August 2, 1902.]
MARCUS ISLAND.
In consequence of the report that the United States had granted a title to Marcus Island to Captain Rosehill, the Japanese warship Karagi carrying a diplomatic official proceeded to the island to reassure the Japanese residents that the reported giant was valid, and that Japan had annexed the island in 1898.
At Washington, it is considered improbable that the United States will interfere with Marcus Island if the Japanese are working guano there as reported.
A correspondent calls attention in the Kole Chronicle to chart 114 in the Century Dictionary Atlas, which show Marens or Weeks Island (as well as Wake Island, more to the south-east) to be marked as possessions of the United States. We are also indebted, says the Kobe paper, to a correspondent for a copy of the American Exporter for May, which contains an account of the island and the circumstances which led to its being declared a possession of the United States. The article is as follows:- "Ihe United States has found a new field for future trade in an island far off in the Pacific, midway between Japan and the island of Guam. The Stars and Stripes are floating over the island with the authority of the Government, although it took years for the claimant to secure recognition. The story of the discovery and occupancy at this late day, when man believes he knows the whole world, r ads more like a passage from 17th century history than
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recital of the matter-of-fact doings of a Pacific trader of the present streuucus era, Three residents of Honolulu held the
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
were of great value. This value is specially appreciated in Hawaii, where a fertiliser is in much demand upon the sugar plan'ations. In January this year another effort was made to get action on the part of the Secretary of State, and Rosehill enlisted the aid of W. C. Peacock, a wealthy merchant, and of Colonel Thomas Fitch, both of Honolulu, and inade another appeal to the State Department. This last effort proved successful. A letter was sent by Secretary Hay stating that upou furnishing a bond in the sum of $50,000 the application" w uld be granted and Captain Resehill could take possession of his island whenever he had complied with that formality. The three men interest d then formed a corporation to work the guano deposits on th island, and, having complied with the filing of the bond, intend to start in.immediately. The island is not far out of the way of traders going to Japan from the South. A colony of active Americans will undoubtedly convert it in time into a thriving settlement and add another source of profit to th manufacturer of household goods, machinery, and other necessary. commodities,"
Meanwhile, it would seem, the island lus bet n occupied by a number of Japanese, who seem to have taken possession with the authority of the Japanese Government. They do not appear to be soldiers, however, as the Captain of the Sheridon is reported to have stated.
REPORT OF THE P.C.M.O.
FOR 1901.
The report for 1901 of Dr J. M. Atkinson, Principal Civil Medical Officer, is published in the Gnzelte.
died of end-carditis, typhoid fever, prenmonia, eight deaths during the year-four Europeans and empyema, respectively. There were two deaths amongst the Indians from malarial fever and two Chinamen di d, one from beri-beri and the other from plague. Sixteen were in valided, namely, three Europeans, ten Indians and three Chinese, the causes being dysentery, phthisis (four), asthma, sprue, hemiplegia, drepsy, chronic rheumatism, leri beri, sciatica, tuberculosis, chronic synovitis, and debility
title to the island. They expect to become millionaires as a result of this new possession of Uncle Sam. The new possession is named The admissious of police to the Hospital Marcus Island. It is situated 800 miles south- east of Yokohama, the same distance north-
were slightly in excess of those of the previous north-east of Guam, and about 2,80 miles west 20, the strength of the Force being somewhat year, the number being 937 as compared with of Honolulu. It was in 1889, while cruising greater, riz, 884 in the South Seas, that Cap'ain James Rosehili, fever contributed 407 admissions as against as against St. Malarial in command of a small trader, lauded with a in 10. There had been a marked dim- view to ascertaining its value as a cocoaunt iuution in the number of malarial fever ca es island. He first anchored his vessel on the westward side, which was the only approachable
from the Police Stations in the New Territory, a diminution in the percentage of malarial spot on the is and. There was no sign of occu-
fever cases from 90 per cent. in 1900 to 52,5 pancy, no water-supply, and Rosehill believes he was the first human being to set foot upon occasioned to a great extent by the active pro per ent. in 1901. This was undoubtedly the island. The island was found to be about phylactic treatment which was commenced ou five miles in length and two miles in width, May 1st last year and continued up to the 1st of and because of the winds is accessible only five November. It must also be borue in mind that months in the year. In the centre was a small the Police were housed in permanent buildings hill, admirably suited for planting batteries. in 1901. The other diseases which occasioned the Finding the island uninhabited and unclaimed greatest number of admissions were dysentery by any other Power, Captain Rosehill took pos-6, beri-beri 10, and enteric fever 4. There were session in the name of the United States. He found millions of sea birds fiying about, and from that concluded there must be gnano depo- sits upon the island. An examination convinced bim of this, and he discovered a large surface deposit of crown earth guano and in other places phosphate guano. He hoisted the flag of the United States at the top of a cocoanut tree. Then he fastend a bottle to the tree in which was a notice that he bad formally taken possession of the island in the name of the United States, his crew siguing the statement as witnesses. One of the members of the crew was placed on shore with his wife and given provisions for a year, pigs and chickens also being introduced. A small hut was built for this modern Crusoe and he was left to his elysium. Upon returning to Honolulu Captain Rosehill, through the United States Minister then in Hawaii, John S. Stevens, forwarded a claim to the Secretary of State claiming title, Secretary Blaine filed the papers, but sent back a reply that it must first be proven that no other Power had a claim to the island before Rosehill's ownership could be allowed. The sea captain, who became Assistant Harbour Master at Honolulu, made many subsequent efforts to establish his claim at Washington but was so often rebuffed that he became thoroughly discouraged, though never giving up hope that he would ultimately get possession of Marcus Island. The stilor and Lis wife who were left in possession of the island became wearied at the loneliness, and after eleven months bad xpired were picked up by a passing vessel and returned to Honolulu. In the meantime (ap. tain Rosehill had specimens of guano which he brought with him examined by expert chemists in Honolulu and became convinced that they
(two).
