benjamin Sewell went ashore,
and in all seyenty-seven steam launches
were wrecked, and over $500 natives were
drowned.
At Kowloon and other points there was
also very heavy loss of life. The big En-
press of India was moored at her wharf
at KowloOn, and she was badly shaken
up. Kowloon suffered more than Hong
kong. the peninsula being more exposed
The troops Jared very badly. The whole
of the Matshed temporary barracks col
lapsed completely, and the Indian and
European troops had to seek refuge from
their flooded camp wherever they could
number were missing in Kowloon
proper.
Numbers of houses were blown down,
and some lost their roofs and were ether
wise damaged. The shipping at Kowloon.
though, suffered more than the houses.
Junks and launches were driven ashore
on all sides. From the police pier to Tsin
Tsat Tsui up to Mong Kok Tsui was one
mass of wreckage.
Among the Europeans whose lives were
lost was Sergeant Duncan, of the police,
a native of Edinburgh. Vessel after yes
sci went ashore, and Sergeant Duncan
and others were engaged in the work of
rescue, Sergeant Duncan had succeeded
in rescuing number of unfortunate junks'
people when boat a0ntaining two wo-
men was driven up on the comber wall.
The sergeant sprang into the boat in The
hope of rescuing them and the women. too
paralyzed by fear, did not move, and as
a mass of wreckage collided with the Loaf
the sergeant was knocked overheard. His
comrades threw him a rope, which he
grasped, but, becoming entangled in lot
of wreckage. he was crushed to death.
When the blow was, at its height, the
British warships anchored at Kowloon
were in a grievous plight. The gunboats
Wivern, Firebrand., Tweed, and Sandpiper
as though one and all must drift ashore.
The gunboat Sandpper was the worst |
case. as she was rapidly filling and evident |
ly could not float for many minutes. Then |
creeping out Of the spume and spindrift |
from HongkoDg way. came the long form |
of Fl. NJ. S. Otter. The crew OF the Sand |
piper with one exception were safely got |
on board the Otter. before the other gun
boat found red. The drowned man was
Bedford al able-bodie seaman. The res
cue was 4 most pluckyl one. as had it not
been for skillful seamanship. both the |
Otter and the Sandpiper would have been
lost. -fEt y
The large three-masted American ship
Benjamin Sewell dragged her anchors
during the storm and went ashore oppo-
site the arsenal yard. Fortunately, though,
she was kedged off when the wind changed |
and although damaged considerably will
not prove a wreck.
The dredger Canton River turned turtle
and drifted down the river. 4 number of
Chinese found safety by clinging to the up
turned hull. Twenty or more spent the
night on the vessel and were rescued with
difficulty on the following morning. In the
loss of the dredger fifty men were en-
quilted but all managed to get on to the
keel of the vessel. and only one, NJ. Nell
row. was drowned.