tunes.
1894
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
+
:.
[January 3, 1895.
obstruct Japan in the work she had under- taken. China, however, paid no attention to the warning and on the 25th July the chartered transport Kowshing, conveyign Chinese troops to Korea, was sunk by a Ju- panese man-of-war, after the soldiers had re-
patients the thanks of the community have been formally expressed, and their Eighteen hundred and ninety-four wil heroism and noble exertions will long be known in local history as the year be held in grateful remembrance. The of the plague. Never before has the colony is now doing its best, according to colony experienced such a year of isfor its lights, to set its house in order, to “ring
Were it not that the fearful pide-out old shapes of foul "disease," and to infused to surrender. On the same day mic which rage from May to Auguft so troduce a rational system of sanitation, to naval engagement took place in which the greatly overshadows all our other we prevent overcrowding, and the occupation of Chinese vessel Chiyuen ran away, the might speak of plagues in the plural, dwellings unfit for babitation. With this end despatch boat. Traokiang was captured, and and the chronicler might even be tempted to in view a large area in Taipingshan densely the Kwong-yi was driven ashore. On the compare our unhappy condition with that of built over has been resumed by the Crown and 29th of the same month the Chinese vanguard the ancient Egyptians in the time of Moses. an Ordinance has been passed bringing under was defeated near Yashan, and on the 1st We have had rinderpest and pleuro- effective control insanitary dwellings in other August both Powers formerly declared war. pneumonia amongst the cattle of the island parts of the colony. So far so good, and it Since then the Japanese have steadily ad- plague of caterpillars that would have is devoutly to be hoped that the mea-vanced until nearly the whole of Manchuria destroyed the pine forests had not energeticsures taken may be effective in preventing is now in their hands, Port Arthur, the great or other filth naval stronghold, having fallen to them on steps been taken to destroy, the pest, any recurrence of the plaque water famine, the bubonic plague, five diseases. It is understood that an amended the 21st November. On the 17th September gales or typhoons within a month, one of Public Health Bill will be introduced ere a naval battle took place off the mouth of them the most severe Hongkong has ex-long dealing with the subject or broader the Yalu, in which the Chinese lost five perienced for twenty years, a war between the lines than the special legislation recently vessels while the Japanese lost none. With 1.wo countries with which our commerce passed under emergency aud Medical Com- her fleet crippled, Port Arthur in the hands is more immediately connected, and, mittee has been appointed to report on the of the enemy, and the inferiority of her finally, a continuance of the exchange trouble. Lorganization of the medical and sanitary troops so There is little in the record of the year to staff. The Governor, while expressing his now
afford satisfaction and much to cause grief belief that it is impossible to make people in als Picuously proved, China is
and distress, yet it is significant of the vitality of the colony and the sound basis on which its trade rests that it has suffered so little permanent injury from its misfortunes but continues to grow aud prosper in spite of all.
It was on the 10th May that the proclama tion was published declaring the colony to be infected with plague. Prompt steps were taken by the Sanitary Board to combat the visitation, but the mortality steadily in creased. A prolonged drought bad prevailed, which was supposed to be the cause of the plague, and it was hoped that when the But the disease would abate. raine can
cams and instead of abating the epidemic increased in virulence until on the 7th June it reached high-water mark, when the deaths during one day imbered a hundred and seven, After that. date there was a gradual diminution, but it was not until the 3rd September that the proclamation was revoked and the port declared clean. The total ascertained mor- tality was a little over 2,500; but there were doubtless a good many deaths that escaped official record. At Canton, where practically no sanitary precautions were taken, the plague died out about the same time as in Hoogkong. It cannot therefore be claimed that the disease was stamped out here, for, under any circumstances, it would no doubt have died out at the same time that it did in Canton; it simply ran its course and dis- #ppeared. But though the efforts of those engaged in combating the plague did not succeed in stamping it out before it had run its course ther did ancceed in limiting the mortality and saving an immense number of lives. At Canton,
↓
clean by Act of Parliament, has intimated his opinion that it might be done by an official with plenary powers, provided the Sanitary Board (to which body the colony indebted for whatever ineasure of sanitation it may already possess) were swept out of the way. The best new year wish we cau express for the colony is that a merciful Providence mav protect it from any folly of that kind. H th new born zeal for sanitation is to be permanently effective the sympathiv and co-operation of the
community must
be invited, not alienated. The colony manage its. own must be allowed to
affairs and not have any further official incubus hong round its neck to ob- struct its progress in the right path.
