June 17, 1901.] mercantile adventurers, and some others who leave their country for their country's good, the only Frenchmen who go out to French Colonies are the little army of badly paid officials, and the naval and military forces detailed for their protection. To be quite just and fair, the officials proceed to do their work pretty thoroughly; good roads, bridges, and other works are under- taken and carried out with reasonable expedi- tion, while careful surveys are made with a view to ascertaining the natural products and the capabilities of the soil. Nor is this all. In most French Colonies nurseries and gardens are formed and trials made of the cultivation of various products, to demonstrate to planters of what the soil is capable. In this matter, at any rate, our French friends furnish a noteworthy example to the British authorities.
Where the French Government fuil most egregiously is in the proper encourage ment of trade. Not only do they strangle commerce in its infancy by the imposition of high protective duties; they do not even do the best they might with their own opportunities. French capital, one would imagine, encouraged by the tariff-wall erected for its benefit, would readily enter such an arena and secure the field prepared for it. Such, however, is not the fact. Under the baleful shadow of protection, trade slowly languishes, and ports like Saigon and Hai- phong, which should be great centres of trade and busy marts, are in reality stagnant cities maintained almost entirely by the Chinese demand for rice, of which, notwith. standing French protection, there is still a large export. France is a manufacturing country and has great facilities, with her scientific inventors and skilful craftsmen, for turning out both good and cheap manufactures. Yet her colonies do not materially increase in spite of the protection accorded to them. The illiberal fiscal policy of the French Government naturally causes other countries to look with intense disfavour upon any efforts to create new Gallic preserves where their goods will be barred out by a prohibitory tariff. No Power therefore would like to see France established in the position of a protectorate over Yunnan, England, Germany, the United States, and Japan only desire for themselves and others a fair field and no favour; they are perfectly willing that French goods should find their way into Yunnan on equal terms with their products. This, however, is not what France seeks she desires a monopoly of the market for her manufactures, and, like Russia, will tolerate no rival in the field. What has hap- pened in Indo-China would be repeated in Yunnan if French officials had their way. The projected railway to Yunnan, like the Russian line through Manchuria to Port Arthur, is intended as the first link in the chain by which it is hoped to enlarge the boundaries of Indo-China and build up an Empire rivalling India in its extent, if not in wealth. Having lost India, France is ever looking to Indo-China to form the base of a new eastern empire which may compensate her for that loss. While, however, her traders cling so steadfastly to the soil of la belle France, and her rulers continue to hug their policy of protection, French enter prise abroad is never likely to flourish; and French methods can only arouse distrust or excite opposition.
Shanghai merchants have addressed a letter of thanks to M. Ratard, French Consul General, for his efforts in having reduced the arbitrary taxes which the local Chinese autho- rities were proposing to place upon the silk
trade.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
SUGGESTED PLAGUE MEASURES.
up
or
495
a menace to the hitherto uninfected portion of the colony, without these con ditions. The members of the Sanitary Board by leaving the motion unsupported by a vote did what Hongkong had a right to expect of them.
Mr. OSBORNE's second motion, “that the bodies of Chinese who have died of plague may be coffined in the usual Chinese manner by relatives or friends and removed from the colony without any restrictions," con- mended itself to the Board, and seeing the substantial nature of a Chinese coffin there appears no reason for opposing the plan, provided that proper precautions are taken and that the removal from the colony be prompt. It is more a matter of concession to a strong national sentiment than of any- thing else, and if it stops the horrible practice of dumping corpses in the street it will serve a good purpose. At the same time the proper precautions must be in- sisted on, so that the concession to Chinese feeling may not be attended by danger to the rest of the community as well as to themselves.
.
