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February 14, 1903.]
"at a reasonable percentage the profits that are likely to accrue to them from such disinterested action on the part of the friendly northern Power, whose friendship "bas already cost China to dear. Can this be wondered at? We must admit the astuteness of Russian policy. The primary causes of its success were the neglect of Japan in the first place, alluded to above, and the absolutely backboneless attitude of Great Britain over the matter of l'ort Arthur, in the second. It is apparently in possible to repair matters now, aud though it may be never too late to regret, it is at least unprofitable.
GREAT BITAIN AND THE EASTERN QUESTION.
(Daily Press, 12th February.) In one of its latest issues the Saturday Keview protests against the harbarous, but convenient, phraseology" which divides the many-sided Eastern problem into tho e of the Near, Middle, and Far East, and the idea that Britain could favour one policy in the Mediterranean, one in the Persian Gulf, and a third in the China Seas. There is, unfortunately, some point in this protest,
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
115
the Mediterranean is concerned. We cannot | kong evidence) that rats play a large part lock with indifference on the attempt at in a plague epidemic. With regard to the domination over the castern end of the question of inoculation as a preventivo of Mediterranean by a great naval Power. plague, a means of combating the scourge Nevertheless we cannot expect Germany to which we are apt to look on as peculiarly risk Russia's enmity by opposing that Indian, it appears that in the year under scheme of domination because it threatens discussion only forty people were inoculated us. Germany's interests in the Nearer in Calcutta. This is curious when we East lie in Mesopotamia, where she has a consider the great inoculation scheme projected railway line. In the advance of inaugurated at the end of last year in the his line to the Persian Gulf, Germany does Punjab; and the diversity of opinion shown Challenge Russia's designs and comes also in two parts of India is a little perplexing. in contact with British interests. The It is plain from the Calcutta report that basis of an agreement with Germany in that prophylactic and serum treatment receives part of the East seems therefore obviously no favour from the medical authorities fo lie in the union of German and British | there. In the fight against plague the schemes in the neighbourhood of the Gulf, | main reliance, according to Calcutta's which is perfectly feasible. But on the experience, is to be placed on disinfection principle of maintaining a consistent and in the demolition of insanitary buildings. Eastern policy, Britain should not, as in It is satisfactory to us in Hongkong to the case of the notorious 64
Yangteze know that we are already adopting these agreemen," as the Germans have called it, methods, practically to the exclusion of al make a small bargain, leaving the other others. We have not done so, of course, Eastern problems to be worked out without partial recourse to other plans, nor separately. There is nothing more desir should we have done rightly had we done able than a general understanding between
80. But now that we have elected to put Britain and Germany on Eastern affairs at
our faith mainly in disinfection and demo- all points where the two countries' interestslition it is gratifying to see that the chief touch, coupled with what is known as a town of India endorses our action. It is benevolent attitude on the part of each possible that, as we all devoutly hope, we have watched the development of their Power toward the other's remaining in-shall be spared a plague epidemic this year; country's policy in this por ion of the world terests in the East. Such an understand- nevertheless we should be encouraged to have good cause for k owing the inconsis-ing, it is needless to say, is not promoted persevere in the policy of disinfection and tencies of that policy. There is now a
demolition. The latter part of the pro- better appreciation of the necessity of
gramme, in view of the comparatively coherent action in the East, but it is gravely
enormous amount of insanitary property in the city, must necessarily be slow, in spite of the passage of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance. But the Govern- ment has the more reason to pross on the work in that the experience of a far larger place confirms the utility, or rather the necessity, of its line of policy. Some of our Indian contemporaries are wont to sneer at Hongkong's concern over plague, comparing the Indian figures with ours. We venture, however, to say that plague pro- duces relatively more damage to thisColony's progress
and those Eritish residents in China who
to be doubted whether there is an under-
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66
by the utterances of Germanophobes and Anglophobes. It must also be recognised thai an understanding of this nature is not
an alliance-a word calculated to cause so much alarm-but a business transaction, requiring only good faith and mutual confidence. Surely such a compact is not impossible between two peoples noted for their business-like qualities,
CALCUTTA AND THE PLAGUE.
