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persons on board. With regard to the second class passengers, in order that they should not be confounded with the immigrants, the Board issued instructions that they were to be watched, and isolated, if necessary. In spite of the fact that the Company have on all occasions been informed that they must only bring immigrants who are in a good state of health, it was not considered desirable to prohibit the landing of the passengers suffering from hernia, because the Law does not expressly state that such should be rejected. (No.4).
Prior to the receipt of my telegram to which I have just referred, the Delegate addressed to me the message numbered 5, in which he informed me that he had disembarked 125 healthy immigrants and lodged them in the Company's barracks, and that the number of trachomatous persons had increased to 390, in addition to five doubtful cases under observation; that he had permitted the landing of the six first class passengers, and that 13 of the second class passengers had also been disembarked, being in a healthy condition, whilst the remainder were being kept under observation. In accordance with the regulations of the Sanitary Code, all those who were housed in the barracks were compelled to take a bath and their luggage was disinfected.
The Delegate, replying to my message of the 16th of May, under date the 18th, informed me that he had carried out a new and very thorough inspection of the immigrants and passengers on board the steamer, confirming the existence of trachoma in 370 cases, and placing 20 doubtful cases under observation. This shows he did not finally declare the number of persons affected until after he had examined them afresh, and that of the 390 whom he had separated in the first instance he had placed (20) under observation; that amongst those who had been placed under observation subsequent to the first visit, two cases had developed themselves, and that amongst the eleven second class passengers there were 10 serious cases of trachoma.
The Delegate adds that he will keep a close watch on these second class passengers until such time as the Board shall resolve what is to be done with them, and until they have stated what place they are going to. Lastly, he says that he has set at liberty the individual afflicted with inguinal hernia, such persons not being classed amongst