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: and voice on the Colonial Sanitary Board primarily responsible
for the health of the Colony.
My Principal Medical Officer informed me at any time
an outbreak of Plague may occur amongst the troops and that all
precaution taken within the Garrison are in vain if all around
them are the slums of a densely overcrowded city in whose narrow
streets, lanes and alleys lives a teeming mass of humanity existing
under conditions which are a disgrace to English civilization and a menace to the existence of the port and garrison.
As the constitution of the Sanitary Board is to be
reconsidered at an early date, I earnestly recommend that steps
be taken to move the Right Honourable the Secretary of State
for the Colonies that in any reconstruction of the Sanitary
Board of the Colony the Military interests be fully represented.
I attach herewith the local correspondence between
His Excellency the Governor and myself on this important subject.
I have to...
(Signed) W. J. Gascoigne,
Major-General,
Commanding in China and Hong Kong.