June 12, 1895.j
I again express my appreciation of the value of the services of those police officers who gave such willing assistance, which was at a time when several of them were also engaged in special work in connection with the bubonic plague. The names of those police officers I had the honour to submit to the Government in letter No. 43 of the 10th September, 1894, when I specially brought their services to the notice of the Government.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
449
tension Telegraph Company at Bolinao is to be in the colony being naturally less susceptible to especially thanked for their kind aid in making fevers and other tropical diseases.
The second outbreak was that of cattle plague, observations at all times, but particularly dur-
two native ing the typhoon season. During the past for rinderpest, which occurred in year their help has been invaluable in this dairies at Wanchai.
I reported the matter to the Board on the respect, and their observations during the
L a Special passage of typhoon centres in the vicinity morning of April 11th, nod of the station enabled Mr. Figg to indicate the Meeting which was held that atternoon it was subsequent movements of such typhoous in the decided to slaughter and bury the whole of the China Sea with accuracy. The staff of the same aniinals housed in the two sheds without delay. Although there is no known record of such Company at Sharp Peak, near Foochow, also devastation committed elsewhere by the cater-rendered valuable assistance on two or three pillar which infested this colony last year, it occasions, and it would be a great improvement will be interesting to state here that terrible in could the Telegraph Company be prevailed upon jury to trees has been wrought in other coun- to allow the staff to forward observations re- tries by other species, notably the Gipsy Moth gularly. No observations have been received in the United States, where in Massachusetts. I from Foochow since the 10th September last, am informed, $350,000 have been spent in when the port was closed on account of the attempts to exterminate it.
Chins-Japan war.
The Kew Bulletin for 1890 also contained an account of a Forest Plague in Bavaria. The following extracts will be of interest. The documents in which they were contained were a despatch and enclosures from Mr. Victor Drum- mond, at Munich, to the Foreign Office, which were sent by the Foreign Office to Kew Gardens.
•
*
The order was carried out at once, and before midnight the premises had been thoroughly cleansed and disinfected.
Twenty-six animals in all destroyed, the owners receiving compensation to the amount of $1,120. In this case the disease was brought across by animals imported from the mainland.
In fact,
go so far as to say that no animals. either sheep, swine, or cattle, should be housed in the city.
During the past seven years in which I have had control of the food supply of the colony, many complaints have reached me respecting the the inferior quality of much of the beef exposed for sale in the various markets.
As far back as 188) I recommended that no dairies be licensed by the Board within the pre- In my last annual report I stated that Vic-cincts of the city, but I regret to note that no toria Peak and Gap Rock would shortly be steps have yet been taken to consider my sug placed in direct communication with the Obgestion. servatory. This improvement has not yet been effected, and the wind observations made at Victoria Peak are often received too late for in- sertion in the China Coast Register, and latterly no observations have been received until The experience gained in Europe and related about 2.30 p.m. and frequently later than this above is useful as indicating the habits and each day. This apparently arises to a great peonliarities of tree-eating caterpillars, and extent from the roundabout method by which what the prospects may possibly be of the re-the observations are forwarded to the United invasion in Hongkong of the caterpillar with Telegraph offices in Queen's Road for trans which we have had so unfortunate an ex-mission to the Observatory. The importance perience. There is one comfort here which of the wind observatious from Victoria Peak was denied those on the European continent, has frequently been insisted on by me, but their vis., that our caterpillar does not seem to have value is at once discounted through the delay the capacity to live on any other tree or plant in transmission. except the common pine, so that all other things have been quite exempt from attack. moth of our caterpillar, on the other hand. is not attracted by light, which I proved last May when experimenting with a view of ascertaining the best practicable methods of destroying tho caterpillar.
STORM WARNINGS.
The
The Director of the Observatory in his report for 1894 says:-
THE COLONIAL VETERINARY SUR- GEON'S REPORT FÜR 1894.
The following are extracts from the annual report off the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon, laid before the Legislative Council on Thursday last-
The total number of animals slaughtered in the colony during the year shows a small decrease on the figures of the previous year, this being due in a great measure, in the case of the cattle and sheep, to the absence of the fleet during the greater part of the year; and in that of the swine to the exodus of Chinese from the colony owing to the panic caused amongst them by the plague outbreak.
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Being fully aware of the correctness of such statements, and having goue carefully into the matter, I finally decided to recommend the pro- hibition of the importation of all dead meat into the colony.
In three reports dated the 3rd and 21st August, 1894, and 10th November, 1891, I ex- plained the matter fully to the Board, pointing out that all dead meat imported into the colony was of a very inferior quality, and for that ren son alone i was advisable to probibit it, as it was impossible to condemn the nest, however much emaciated, if not actually diseased; and suggested certain alterations in schedule D of Ordinance 17 of 1887, which I thought would meet the requirements of the case.
