A TYPHOON IN MANILA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 225, 20 September 1906, Page 5

A TYPHOON IN MANILA.

A TTTRfITBTnaT. GOMPA-TTS __p*. EHnißias The indescribabie havoc and terrific force _x the typhoons which occasionally STsresp over the China Sea are well known. b__ an unusual experience was met with by Mr. -Tames MacMahon, the weliknown theatrical manager, durum a "nsir, to Manila with Pollard's Comedy Company three years ago this month. Curiously enc__fa. three of the company at present ap-nearrng in Auckland—Messrs. Noble. Lynca and Ell_;on —were with Mr. MacMahon at the time. An elaborate system of signalling the approach of a typhoon l- observed in. Manila, particularly at this season, numbers ranging from one to six being hoisted from the meteorological station to indicate the near or distant approach of one of these cvelonic storms. One mor_in_. camtinued Mr. MaeManon. the signal "3~' ■was hoisted, followed by. 4 and 5 in quick succession. Then the storm burst.* but in spite of th..- elements the performances at the old Span-si; Zorilla Theatre, or Grand Opera Honse. were maintained each evening. On the cul_-i_at±_<r --ip-hr of the storm the sea carried awar the brp.akwa.ter and flooded the town. Tothe end of the theatrical performance, which was being witnessed by a large audience, mainly military and civil

j officers, with their lady friends, the sea : made ita —ay Lntr, the stalls to a eonj siderable depth. The audience, however v. re quite unmoved over this mtrusion. anq as the depth of the water outside prevented carriages from approaching ■ the building, they accepted the. manager':, invitation to remain, and with coffee and cigarettes passed a-*-— the time until about three o'clock in the mcrniing. when j the aood waters began to recede, and. i with the assistance of the TnfTt__n- police, ! conveyances were brought to the build- \ i ta rr to take the the—rre.;joer? to their ! homes. With the dawn a terrible scene ■oi devastation wa= visible. The damaee ' t>. property was immense, though fortunately no lives were lost, except, perhaps, a few Filipinos, of whom nobody took much notice. The greatest part of a splendid concrete breakwater was torn up. and immense blocks strewn all over the streets and the beach. Nnmerous vessels were wrecked, and for a week there was no communication between tha ships and the shore, trade and shipping being temporarily paralysed. The moment, however, that the typhoon blew itself out and the deluge ceased, the trip across the China Sea to Hon_kong w_ made on a glassy sea. Recognising the danger while h_ this vicinity during the typhoon season, all movable articles on tne *an_c steamers are lashed and fastened with stanchions until t_sv have safer? passed a point south of the P_.ilippi._-s and are outside the track of these terrific hurricanes oi the China Sea.