DISASTROUS STORM IN THE CHINA SEA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 304, 22 December 1903, Page 2

DISASTROUS STORM IN THE CHINA SEA.

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. H.M.S. WATERWITCH LOSES THREE OF HER CREW. Great loss of life and craft resulted from the recent typhoons which swept the China Sea. Reports received via Sydney state that no less than two hundred and forty odd fishing-boats, out of three hundred employed in fishing off Swatow, have sunk, and the occupants perished. At any rate, only 5G of these 300 boats, which would have been blown south by the storm, have arrived at Gap Rock, Hongkong. If all the rest, as is assumed, are missing, the approximate loss of life would be some 2000 souls. Wreckage of every description has been reported by several vesels.

[ H.M.s. Watervvitch, which was on the j Australian Station for a time, engaged in survey work, was caught in one of the typhoons, and she reached Hongj kong badly damaged. Her boats were J stove in and the deck-fittings smashei. During the height of the tempest, when the ship was labouring heavily and taking large quantities of walev aboard, two petty officers and a blue jacket were washed overboard from the quarterdeck and drowned. Later on the. Waterwitch passed through a quantity of wreckage, including one boat, bottom up, and a dismasted junk; and when approaching Hongkong she rescued a rudderless Arnony junk, which, being uncontrollable, had been blown miles and miles out of her course. Steamers arriving at Hongkong report a terrible time in the storm. One, the Rohilla Maru. lost four of her boats, and had her Ktern post and rudder damaged, whilst out of about 250 head of cattle on board 200 were killed.