The Board decided that it was inexpedient to adopt my suggestions upon the ground that such measures would interfere with the importa- tion of meat from Shanghai, Japan, and Aus stralia; although in my final report. I pointed out that meat from the above places was never ex- pos d for sale in any of the markets, and in case it should be at any future period, that a by-law framed ander sub-section 9 of section 13 of the Public Health Ordinance (2 of 1837) prohibit This would. however, appear to have been ofing the importation of all dead meat from the pro- but short duration, the deficiency extending over vince of Kwangtung would effetually meot the case, mentioning at the same time that the Sin- the two months of June and July alone!
The total number slaughtered were as folgapore Municipal Council has just passed
similar resolution-prohibiting the importation of all dead meat-presumably for the same reasons as advanced by myself.
lows:-
Cattle. Sheep and Goats. Swine 1893...... 17,866 11,770 131,298 1894...... 16,898 10,937 125,725 Two serious outbreak of disease amongst dairy cattle occurred during the year.
On February 26th 1 reported to the Board that several cases of contagious pleuro puemonia had broken out in the herd the property of the Dairy Farm Company at Pokfulum.
In my last annual report I was able to state that "precedence urgency" had been granted by the Eastern Extension and Great Northern Telegraph Companies and also by the Chinese Telegraph Administration to our messages. I vagret, however, to be unable to report any im- rement in the time of receipt of these, and bo far as the United Telegraph Companies are concerned the delay would thus appear to be beyond their control. With regard to the messages coming over the lines of the Chinese Telegraph Administration the case is, how ever, different, as it is clearly established that the messages are handed in at their offices imme. diately, and therefore it is certain that the delay occurs in transmission over their lines. But as the messages received through this channel pass over land lines communication will, of course, be more frequently interrupted. The tardy receipt or non-arrival of the observations interferes greatly with the prompt issue of weather intel- ligence, and the early or late issue of such must necessarily depend upon the time of receipt of With the observations from the coast stations. regard to the observations made at Anping (South Formosa) and Hoihow (Hainan), the messages are, so seldom received in time that for the purpose of storm-warnings they are as both 88 a 'rule practically useless, and these stations are outposts, as regards local warnings, so to speak, the one to the east and the other to the west of the colony, it is readily seen that the non receipt of these observations is a very great loss. Last typhoon season the Hoihow observations would have been parti- cularly valuable bad they been received, as many of the typhoons approached the immediate
It is a matter of congratulation that the Board neighbourhood of that station, and there, is no
· doubt that were the Hoihow observations received | decided to allow the inoculation of the herd, and in time, the information the Observatory is able which proved so successful, rather thau adopt the to give with regard to typhoons in the China | more drastio method of “slaughtering out," which Sea would be much improved. Unfortunately would have cost the colony at least $20.00 .
There is no doubt that the disease was con- the irregularities and delay in the receipt of the messages are more frequent in the typhoon voyed to the farm by animals which had been season than in the winter months, and this imported from Australia.
I have fr quently tried to impress upon the remark applies to all stations, Bolinao excepted.
The thanks of the Government are due to the dairy farmers the risk attendant upon the in- Telegraph Companies for their kindness in con- troduction of foreign animals into their herds, at tinuing to forward the meteorological telegrams the same time pointing out the many advantages free of charge, and the staff of the Eastern Ex-'of colonial bred cattle, animals bred and reared'
THE FALL OF THE OLĘ VICTORIA HOTEL ROOPA
the fall of
At the Magistracy on istoriky Str. II. È. Wodehouse concluded the inquiry as to the deaths of the three persons kill the old Victoria Hofel roof.
Mr. H. P. Tooker, Exənative Engineer of the Public Works Department, said he had visited 11 was of opinion .: the beams the scene of the accident.
badly decayed
METH traces the roof came down owing beiug
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The Board met that day and decided that owing to the isolated position of the farm it was! not necessary to adopt the radical measure of slaughtering the whole herd, but were of opinion that the striot segregation and subsequent slaughter of all diseased animals, and the imme- diate inoculation of the remainder of the herd of white ants, but the day was oidolly dry rot. which were not affected; would meet the require-There had been bad construction the beams be- ing built solidly into the wall without ventila. He did not consida he had beon ments of the case.
tion.
The building had been proper maintenance
a long time and greatly ne. untenanted for glected.
Mr. D. H. Silas, assistant Messrs. D. Sassoon, Sons & Co. said his fem was the sole mortgagee of the building.
Fifteen animals contracted the disease and were dealt with accordingly; whilst one hundred and fifty-eight (158) animals were successfully inoculated, with only one fatal result therefrom. No fresh cases occurred after the herd was inoculated, and the premises were accordingly declared free from disease.
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The building
was
other
had been vacant since Mr. Dorabjes left it, ia 1894. The firm did not know that any one living on the premises except the watchman. It was intended to sell the building.
His Worship found as follow The deceased came by their deaths by
of the building show injuries received via Or such collapse being davs which the building bad at the time of their deatŞİY building | at their own colt an knowledgó of the sole murto-ST
10 roof Totel, May into he deceased pied in the without the