(Daily Press, 15th June.) After the reception given at the Sanitary Board meeting on the 8th May to H.E. the Governor's suggestion that plagué patients at Yauninti should be allowed to be treated in their own homes under certain conditions, it was hardly to be expected that the same Board would welcome the proposal of Mr. E. OSBORNE that " percons suffering from plague (or under observation) be allowed to remain in their own homes, provided all other persons occupying the same floor are removed, except three adults to attend the patient, and provided a written certificate be produced from a medical practitioner that he has charge of the case.' Neverthe- less the discussion on Thursday last served an useful purpose, in that the question was very well ventilated in the course of a long debate. Mr. OSBORNE, introducing the first motion standing in his name, very justly observed that the history of plague epidemics in this colony since 1894 reveals the dis- couraging fact that though we have done what seemed right and proper at the moment,
Not the least interesting part of the our efforts to cope with the disease have discussion on Thursday was the never been successful. He went on to not entirely relating to the motions under passage, express the opinion that the cause of failure consideration, which dealt with the subject lies in the fact that we have forced upon of sick Chinese leaving the colony-the the Chinese measures which were impalatable, "wriggling out of the Venice Convention," and which have caused them to thwart us as a member of the Board described it. We surreptitiously at every turn. Therefore, have already spoken of a probable petition as a concession to Chinese prejudices, he to H. E. the Governor through the Viceroy at proposed that plague sufferers and suspects Canton to permit these departures, which should be treated in their own homes, have already been taking place surreptitiously provided all other persons but three atten. to a certain extent. The remarks offered by dants be removed from the same floor as the Captain Superintendent of Police, based the patient's room, and that n medical on his experience of the Chinese police in the practitioner certify that he has charge colony, were very apposite. Pointing to of the case. Mr. OSBORNE backed
the habit of these lukongs, when sick, of his proposal with a lively picture of the disregarding the regulation requiring them horrors of the plague hospital and of the to go to the Government Civil Hospital and journey thither, at
speakers scoffed, though we think that there that the idea which the men had-3 good which subsequent instead going to their homes, Mr. MAY said can be little doubt that the truth lies be. ilea at bottom-was to get back to their tween the statements of Mr. OSBORNE and native villages, where there was plenty of Dr. BELL. With regard to the general fresh air. If they died, they knew where proposal of Mr. OSBORNE, Dr. BELL'S they would be buried. In the same way, criticisms were trenchant and to the point. if a coolie got sick and wanted to leave the people to go who leave the houses? Where fact, is this. We cannot, from the facts It may well be asked: Where are all the colony, be would leave it. The point, in are the people to look after the patient? of our situation, strictly enforce the rules Where can we get medical men to take of the Venice Convention. The exodus of charge of the case?
we be Chinese will continue as long as a scare certain that the patient was kept continu- exists in Hongkong, and there are many ously isolated? Mr. OSBORNE does not who would rather see the exodus legalised, appear to have stated definitely whether he if possible, so as to relieve overpressure at intended his proposal to apply equally to
this critical period and give the mass of the all classes. If he did, it is plain that as
ibabitants, who do not intend to leave the far as the coolie class is concerned the island, a better chance of escaping the scheme could never There are no houses in the colony where no question of yielding to pressure from
come into operation. scourge which is now upon us.
There is one floor cau be devoted to a plague-stricken the Viceroy of Kwangtung. If H.E. TAO coolie and his three a tendants. Nothing Mu assists his countrymen in their less than a wholesale depopulation of this overcrowded city could render this feasible, Among all the non-Chinese cases this year,
for fear the Hongkong authorities should it has ouly been found possible to treat two appear to be obeying the commands of a patients in private houses. How then can
superior. What we have to obey, if Hong- we imagine an extension of the plan to the kong is to prosper, are the laws of health. Chinese coolies. We fully recognise the It does not seem, from the hold which the strength of the argument that removal plague has had on the colony since 1894, from home and friends to the depressing that we have done so hitherto, and it is surroundings and meagre medical attend plain that we must alter our treatment. On ance of the plague. hospital conduces not a the point at issue, all the Chinese and a little to the likelihood of the patient's large number of prominent Europeans are death, and it would be gross inhumanity agreed to recommend a new departure, and we hope, as we have said before, that the Government may see its way to acquiesce. Even if no good comes of the plan, we do not see that any harm will ensue.
How can
not to admit that the state of affairs BOW
existing in the colony with regard to the treatment of plague sufferers must be remedied at all costs. But beside our duties to the sick there are our duties to the sound and well. The home-treatment of patients must either be impracticable, under the conditions suggested by Mr. OSBORNE,
appeal to the Governor, it is absurd to contend that the request should be refused
disposal of the Resident Superior for defraying A sum of $100,000 has been put at the the expenses of organising the Hanoi Exhibi- tion of 1902 and erecting the palaces.