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PLAGUE PREVENTION FOR 1903.
(Daily Press, 20th October.) The defeat, at Thursday's meeting of the Sanitary Board, of Mr. OSBORNE's resolution with regard to a general cleansing of the Colony during the coming winter, similar to that which was undertaken in the winter of 1901-02, leaves the public very much in doubt as to what form the campaign against plague in Hongkong is going to take in future. In spite of Mr. OSBORNE having the support of the Medical Officer of Health for the Colony, his proposal was defeated, the two Chinese members of the Board being joined by the Captain Superintendent of Police in their opposition. Dr. ATKINSON refrained from voting, though his speech showed that he did not look with favour upon another such cleansing campaign as marked the end of 1901. The only two experts on the Board, therefore, were divided in opinion as to the utility of the measures which were tried to check plague in 1902. The two Chinese members naturally voted against a continuance of operations which met with so little approval anong their fellow-countrymen, while the head of the Polic: did not explain the reason for his attitude. It is impossible to regard the fate of the resolution as satisfactory. The argument of post hoc, ergo propter hoc is of course fallacious, but that of post hac, ergo non propter hoc would be merely foolish. Everyone admits that we have no means of judging what effect the thorough disinfection of the city had upon the plague visitation of 1902. Hongkong was cleansed and the epidemic was much smaller this year. We are told that the cleansing was very expensive and that it is not to be repeated this year. We are not told what is to be done instead, in the way of plague-prevention. The President of the Sanitary Board suggested that that body should recommend that some temporary inspectors be engaged, whose duty it would be to visit the houses and ascertain the state of cleanliness or otherwise of these houses. If they are dirty, the Chinese should be given, say, a couple of weeks to undertake the work of cleaning them; then let the houses be revisited at the end of the fortnight, and if they are still dirty let the Board step in and undertake the work. Whether this suggestion is likely to be adopted, we cannot tell. All we know is that last year's disinfection programme is not to be repeated, on the advice of the Sanitary Board. In view of the approach of the season when plague usually begins to show itself, we trust that the Govern- ment will lose no time in
informing the public what it is proposed to do in advance to meet an outbreak of plague in 1903. There can be no doubt whatever that the European residents, who certainly have some right to be considered, were much encouraged by the energy display- ed in carrying out the scheme of disinfection which the Sanitary Board has just condem- ned. They do not, it is true, look with light hearts on the squandering of public money
which is apparently admitted to have gone on in 1901-02. But, if it is accepted that similar measures can be carried out far more economically, then they will scarcely see the wisdom of dropping such measures
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
be tried in the Punjab in 1903, is considered almost hopeless here. What then do those who condemn the well meant efforts of 1901-02 in Hongkong propose that we should do, unless it is to adopt Dr. ATKINSON'S scheme? It may also be asked how it is proposed to deal with the count- less prosecutions because of dirty and insanitary houses which are bound to follow a voluntary system of cleansing.
THE BURMA-YUNNAN RAILWAY
QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 23rd October.)
Among the papers rend at the meeting of the British Association at Belfast last month was one by Captain C. H. D. RYDER, R.E., on the province of Yunnan. The greater part of this dealt with the physical features of the province and as such need not detain us here. But the point of chief interest in the paper to these concerned in the trade of China was when Captain RYDER related the result of the Yunnan Company's expedition to report on the feasibility of a railway line from Burma into China across the Yunnan frontier. Some two years ago the Yunnan Company fitted out this expedition and put at the head of it Major Davis. The Government of India attached Captain RYDER to it that he might survey and report on their behalf. The work of the expedition was accom- plished successfully in the course of two seasons and the British Association learnt last month what was the conclusion arrived at. Briefly stated, it was that the moun- tainous country and the poor prospects of traffic forced the Company to abandon any idea of a railway. In a short time, said Captain RYDER, a railway would be com- pleted, but it would be from Tonkin and not from Burma. This decision seems to be the death-blow to any British railway schemes connecting India with the Yangtsze through Yunnan and Szechuen. The opinions of Messrs. COLBORNE BABER, J. W. JAMIESON, LATTON, and others, including the Viceroy of India, are thus borne out. BABER spoke once disparagingly of the idea of improving the road from Burma to Yunnan-fu by piercing half a dozen Mont Cenis tunnels and erecting a few Menai bridges." Later critics, with less extrava- gance, have pronounced against the railway project, but there has always been a small party which has believed it possible without a very huge outlay. The report of the Yunnan Company's expedition has been awaited with interest, as it was felt that there was at least no prejudice against the
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"ing Southern and Western Yuunan from "the Burma and Tonkin sides, will offer the " Szemao trade a chance of developinent. The roads at present available are mostly in a bad state of repair, especially in steep "ascents and descents where more needed, ' though numbers of good stone bridges, and "two iron suspension ones, which span large rivers, show the importance of the traffic of these districts. It is pleasant to record, however, that a new iron suspension brilge is being built, and is expected_to_be finished in a year or so, to cross the Red River above Yuan-chiang-chou, which will put in communication a now secon- dary road running from Ta-lang to the "roads leading to the provincial capital and also to Mengiszu. The new road will "be much easier, and caravans will be abe. to avoid two high and difficult passes] The benefit of this work will be more appreciated by Szemao after the construc- "tion of the projected railway line from the
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Tonkin frontier to Yunnanfu, passing by "Lin-an, three days journey nearer than
Mengtszu."
