No. 260.
Hongkong.
Sir,
C. O. 29939
Government House,
Hongkong, 19th June, 1902.
388 may 11909 Goo 700 aqary
I have the honour to transmit for your information the enclosed copy of a Report which I caused to be prepared detailing the measures that have been taken both at the end of last year and during the current year to prevent and combat Plague.
2. Attached to the Report is a list of the Temporary Staff which is at present employed on special Plague work, and I have to ask your covering sanction for these appointments since they were made.
3. I have already reported in my Despatch No. 254 of the 14th instant that a supplementary vote of $250,000 has already been taken in the Legislative Council in aid of the vote of $20,000 for Plague Expenses appearing on page 50 of the Estimates for the year. It is to be feared that even the aggregate of these two votes will be exceeded this year.
The expenditure has been heavy but has been necessitated by the recommendations of Professor Simpson. I felt that as he had been sent to the Colony at great cost to advise on the question of the prevention of Plague I could not hamper him by not giving full effect to what he urged the situation required.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
800.
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&C...