Indian cities, owing to our peculiar position than to the prosperity of the
as a junction between so many parts of the world. At any rate we should use the experience of India in the matter of plague to the utmost extent, and all reports of the great cities of the Dependency have thus a peculiar value for us.
ATHLETICS IN EDUCATION.
standing of all that this involves. It is recognised that in dealing with the Eastern question Britain has to take into considera tion chiefly two Powers, Russia and Germany, but the theories commonly advocated as to the best method of treating with those two countries are various and often exceedingly illogical. It cannot be said that the feelings of the home public
(Daily Press, 13th February.) at the present moment toward either At various periods in the past we have Germany or Russia are niable or con- referred to the experience of different citiatory, while the Government has Eastern cities in the matter of plague, and shown a mixture of undue concession the subject is one which must always be of and of occasional defiance which, unless interest here until the disease is thoroughly backed up by a show of determination, is stampel out. The most recent plague the reverse of politic. Resentment against report issued is that of the Health Officer Germany being wide-spead just now in of Calcutta, Major DEANE. Calcutta must England, it is not surprising that there be allowed to be a favourable spot for the should be a revival of the spirit of tolerance study of plague, seeing that in the course toward Russia's aggressive proceedings of thirteen months ending last June no which marked the period at the close of the fewer than 7,000 died there of the disease China-Japau war, when Russia was begin-or of what was commonly supposed to be ning to aim at the position in Manchuria that disease. Major DEANE's report is which she has now practically consolidated. ¦ particularly interesting in that he differs in (Daily Press, 11th February.) To this no doubt is due the comparative Lanny points from a great number of plague Mr. RUDYARD KIPLING has yet, webelieve, wildness of the public protests in Engląd | specialists. He takes as his motto a to denounce horse-racing, and we should over the Dardanelles question, uriny of Kal biuical quotation Learn to say: I do hesitate, in Race We k, to imagine what which are directed mainly against Germany not know," and proceeds to reject some of terms of abuse he would find most appro- for not joining in upholding the Treaty the favourite theories with regard to plague.priate for its votaries. Perhaps it is because of Paris. The Saturday Revier, pro. He protests against the attribution by the horse-racing cannot be considered German in its tendencies, claims on valid laity to the medical profession of a greater essentially British sport that the "frenzied grounds that British journalists should try knowledge of the plague bacillus than the poet" has spared it; its cosmopolitanism to take a reasonable view of the German professina actually possesses. They seem has saved it Yet, as it is a sport which position rather than indulge in the inquu to think, to speak unconventionally, that for the majority of the participants is hit facture of ill-marnered dogg rel and ill we can see Mr. and Mrs. Bacillus with a of a spectacle or a means of wagering, it informed leading articles." It is indeed large family in attendance walking about." might be expected to come in for the wrath Guly just that we should consider how Now the Calcut'a Health Offic r confesses of the hostile critic of the leading field. nuch more Germany stands to lose than that nothing is known ab at the origin of sports. Mr KIPLING'S attacks on the Britain in a conflict with Russia. Arecut plague. It is not contagious, but is chiefly latter do not seem to have produced the writer in the Contemporary Review discusses, air-borne and spread by dust. The_rat ffect he desired, though they certainly once more the question of the coming theory of the conveyance of plague receives created a stir almost as violent as his
Where
"bas since brought about in the Rowers struggle between Stav and Teuton
no support from Major DEANE. urges that British diplomacy should declare there are rats au plague, he allows, rats political world. There was, however, a side what German diplomacy has so often die of plague, but w en
of Mr. -KIPLING's criticism of sport which, declared that the question of Constantinople rats plague spreu ls. They are, in his had it been more happily expressed, would is of no iminelinto interest to u. Now, opinion, an unimportant means of sprea ling have received more careful hearing, and it whether we do or do not look on the Slave the disease; but his assistants in the is a silo which does not lack eminent Toutouic struggle as inevitable, the argu- compilation o. the report disagree with him support. We see that during the course nient from German to British diplomacy is here, it is to be noted, inclining to the view of the Education debate in the House not sound as far as any question affecting (which is strongly borne out by the Hong of Commons, Lord CHARLES BERESFORD
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