20
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
TUNG FU HSIANG'S MOVEMENTS. Street, and it is therefore all the more
advisable that the fullest possible precau- tious should be taken to nip in the bud any
(Daily Press; 3rd January.) The reports of TUNG FU HSIANG'S threaten-threatened fre-l outbreak. The Sanitary ing attitude in Kansu are now, it is sincerely Board is to be congratulated on its decision. to be hoped with good authority, denied As will have been seen from the report of from Peking; but it is difficult to feel any the meeting on Wednesday, the Government sense of security while this dangerous mal has been recommended, and will without content is alive and free. However, it is doubt agree, to make sufficient provision for perhaps safe to conclude that the danger is the accomodation of the displaced inhabit not so imminent as it was thought to be ants of the closed block of buildings. There when we wrote on this subject nearly two will, therefore, be no hardships involved for weeks ago. We then mentioned that, on the the 1,500 natives, of the chair-coolic class, authority of two recent travellers through who will be compelled to shift from the Ninghsia, TUNG was supposed to be in the premises. The district in which the block hill district of Kansu midway between lies, bounded by Wellington S rect, Pot Lanchow and Hsianfu, that the natives were tinger Street, and, on two sides, Wyndham much alarmed and that the won n mis- Strect, has been defined as a district within sionaries in the neighbourhood had been sent which house-to-house visitation will be to Shanghai.. It will be seen from REUTER'S carried out. Such measures are dictated by London telegram of the 31st December that sound commonsense and should be the best H.B.M. Consul at Hankow has warned the possible way of averting any dangerous foreign missionaries in the Hsianfu region consequences of the three cases of plague to be prepared to leave their statio s if reported. necessary, and has recommended them to send their women and children to safety. Whether the danger of rebellion is imme- diately threatening or not, this action of the British Consul must be considered à very wise step, and it is much to be regretted that the British Consuls in the interior of China de not use their influence more over mission aries of their own nationality and even go so far as to prevent, if possible, women, cou- nected with missionary bodies from going outside the limits of the Treaty ports. The proselytising societies, in spite of the terrible warnings of 1900, are per- sisting in their blin‹l and really criminal course of encouraging the pre- sence of helpless women and children hundreds of miles from the limits of Western civilisation and among the least civilised of the Chinese. It is but very rarely that any consul has the strength of mind to do anything to restrain such folly. This is by no means creditable, and Mr. E. H. FRAEEE's action is therefore all the more worthy of note.
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PIRA Y IN THE CANTON
NEIGHBOURHOOD.
[January 12, 1903,
QUARANTINE AGAINST
HONGKONG.
(Daily Press, 9th January.) It will be noticed with regret by a'l in- terested in the welfare of this Colony that the Netherlands-Indian Government has already declared quarantine restrictions against arrivals from Hongkong on account. of plague. The extent of these restrictious may be seen by referring to the terms of the attice forwarded to us by the Dutch Consul-General, A reference to the last ? issue of the Government Gazette shows that previously to this announcement Hongkong at the present moment suffers from the imposition of sanitary measures at Manila, Lisbon, and Bangkok. At Manila, only the importation of fresh vegetables is prohibited. At Lisbon, the Portuguese Board of Health as long ago as the 15th May, 190, declared Hongkong and Canton infected with cholera, and this regulation seems never to have been rescinded. Vessels calling at Bangkok from here or from China ports have still to call at Paknam for pratique, this rule dating from September 1st. Now while Hongkong (Daily Press, 9th January.)
suffers periodically from epidemics it is The assurance given on the 26th November useless, and indeed foolish, to protest by the Hon F. H. MAY, Colonial Scer tary, against the est of the world taking to the Secretary of the local Chamber of precautions against the dissemination of Commerce, that the Canton Government is diseases from this port. But of unjust really making efforts to suppress piracy ou discrimation against Hongkong there is the West and Canton Rivers and that every reason to complain. At the present arrangements are being made to patrol the moment we are still regarded as infected Delta with two Chinese gunboats under with cholera, whereas the disease dis. European command, has no doubt been appeared from the Colony in September, received with satisfaction by those whose only two cases in October being recorded business is in any way connected with the in the mortality returns since then; and we neighbouring mainland of China. It may are charged with being plague-infected on be remembered that we wrote on this matter account of three cases in one particular on the 19th November last, after the tragic part of the Fourth Health District, the death of Mr. EVANS, following on the attack inhabitants of which were at once removed on him at Cha Sí on the 12th of that and the block of buildings closed. Hong- month. We then advocated the use of kong is now no more plague or cholera- some of the Chinese vessels lying at infected than any other part of the Far Whampoa, under capable commanders, to East, and the vexatious restrictions which police the pirate-infected waters, coinmond-shippers from Hongkong are compelled to ing the question to the attention of the suffer are an injustice against which they PLAGUE PRECAUTIONS IN NO. 4 Chain er of Commerce. We are glad to see have a right to make a protest. Of course
HEALTH DISTRICT.
