Royal - HKU Libraries - The University of Hong Kong

On 19 September, the Telegraph reported that the Bishop ofVictoria, John Charles Hoare, had drowned when a smallboat he used on pastoral visits capsized and was driven on torocks at Castle Peak Bay. Later estimates of the total deathtoll ranged as high as 10000, with thousands of boats - fromsmall Chinese craft up to ocean-going ships - wrecked. TheTelegraph commented:The roll of death will never be known. In most cases wholefamilies have disappeared together and there is none to ask forthem.The Legislative Council met on 20 September, to hear theGovernor, Sir Matthew Nathan, announce:Hong Kong has just suffered from a catastrophe that hasequalled, if not more so, any that has previously befallen theColony.The loss of life and property between the hours of 9 and il onTuesday morning has been . . . greater than that incurred in thegreat typhoon of 1874.It has been suggested in the Press that much of the loss of life andproperty would have been avoided if the Observatory had givenearlier notice of the approach of the typhoon, and thatsuch earlier notice should have been possible. I see no groundsfor believing this possibility. But it is due to the public and alsoto the Director of the Observatory than an inquiry should beheld into it.Sir Matthew then ordered that a senior officer of the RoyalNavy be appointed to preside over a small committee whichwould investigate the allegations.Doberck was later to comment on the disaster:Could earlier warning have been given it would doubtless havecontributed to the saving of life and property as far as the boatpopulation in the harbour is concerned.Doberck also pointed out that the typhoon had struck atflood tide, piling up water to an exceptional height in theharbour, causing damage 'quite out of proportion both tothe duration and the severity of the storm.' (This increase inwater levels during a typhoon - storm surge - can raise39