橫瀾島 | |
|---|---|
 Waglan Island and the Po Toi group of islands | |
 Location of Waglan Island within Hong Kong | |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Area | 0.104 km2 (0.040 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| District | Islands District |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
| Waglan Island | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 橫瀾島 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 横澜岛 | ||||||||||||
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Waglan Island is a member of thePo Toi group of islands inHong Kong. Wagan Lighthouse, a declared monument dating to 1893 stands there. Since 1989 Wagan lighthouse is automated and Wagan Island is uninhabited. The island also hosts a ground of meteorological observation and recording for the Hong Kong Observatory.[1]
| Climate data for Waglan Island (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 28.5 (83.3) | 28.8 (83.8) | 32.3 (90.1) | 33.4 (92.1) | 37.9 (100.2) | 38.4 (101.1) | 37.7 (99.9) | 38.1 (100.6) | 36.9 (98.4) | 35.1 (95.2) | 33.1 (91.6) | 29.9 (85.8) | 38.4 (101.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 18.5 (65.3) | 18.8 (65.8) | 20.9 (69.6) | 24.9 (76.8) | 28.5 (83.3) | 30.6 (87.1) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.4 (88.5) | 30.9 (87.6) | 28.4 (83.1) | 24.6 (76.3) | 20.4 (68.7) | 25.8 (78.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 15.7 (60.3) | 16.2 (61.2) | 18.3 (64.9) | 22.0 (71.6) | 25.5 (77.9) | 27.8 (82.0) | 28.3 (82.9) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.6 (81.7) | 25.3 (77.5) | 21.8 (71.2) | 17.7 (63.9) | 22.9 (73.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.0 (57.2) | 14.5 (58.1) | 16.6 (61.9) | 20.2 (68.4) | 23.7 (74.7) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.1 (79.0) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.5 (77.9) | 23.6 (74.5) | 20 (68) | 15.8 (60.4) | 21.0 (69.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3.4 (38.1) | 6.0 (42.8) | 7.8 (46.0) | 10.2 (50.4) | 17.4 (63.3) | 20.2 (68.4) | 21.5 (70.7) | 21.7 (71.1) | 18.7 (65.7) | 16.1 (61.0) | 9.8 (49.6) | 4.4 (39.9) | 3.4 (38.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 23.8 (0.94) | 26.2 (1.03) | 45.8 (1.80) | 102.0 (4.02) | 167.7 (6.60) | 215.4 (8.48) | 184.6 (7.27) | 207.3 (8.16) | 173.4 (6.83) | 47.3 (1.86) | 26.2 (1.03) | 16.0 (0.63) | 1,235.7 (48.65) |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 76.4 | 82.0 | 85.0 | 86.9 | 86.9 | 86.1 | 85.7 | 86.8 | 81.0 | 74.4 | 74.8 | 72.0 | 81.5 |
| Source:Hong Kong Observatory[2] | |||||||||||||
Before the 1840s, there was not much sea traffic in Hong Kong. But after the Treaties of Nanking, Peking and Tientsin from 1842-1860, theQing government was forced to open more trading ports.Hong Kong was one such port that became strategic for merchants arriving fromEurope, hencelighthouses were needed to guide ships safely to port.[3]
Wagan Lighthouse entered service in 9th of May 1893, the layout of Waglan Island Lighthouse was designed by David Marr Henderson, Engineer in Chief of theChinese Maritime Customs. The original plan included the lighthouse, living quarters, a fresh water collection tank, and aderrick used to transport people and cargo onto the island.[4][5] It was managed by theChinese Maritime Customs from Shanghai.
Before Wagan Lighthouse entered service in 9th of May 1893, Wagan Island was anuninhabited island. After the lighthouse's operation there have been a number of keepers who lived in Waglan Island. The working team who managed the lighthouse consisted of one principalLighthouse Keeper, two lighthouse keepers, five attendants (who did chores such as grass cutting and cleaning), and one cook. The team would spent one month on Waglan which was followed by one week's leave.[6] Initially,German keepers were used.
