IV — INFORMATION BY WIRELESS MESSAGES.
The actual typhoon offers us an opportunity, of which we gladly avail ourselves, to acknowledge the great advantage supplied to the meteorogical service, by those who informed immediately the observatory of the state of the weather from the area in which the disturbance prevailed. The regular observations of the land stations are transmitted only twice a day, sometimes with delays due to troubles on the cables; the wireless reports from Funabashi and other places are given only at long intervals and afford only a very general view of the situation that may change at any moment. It is clear that to follow with any degree of accuracy the wanderings of this exceptional storm, from the Loochoos to the Meiaco Sima, and back to the Korea Strait, from the 9th to the 20th, something more was required, and we are very thankful to all those who gave their kind assistance while we were watching, rather anxiously, the movements of the cyclone which could, at any time, follow the usual course and strike with increasing speed, and destructive effects any point of the coasts, difficult to fix beforehand,
When reviewing the events, long after the time they took place, the wireless reports have the same value as the written logs received from the ships; they are a good confirmation to establish the constant violence of the storm, or indicate the distance at which its effects were felt. But just at the critical moment, the captains, by sending them, rendered to navigation an invaluable assistance, for which it is but just to offer them our sincere thanks, During the visit of the present typhoon we received 74 distinct radiograms; we are giving separately (page 9), the names of the steamers having sent their observations; we hope that the list is complete, and any casual omission would be regretted.
These reports mention very offen the direction and intensity of the swell, always very perceptibie, often considerable, or very heavy and high, sometimes estimated at force 6 or 7 (out of 10). lt is well established that during the 10 days during which the vortex passed on the eastern part of the Easiern Sea, then on the SE of the Yellow Sea, our coasts were constantly beaten by the undulations proceeding from the centre, at 500, 600 and even in some instances 800 miles from it as far as the Shantung Promontory. Of course all the messages indicate also strong winds blowing in perfect conformity with the laws of the cyclones, If no unfortunate accident. happened among our correspondents, it was because the violent part of the typhoon remained luckily pretty far from the way of the steamers along the coast, between the N of the Formosa Strait, the mouth of the Yangtze and Shantung. Such was not the good fortune of japanese ships sailing direct from Formosa Island or the Strait towards Japan.
