Considerable consternation was caused in Shanghai on Friday after-hoon as, one after another, hundreds of people noticed that the "black ally" in previous years altogether too well known as a typhoon signal, had been hoisted to the top of the flagstaff on the Customs building on the Bund.
was soon learned, however, by inquiry, that the signal now' means, merely, that bad weather is expected hourly.
Some weeks ago the signals for "vad weather" and "typhoons" were altered. Thus Friday's signal was for the former and it is the first time that it has been found necessary to use it this year. 'The typhoon signal will now be a. black cross.by day. By night one red light will' indicate bad weather and two, a typhoon approaching.
These signals are In no way con nected with the code signals which are hoisted on the semaphore tower fon the Bund. The latter are hoisted the Siccawei Observatory authori ties whenever a typhoon is signalled from any area in the Eastern seas. These are hung in complete code to indicate to mariners the exact position, force, and direction of the type hoon. The signals used on the [Customs tower are primarily intended warnings to small river craft or to ships moored in the stream to be fon the look-out and, if necessary, to strengthen their moorings.
Locally, weather conditions continued most uncertain with showers frequently which were for the most part, confined to very small areas. The temperature however, dropped considerably, the Central District showing less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time in nearly a month, Humidity figures remain, however, high, Total rainfall still remains slight, hardly enough to do more than wet the surface of the countryside for a few brief minutes. No real relief to the rural districts has been felt, and serious efforts are still continuing to try to offset the effects of the drought of the past four weeks Typhoon Passes Shanghat Although there was still a slight possibility that the typhoon, which was last reported passing Ningpo, may come to Shanghai, it was believed to be unlikely. The information at a late hour on Saturday evening was to the effect that it was reported at 6 pin. that it had passed Ningpo, moving northward and was, at that time, tending to pass Shang hai during the night to the west.
Considerable rain fell in Shanghai and its environs through the hours of Saturday morning, continuing as a slight drizzle through most of the day. It was sum cient to do 'a great deal to alleviate the parched condition of the countryside and gardens of the city. This had, the effect of bringing the temp ture down to almost spring. or autumn levels, Siccawei Observatory instruments registering a maximum of 84 degrees Fahrenheit, which 1s the lowest maximum recorded on. any day since June 22. Holy Trinity instruments registered 85.0 degrees. Humidity figures were also lower, maximum of 84 being shown during day.
Steady, drenching rains fell Shanghai and the local region generally on Sunday, thus further routing the spectre of famine which has hovered over Kiangsu and adjacent provinces for the better part of this month. To the farmers it meant an additional assurance of satisfactory crops and throughout four provinces where prayers had been offered there was rejoicing over the downpour, It spelled rice, rice, rice!
The showers were due tothe typhoon which passed south and west of Shanghai during Saturday night and whose effect was felt over a wide area both along the coast and Jat sea. As far as Shanghai was {concerned the typhoon has been a blessing as it broke the run of continuous hot weather. The wind was not strong enough to cause damage. The Whangpoo did not overflow as did last year, and the only people Jwho were seriously troubled were the shipping companies.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.