that the Chamber lost no time in making it may be argued that the remedy is to representations to the Government here- extirpate the diseases re erred to from the in a letter date the 21st November-and Colony entirely, and this is no doubt.the that the Colonial Secretary's reply was so counsel of perfection. In the meantime satisfactory. Of course, we are not so extraordinary precautions are being taken sanguine as to believe that the matter has here to prevent the outbreak and spread of ended now and that piracy is threatened contagious disease, and it might in fairness with instant suppression. On the contrary, be asked in return that our neighbours will long and sustained efforts will be required, not, in a state of panic, impose stringent and the utmost vigilance will be necessary measures against us without due cause. to se. that the Chinese authorities keep As things are at present, Hongkong is their promise and do not relax their exer practically banned by the Netherlands- tious. Nevertheless, with so efficient a Indian Government all the year round, British Consul as Mr. JAMES SCOTT watch which we cannot but regard as an undue ing at Canton and with the attention of the hardship on those who have dealings Hongkong Government engaged in the between this port ad the Dutch Indies. matter, we feel that the state of affairs is very much better than it was when we wrote some six weeks ago,
Daily Press, 3rd January.) Though the hastily summoned meeting of the Sanitary Board last Wednesday for the purpose of closing up a block of buildings in the Fourth Health District of this city might at first sight scene rather alarming, maturer reflection must convince us that there is reason for satisfaction in the promptitude with which the Board has acted. It used to be a common impression here, arising we know not whence, that our medical authorities were not unwilling, for the purpose of avoiding alarming the inhabitants, to conceal rather than make known the presence of plague in our uidst, But the lessons of the past have not been lost; and during the last two years no such accusations as were once freely hinted at can be made. It is recognised that the best way to combat this most difficult of diseases We very much regret to learn from the is by an intelligent co-operation between the home papers of the death of Captain Harry authorities and those liable to be attacked. Rotherham, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who will be rem mbeyed as a most popular officer and Last year elaborate instructions and advice sportsman out her. The sporting world in were given as to the proper methods of general is the poorer by the death of Capt. avoiding plague-we would suggest that Rotherham, who was one of the famous War- there should be issued again, in Chinese, wickshire cricket and football family, aud was a should the disease show any sign of spreading fine Rugby forward. He played both cricket -and where vigorous action was necessary and football for the Coventry Club, and though it was at least not applied against a
he never attained to county bocours he was a Brst-class play r at both games. His cricket in population ignorant of its purport. The
Hongk-ng is still fresh in our m morics, and neighbourhood where the recent cares lave
many friends will regret his untimely death. occurred is the part of the Fourth District which is said to have been due to complications where plague seems particularly persistent resulting from fever contracted in China that is, along the western side of D'Aguilar' was in bad health when he left Hougkong.
The revenue of Perak for 1903 is set at $9,02,390 against an estimated revenue of 89.894,075 in 19 2. The outlay is given -at $8.739,269 ngainst $7.800,00 the figures for 1902. In 1963ducation claims 8:17,057, and the pre erration of coconuts $2 290. Federal changes mount up to $4,467,4:6, and public works to $1,787,095.
Commander Yorke, R.N., has arrived at Weihaiwei and has taken over charge of the Naval Department on the Island. His correct title is King's Harbourmaster. The Weibaiwai correspondent of the hanghai Mercury 8138 that a well known and thoroughly competout American mining expert has lately been there to give his p ofessional opinion on the mining prospect of Weihaiwei. The correspondeŭt is told that he is more than satisfied with what Hehe has seen in the territory, and no doubt mining operations well shortly be started.