|
|
The next subject that claims attention in a review of the year is the war between China and Japan. Hopes are entertained that as a consequence of the war the commercial development of this colony will receive a con- siderable impetus. After the war of 1857-60 it was believed that China was on the point of being opened up, and again after the Franco-Chinese war about Toukin was con- cluded it was believed that the country had received such an awakening as would lead to great things commercially, politically, socially. In both cases the hopes were dis- appointed. After the crisis was past the coun- try sank back into its former state of slothful somnolence, official/corruption went on as before, no efforts were made to promote trade or improve the position of the people, and when the present war broke out the country was found to be even weaker and its admini- | stration if possible more corrupt than at any previous period. The consequence was that
and
|
Will
to make the best terms she can, she is being assisted by the friendly offices of the United States, one of whose statesmen has just left Washington for Tokyo to advise the Chinese Ambassadors. The general opinion is that the war is now practically over, and the question of present moment is, what is to be ita result. it leave China, after payment of an indem- nity, as she was before, or will it lead to the opening up of the country? That depends upon the terms of the treaty; there will bə no voluntary opening up of China, but only so much as is forced upon her; and it would be well not to be too sanguine concerning the result of the war from a commercial point of view. While on abstract grounds satisfaction onght perhaps to be felt that the new year opens with prospects of peace some element of regret may never- itself that the lesson theless obtrude inflicted on Chipa has not been severe enough to lead to a radical reform of the administration.
In the field of our local politics, owing to the visitation of the plague, questions of sanitation have necessarily occupied the first place, but other important matters have also claimed attention. The coinage of a British dollar has at last been sanctioned and the new coin is expected to be in circulation within a few weeks. The currency of the colony will thus be placed on a stable and rational basis and rendered independent of the continual fluctuations in
the plague was one in tentality from no real resistance was offered to the Japanese past stood will be regarded as a matter of
*
The value of the Merican dollar. There : are few benefits without attendant disadvantages and to many, especially the salaried classes, the slight depreciation in exchange caused by the loss of the premium at which the Mexican has for some time.
regret, but in its general effect on trade the introduction of the new coin will be of undeniable utility. Another question that bas engaged attention is that of retrench. ment in the cost of governing the colony. A committee was appointed in March to con- sider this subject and in September the report of the committee was
It was to the effect that if all public.
recommendations were the committee's carried out the cost of governing the colony would only be reduced by $79,000, while on the other hand they suggested the of exchange compensation die ranting uently re-established without a reform of $125,000, making as the net result an increase a year. In the administration, invited China to join in in the expenditure of $46,000 a the work of reform. China declined, where- November $80,000 was- -actually voted by the upon Japan assumed the entire responsibility Legislative Council for exchange compensa- herself and gave notice to China that any tion for the year 1894, the unofficial mem- further despatch of Chinese troops would bebers concurring in the vote. While the construed into an unfriendly act intended to estimates were being prepared a series of
at Hongkong, and the Peking Government is now abjectly naking the most liberal allowance for suing for peace. The history of the war may departures from the colony, it did be briefly stated. In the early part of the not exceed two-and-a-half per cent. The year rebellion broke out in Korea and the difference may fairly be credited to the Government of that country made an appeal energetic measures taken in this colony to China for assistance in its suppression. when the plague was upon us, for the nor- The appeal was assented to and in accordance mal conditions under which the people lived with the agreement between China and were even more favourable to the spread of Japan in reference to Korea notice was the disease than at Cauton, the latter city given to Japan of China's intention to send having nothing to show like the Taiping- troops. Japan also decided to send troops shan plague nest either in respect of the and early in June there were both Chinese amount of overcrowding or the absence of and Japanese forces in the country. Japan, light and ventilation in the noisome base-recognising that order culd not be pering ments excavated out of the hillside. To the Permanent Committee of the Sanitary Board, the civilians and members of the Garrison who volunteered their services in connection with the house to house visitation and cleans ing operations, to the medical staff, and to the ladies who acted as nurses to the plague
made
of