In 1 March 1901, Waglan island was transferred to theBritish after theLease of New Territories and outlying islands in 1898.[5] TheHong Kong British Government paid $2,943.60 to theQing government for the furniture and maintenance of the lighthouse. Employing 3 Europeans and assisted by 6 Chinese as the working team.[7] In the coming years, asaluting battery featuring three18 poundercannons was installed for fog signals and defense.[8][9]
In 1923 a twin typeDiaphone was installed as a replacement to the cannons' fog signal. It produced a two tone blast, an upper tone followed by a full steady low tone of equal or greater duration than the first tone.[10] TheDiaphone was powered a withdiesel engine andcompressor, and could be heard 5 miles away in the worst fog.[11]
In Dec 1941, in preparation ofWorld War II, the original lens and lamp lens, along with the communication equipment were destroyed by theBritish Navy. On 13 Dec 10:30 am the keeper and staff were evacuated and taken toAberdeen.[12] Subsequently after theJapanese invasion of Hong Kong, Japanese troops were stationed on the island.[13] Waglan Island Lighthouse was extensively damaged by the Japanese and the aerial bombings by Allied aircraft duringWorld War II.
In 1945 afterWorld War II the lighthouse resumed operations, installing a temporary light for the purpose. In January 1946, the Hong Kong Civil Affairs Committee approved HK$2,050,000 for the reconstruction and modernization of Waglan Lighthouse and it's facilities.[11]
As a result of the funding, in 1950 a new light was put into service. Dubbed "World's most modern lighthouse" bySCMP, it was assembled from parts totaling 25 tonnes, ordered from twoBritish companies and the AGA firm inSweden.[11] from 1950 to 1960 Many facilities were also improved or built in the lighthouse compound. Including: a new building to house 25-ton generator and machines (1950);Wireless Communication equipment (1950s); three new water tanks (1953); The Royal Observatory, Cable & Wireless Ltd. buildings, Radio and Weather Station (1952); a new fog horn system on top of the engine room (1955).[14] Damaged air raid shelter tunnels were also back-filled.
 Waglan lighthouse in the 1910s | |
 | |
| Location | Waglan Island,Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 22°10′55″N114°18′10″E / 22.181991°N 114.302880°E /22.181991; 114.302880 |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1893 |
| Construction | cast iron tower |
| Automated | 1989 |
| Height | 16 metres (52 ft) |
| Shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings | white tower with a horizontal red band under the balcony, white lantern |
| Heritage | declared monuments of Hong Kong  |
| Fog signal | two blasts every 60s. |
| Light | |
| Focal height | 69 metres (226 ft) |
| Range | 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (2) W 20s. |
| Hong Kong no. | HK-102[15] |
The Waglan Lighthouse on Waglan Island has been listed as adeclared monument of Hong Kong since 2000. It commenced operation in 1893; it is one of the five surviving pre-war lighthouses in Hong Kong.[1]
The lighthouse itself was built byParis lighthouse makers Barbier, Bénard & Turenne as one of two identical lights for theChinese Maritime Customs Marine Department (the other was Beiyushan Lighthouse). Both were some of the first lighthouses in the world to use a newmercury bath rotating lens design that allowed an 8 tonne first order lens to be rotated with the push of a finger. They were constructed ofcast iron, disassembled and shipped out for reassembly in their chosen locations.[12]
During the 1930s, two Chinese became second classlighthouse keepers: Wong Kai Chung from 1930 and Leung Chiu Tung from 1933. Both of them have been stationed at Gap Rock lighthouse as apprentices before being promoted and transferred to Waglan Lighthouse.[16]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Waglan Lighthouse | |
22°10′55″N114°18′12″E / 22.18194°N 114.30333°E /22.18194; 114.30333
