A TYPHOON OR THE MAIL STEAMER?

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7548, 23 September 1886, Page 3

A TYPHOON OR THE MAIL STEAMER?

The most extraordinary instance of official blundering on record is reported from Hong Kong. At the meteorological observatory provision was made for the firing of a'great gun to,. give warning of the approach of a typhoon. For a tinio the arrangements worked well, the boatmen and junkmen taking care to floe to places of safe refuge whenever the gun was heard. But it occurred to the official mind that it wonld' be a splendid stroke of economy to get more use out of the gun, and orders were accordingly given that the gun should be employed to' give notice of the expected arrival of tho mail steamers. The ordov was of' course obeyed, and the consequence is that tho boatmen and junkmenare driven out of their senses whenever the report of the gun is heard. They cannot tell whether they are required to seek shelter from a destructive storni or to turn out in full force to make money by waiting on tho mail steamer. They aro apt to look to their own safety when a steamer is coming, and to make ready for work and wages when the hurricane is at hand. The head of tho meteorological department sees the absurdity of the new order of things, but he is only a subordinate and must obey! orders. He is placed ,in an awkward predicament, for whether he fire the gun or keep it quiet, ho is in danger of committing manslaughter. He has. recommended that if the gun is to bo used for post-office purposes it shonld cease altogether as a typhoon warning. But this does not satisfy the official mind, and the gun continues to speak equivoeatingly whenever it opens its throat. Whether the fault lies with the Home or colonial officials, has not been made to appear.