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Mr. Acting-Consul LITTON, when he wrote of the trade of Szemao and Mengtszu in 1899, stated that all the conditions necessary for a flourishing British commerce Szemao, and Mr. GRANZELLA's figures were conspicuous by their absence at
seem to bear him out, The latter speaks
Burma; it seems that this line is unlikely of the railway approaching Yunnan from
now to go beyond the Salween ferry, so that it will not alter the situation much. We may take it that an effective check to British railway designs in Yunnan has been announced. Whether the idea is likely to be revived it is impossible to judge. France and in a few years' time we shall be faced is pressing on into Yunnan surely if slowly, with decided French predominance in that province if the restrictions on trade do not impel the Chinese still to favour the old
water routes. The dream of the French Colonial expansionists does not stop at Yunnan-fu nor on the further borders of Yunnan; it extends into Szechuen and to the head-waters of the Yangtsze. Time will show its chance of realisation, but it is at least physically possible of realisation. The one great argument, it seems to us, in favour of a Burma-Yunnan railway is that Yunnan leads into Szechuen and Szechuen to the Yaugtsze. If a railway is impossible (which Captain RYDER did not tell the British Association), then all such ideas must be dismissed. But if it is only very difficult and not tempting because of the poor traffic.
c-prospects in Yunnan it might scheme among those attached to the still be necessary to reconsider the scheme exploring party. Of course we have no
because of its bearing on the question of details of the expedition's verdict, but the the Yangtsze trade. There is also to be summary given to the British Association borne in mind the matter of a railway from seems conclusive evidence on the side of India to Hongkong, which, dreamlike as it those who think a Burma-Yunnan line may sound now, must not be dismissed as a unprofitable if not impossible. A moun- dream merely because of the scoffings of tainous country with poor prospects of those who no doubt scoffed at the Trans- traffic is not 1kely to attract British specu-Siberian and all other great railway lines lators, with their ardour already damped by --since become accomplished facts. Lord CURZON's speech to the Rangoon Chamber of Commerce last December. It' is interesting, however, to read what the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Com- missioner at Szemao wrote in January, and we will accordingly quote from the Szemao
The P. &. T. Times complains strongly of the insufficient olicing of the British municipal settlement at Tientsin. On the 9th inst. a drunken German soldier with a drawn bayonet
altogether because they were wasteful last trade returus the following passage. Mrrery nearly committed murder twice. The Times
year. The opposition of the Chinese is a factor in the situation which cannot be overlooked, but Messrs. LAU CHU PAK and FUNG WA CHUN will find it hard to tell us what sanitary measures will not be opposed by the lower class, inure ignorant Chinese. Inoculation, which has been tried this year in Formosa and is to
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says:-The Municipal Coune 1 has by means of civil police armed with tranche us, to keep order in a garrison town where the elements of discord are in lefinitely enhanced by diverse
GRANZELLA, the Acting Commissioner, says Want of means of communication "principally is what prevents Szemao from
taking a greater share in the directationality.
· foreign trade, or extending its home one, in the way hoped for when it was first opened; yet the time may come when the 'projected railway lines, which are approach.
The lesson of this special case is that a civilian to protect his life from a drunken rowdy has in a British Concession to carry a revolver. We need not tell our readers that this lesson is abominable, and that the state of affairs is certain to issue in tragedy.
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