ames of all the persons oting at ting would subsequently be subscription list, and yet, combination and management, it is possible that a vote might be obtained in favour of some scheme favoured solely on selfish grounds, such, for instance, as a bicycle track. The Committee, on the hand, may be relied upon to do its best to arrive at an impartial decision accord ing to its judgment of what would be most gratifying to Her Majesty on the one hand and most suitable to the requirements of the colony on the other. The only drawback under which the Committee labours is that it is too small and that various interests are unrepresented upon it. But whether the Committee be large or small, fully representative or not, we think its decision would command greater confidence if it were arrived at in public. In all other places, so far as our knowledge goes, the question is being discussed in public, and not a single argument occurs to us in favour of making an exception in that respect in Hongkong. Can anyone suggest a reason for preserving privacy in such a case? The case appears eminently one for public discussion, quite as much so, indeed, as that of a Bill in the Legislative Council. Every person in the colony is interested in the decision and ought to know how and why it is arrived at,
THE PLAGUE AND DRAINAGE.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
disease. The object to be aimed
bring every house sanitation that
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Apr19 187
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the trade, exp under 29 lakhs seven years that figure and it took a bound the following year it was in 1895-96 it was over This expansion is due, he attention to commercial wat of the Government of India ; to attention paid to traders by the Resident at Kashgar, the mart of t trade, and to the gradual impro the road between Srinagar and the of China. That the trade and Yunnan is capable
to resis In this Conne
Dr Mo tra CANDLISS's reference to the possibility of the to disease becoming lodged in drains is worthy of note, for the good work accomplished above ground will be largely neutralised if the poison can still be introduced into houses through the drain connections. Dr. WILM, it will be remembered, in his report on last year's epidemic in this colony, in the section dealing with the origin and mode of dissemination of the disease, spoke dis- paragingly of our drainage system. The slop-water system of drains, Dr. WILM says, consists of small earthenware pipes, which frequently become stopped up, and, being leaky, allow filthy water "to escape into the houses." Dr. WILM's opinion is not necessarily to be accepted as final or authoritative, but it must comment, even though the mand attention. Theoretically we believe by the Government fall sho the much discussed separate system to be mediate provision of railways, there sound, but the frequent stoppages of the no question. drains that now occur seem to show that there is some defect in its working. The Hon. F. A. COOPER, to whom the colony is indebted for the system, is shortly leaving us and is now in all probability engaged in the preparation of his last annual report as head of the Public Works Department of Hongkong. In that report we hope he will not neglect to give the public the benefit of his present views on the separate system and say whether his experience has confirmed or modified the opinions on which he proceeded to remodel the colony's drainage.
IMPROVED TRADE ROUTES TO BURMAH AND CHINA.
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From this side, also, we hope to see large development of trade with Western be China, now that the West River is opened as far as Wuchow and that transit pass system has been duly recognise in the provinces of Kwangtung and K The protection of the goods from taxation will have almost as great an in promoting trade as the establishment of steam communication. It is, desirable that foreign merchants representatives should be allo ved trate into the country as far as in order to secure the fullest sible development of the transit system. On this ground it is to be that, even if steam navigation above chow be found impossible, Nanning Pose, on the upper reaches of the may nevertheless be made treaty ports. In the absence of steamers trade could conducted at those ports by r native craft as has been the case at Chungking, the opening of which has been amply justified by results, even although the Chinese declined, until the conclusion of the treaty with Japan, to assent to steamers ascending the river to that point. -
THE YELLOW RIVER.
In the volume of Medical Reports for the half-year ended the 31st March, 1896, just issued by the Imperial Maritime Customs, are included reports from Swatow and Hoi- how, in both of which reference is made to the plague. As we have got into the month of April without any indication of the
The Associated Chambers of Commerce of reappearance of the disease either in this colony or its immediate neighourhood, we may the United Kingdom have, as stated in an anticipate that there will be no renewal of the Australian telegram, resolved to urge upon outbreak this year, nor, we hope, in future the Government the improvement of the years. The danger, however, is not one to trade routes to Burmah and China. How be ignored, and every reasonable precaution much may be done for the development should be taken in order that, should the of trade by attention to trade routes is disease unfortunately reappear in our neigh-shown by a recent report by Captain G. C. bourhood, this colony may be protected, by an TRENCH, an officer who has for the last effective system of sanitation, against its ob- year on two been stationed at Leh, the taining a foothold here. Much has already capital of Ladakha. Considerable notice has been done in that direction, and although it | been taken of this report by our Indian cannot be claimed that to this we owe our contemporaries, and the Rangoon Gazette
Once more the Yellow River, that prolific. present immunity, since Canton and the uses it in argument with reference to other towns and cities in the vicinity, where the development of trade with Yunnan. source of trouble to the inhabitants of the little or no improvement has been effected "In all the discussions which were so com- provinces through which it winds its sinuous. in the sanitation, are likewise free, it must mon a few years ago on the subject of the way, has broken its banks and overflowed It seems that the be supposed that if the disease should re- "overland trade between Burmah and the surrounding country. appear it would have less chance of assum- "Western China,” says that journal, "the great stream has burst its eastern ba ing serious virulence in this colony than it "advocates of energetic measures to secure low Tsinan-fu, the capital of Shantun had in 1894 At Swatow, Dr. HENRY this trade before it could be snapped up Chang Chui and Chui-tzen are LAYNG tells us, the idea that the poison was "by our rivals always wanted railways.The latter is an exceptionally in the house was quickly taken up by the "The expense was a minor question in their and busy place, being Chinese, and the doctor says he knows of eyes, and any doubts about long lines of silk trade, several instances where, after two or three railway paying were met by wild and had fallen victims, whole households "vague statements as to the immense migrated, the result being in each case amount of trade that would accrue if that no more were attacked. Dr. H. M." Government would only spend the amount These enthusiasts MOCANDLISS,- of Hoihow, says "There necessary to tap it.
to my mind, every reason to suppose "ignored difficulties and scorned any that through the agency of infected rats "smaller scheme as mere pettifogging. No- or human beings, and even cats and pigs," thing but a railway would satisfy them, no “the disease can become lodged in a house," matter what political, financial, and en- in the ground, or perhaps in a drain, and “ gineering difficulties stood in the way Of the poison continue active until the plague "late years we have heard less of these “caltures run their course or die out." "heroic schemes, their advocates apparently During the prevalence of the plague în having abandoned in despair the attempt Hongkong the theory that houses where to induce Government to undertake had occurred became infected In another direction, however, th upon, the occupants being re- ernment of India has been and the pre disinfected, and "ing at the development-
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difficulty to believe that these "trade one of infinitely grea measures great! imited the spread of the than that between Burman and China, and
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