number of admissions to the hospital as com- From the Ticops there was an increase in the pered with 1900. The mortality amongst the European troops was less and that amongst the Indian troops was higher than in the previous year.
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against 13,883 in 1899. The total was made up as follows:- Police, 937; Board of Trade, 28; paying patients, 830; Government servants, 339; police cases, 348; free patients, 466. There was a decided increase in the number of Government servants admitted, a slight increase in the number of pelice, and 21 marked diminution in the number of free patients admitted; this was accounted for by the fact that it is impossible to admit many cases which attend as out-patients owing to the large increase in the number of sick police and Government servants admitted; these two classes of patients alone contributing 276 more than in 1:99. The rate of mort- ality for the year was 5.18 per cent. average daily number of sick as against 100.95. Of women and chil dien the number admitted was 281 as against 325. It is to hoped that the Victoria Hospital for women and children will be ready for occupation this year; tho intention is to treat most of these cases there, one ward culy Leing retained at the Government Civil Hospital for urgent cares and for tho who could not be removed so far.
The
was 111.72
{
960 Europeat s were admitted during the your as against 943 in 1900, 834 Indians were admitted as compared with 788 in the previous year. 1,154 Asiatics were admitted during the year, the figures being 1,154 as against 1,299 in 1890.
The total fees received during the year in the Medical Depatment was-Hospital fees, $32.44355; private nursing fees, $65.00; certificates, $650.00; total, $33,958.55.
A scheme for fiting the Bospital with electric light had been drawn up during the year, the necessary expenditure had been sanctioned, and before next summer it is
expected that this will be installed. A new operating theatre is very much required.
Under the beading Auti Malarial Mea- sures," Dr. Atkinson says:—
During the year much has been done in combating mosquitoes. In February a systema. tie filling up and draining of the pools in the nullalis at Kennedy Town near the old Tung Wah Mortuary, adjoining Nethersole Hospital and in the neighbourhood of the Upper Rich- mond Road, was instituted. A supply of Professor Celii's larvicides was obtained in May; these were extensively used in the ravines in the neighbourhood of the Richmond Estate at West Foint during the summer months; the results were not altogether satisfactory, as anopheles larvae were found in pools in which they had been applied; it is just possible that these were not used in sufficiently large quantities. kerosene in killing the lurve; the drawback to It was proved that they were not so effective as kerosene is that it destroys the potability of the water to which it is applied whereas Professor Celli's larvicides do not impure the water. I fear it. is a hopeless task to endeavour to keep the untrained nullahs free of pools especially in the rainy season when malarial fever is rife, the nul- lah-beds, owing to the rains and weathering effects of the atmostphere, are continually changing, fresh pools being formed from day to day. The only effectual remedy is to train the nullahs; this however is a very expensive operation, e.g., it would cost $10 for a lineal foot for the larger ❤
nullahs and $8 per foot for the smaller ones; on
this basis training the nullahs to the West of
the Richmond Estate would cost $15,000. The average da ly rate of sickness Much, I understand, has been done in the way was higher in European and Indian troops, of training uullahs in the neighbourhood of the this being more marked in the latter. Amongst houses within the bui't area of the City, but to the deaths in the Eritish troops were two from train all the nullahs on the outskirts of the City enteric fever, two from bubonic plague and four is a formidable task, and it is for Government from malarial fever: five dying of heat apoplexy.to determine whether this extensive operation
Eighty-one members of the Gaol staff were
should be undertaken. admitted to Hospital during the year out of a
In a flat country it is comparatively easy to get rid of these pests, but total staff of 93. There were two deaths and in a mountainous island like this it is quite four were invalided; the deaths were
another matter. There are so many fissures Luropean from malarial coma and cue Indian a: d natural excavations along the hillsides where from phthisis; the invalidings were three mosquitoes breed in large numbers that I doubt Indians from phthisis and one Chinaman from myself whether, even if the nullahs were rheumatism.
trained, it would be practicable to exterminate these insects; however it would certainly
one
From the Sanitary Department, there were thirty admissions as against fifteen in 1890. There were no deaths and none were invalided.
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The total number of admissions to the Government Civil Hospital w 2.948 against 3,030 in 190, and 2,734 in 1899. The total number of out-patients was 12,663 as
diminish their numbers.
To show the difficulty there is in ridding cort in neighbourhoods of this Colony of snopheles I would refer to the extensive opera- tions carried on in the spring of last year at the Military sanatorium, Magazine Gap, at the suggestion of Dr. Young, a Civil Medical