The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-09-22
THOUSAND LIVES REPORTED
LOST IN GREAT STORM IN
CHINESE PORT.
MANY VESSELS SUNK
OR DRIVEN ASHORE
Property Loss Estimated at Million
Dollars - American Ship Among
Those Wrecked-Wcrk of AIDING
Victims Begun.

~ PAAooA oSSul1Cu AcI0 u6Sudy llOFIl-
Ing. The steamship Monteagle and
other vessels are ashore. 1t is esti-
mated that 1000 persons have been
drowned. The damage to property
was very heavy.
Hundreds of junks and launches
were wrecked and a large number of
steamers went ashore, where they suf-
fered much damage. Among these was
the S. P. Hitchcock of New York,
which was badly shattered. The
French torpedo-boat destroyer Fronde
was sunk, and many of it's men are
missing. Loss through injury to prop.
erty will reach millions of dollars, al
though the storm lasted only two
hours. A number of Europeans were
drowned. All business in the city is
at .standstill.
Other Vessels Go Down.
Two other British steamers, the San
Cheung and the Wing Chai have sunk
The Fatshan is ashore. The German
steamer Johanne is being beached to
prevent her sinking. The German
steamer Appenrade is in a sinking
condition, and the German steamers
Signal, Petrarch and Emmaluyken are
ashore. The German steamer Prinz
Baldenar was damaged. The Mont
eagle had her stern post broken. At
tempts are being made to float her.
The only American ship reported
lost so far is the S. P. Hitchcock, Capt
Zerk, which had just arrived at Hong
kong from Manila and was preparing
to sail for Baltimore and New York
The Hitchcock is owned by l. F. Chap
man & Co., of New York, and carried
a crew of "a men. She was built at
Bath, Me-, in 1888, and is of 2,0s6 tons
net register, 247 feet long, 20 feet deep
and a. feet beam.
Hongkong is an island situated IN
the China sea, off the coast of China,
from which it is separated by mar
row strait. 1t was yielded to Great
Britain by the treaty of 1912. The
roadstead has a well-protected anchor
age Victoria, the capital Gtself COM
monty called Hongkong) is situated on
magnificent bay of the same name,
setting up into the north side of the
island. Hongkong is great center of
the foreign trade of China. Total ex-
ports are roughly estimated at $685.
100000 and imports at 100000, 900.
AS British colony on Chinese soil it
is the most important in it's political
and defensive problem, and is the
headquarters of the military, naval
and mercantile establishments. The
population of Hongkong (the city, is
about 275,000.
Hundred Reported Killed.
Manila, Sept. 19.-Later advices
from Hongkong state that 100 lives
were lost and millions of dollars
worth of damage was done during the
typhoon. A late official estimate
places the damage in the harbor of
Hongkong at more than $1.000,000.
The report of the laundering of the
Fatshan is said to be untrue. Only
two persons on the Fatshan were
killed. The French loss includes four
officers. The British gunboats Robin
and Moorhen and the torpedo boat
destroyer Taku were damaged. The
gunboat Phoenix and the French tor
pedo boat destroyer Francisque were
wrecked.
Altogether, eight steamers were
wrecked, six being driven ashore.
Comes Without Warning.
Although the barometer was low
Tuesday morning, there was nothing
to presage hurricane. Under ordi-
nary precautions, the usual harbor
work was in progress when the storm
struck the shipping without warning.
Vessels pitched ashore along the
water front and the docks and sea
walls were strewn with wreckage.
Ocean liners, junks, sampans and fer
ryboats were piled up in the streets
and the flooded highways blocked
with the wreckage.
Greatest Loss Among Natives.
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 who
persisted.
Among the few ships in the harbor
which escaped damage is the Empress
of China.
The British steamer Monteagle is
ashore, but no casualties on her have
been reported.
The French torpedo boat destroyer
Froude was damaged in collision, and
20 persons were lost. The American
sailing ship, S. P. Hitchcock was
thrown high and dry.
The British government officials i'm
mediately started to clear away the
debris, and soldiers and sailors are
working heroically to save the drown
ing and 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
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