The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-10
DEATH And WRECK BY
TYPHOON At HONGKONG
Terrific Storm Casts Great Ships
From the Harbor.
MANY NATIVES LOSE LIVES
Crowded River Swept, Hundreds
Perisll-American Vessels in
Observation-Disclosures Razcd and
Streets Blocked.

Observation-Disclosures Raced and
Streets Blocked.
Hongkong-A cylclonic storm Of
irresistible violence broke over this
city in the early forenoon, spending
its fury for two hours upon the har-
Dor and the water front Several
hundred persons perished, more than
twenty-one ships and sailing vessels,
including ocean liners and war YES
sells of different nations, were
wrecked or badly damaged, the loss
on water and land amounting to many
millions.
The visitation was the typhoon of
the China Sea. exactly the rotatory
wind storm of the Central Mississippi
Valley Of the United States, and had
velocity of more than 100 miles an
hour. It's power was so great that in
an instant it had cast great ships up
into the city streets crashing through
buildings and moving them down as
though from the onslaught of thous-
ands of cannon balls.
Although the barometer was low,
condition that always precedes the
typhoon, but is only infrequently fol-
lowed by one, there was no thought
cane. Under ordinary precautions
the usual harbor work was in pro-
gress when the storm struck the ship
ping without warning. Vessels were
pitched ashore, and the docks and
sea walls were strewn with wreckage.
Steamers, sailing vessels, junks, SAM
pans and ferryboats were piled up in
the streets and the flooded highways
were blocked with the wreckage.
The greatest loss Of life was among
the natives. Pearl River was crowd
ed with boats. and the storm sent
hundreds to the bottom. 1t Is impos-
sible now to estimate the number
that perished.
Among the few ships in the harbor
which escaped damage is the Empress
Of Japan. An unknown steamer col
lided with the British steamer Strath-
more, seriously damaging the latter.
The British steamer Loong-Sang COL
li6ed with the British steamer Chip
Shing, with slight damage. The river
boat Fatshang fouled the French
mailboat Polynesien.
The British steamer Mont Eagle,
the German steamer Signal, the Ger
man steamer Emma Luyken, the
British steamer Changsha, the Ger
man steamer Se1ta, the Kowloon fer
ryboat and a waterboat were driven
ashore. The American steamer Sor-
sogon and the German steamer Jo-
hanne are awash. A Japanese steam
er is stranded on Kellet's Island. The
British river gunboat Moorhean Is
leaking badly, the French torpedo
boat destroyer Francisque is ashore
and two others dragged their anchors
the entire length Of the harbor.
The American ship S. P. Hitch
cock was driven high and dry on
shore. The British river steamers
Kwong Chow, San Cheung and Sun
Lee foundered. The French steamer
Charles Hardouin was damaged. The
little Chinese steamer Wing-Chai was
beached. -
Numerous steam launches and
lighters foundered, and most of the
wooden piers on the water front were
demolished.
The British Government officials
Immediately started to ,succor the
homeless. A complete estimate of
the damage will not be obtainable for
weeks. No Americans are reported
to have been killed or injured.
Hongkong Is an island situated in
the China Sea. off the coast of China,
from which it is separated by a mar
row strait. 1t was yielded to Great
Britain by treaty in 1912. The road
stead has a we'll protected anchorage.
Victoria, the capital (itself commonly
called Hongkong) is situated on a
magnificent bay of the same name,
setting up into the north side of the
island. Hongkong is a great centre
Of the foreign trade of China. Total
exports are roughly estimated at
100000 and imports at $780,
100000. AS British colony on
Chinese soil 1t is the most important
in it's political and defensive position,
and Is the headquarters of the mill
tary, naval and mercantile establish
ments. The population Of Hongkong,