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It will be seen, therefore, that in the town and port, where extensive sanitary works were carried out, malarial fever has decreased by 67.37 per cent., whereas in the remainder of the Klang district, which has not been dealt with in any way, the cases of malaria have actually increased by 3.55 per cent.

This, I think, conclusively proves that the very marked improvement in the health of the inhabitants of Klang town and Port Swettenham is directly due to the works undertaken by Government and not to a general decrease in the pre- valence of malaria in the district.

For the above figures I am indebted to Dr. Watson, whose annual report on the

· Klang district for 1902 deals fully with the subject.、

COST OF ANTI-MALARIAL CAMPAIGN.

Klang Town. The total estimated cost of the drainage and earthworks was $20,000, or about £1,800.

Port Swettenham.-The cost of the various works has been approximately as follows:-

Filling swamps

Drainage

Bunding, including tidal gates

Felling jungle

Miscellaneous

$15,730

4,800

6,400

1,620

1,450

Total

$30,000

135

Commission, with a view to obtaining further information with regard to the causes of Mediterranean Fever, and the manner in which it is communicated by one person to another. In view, however, 'of the fact that a formal Commission, recognized by the Admiralty and War Department, which can be advised by the best autho- rities on the subject, will probably carry more weight, and consequently be more useful, I have suspended all action in the matter.

3. I believe that the local military and naval medical staffs can supply sufficiently expert bacteriologists, and I am certainly of opinion that Dr. Zammit should be a member of the working board in Malta. It may be difficult to entirely relieve him of all other duties, as the Government has no other reliable analytical chemist, and his services are of great importance, but every effort will be made to enable him to devote as much time as possible to the work of the Commission.

I have, &c.,

CHAS. M. CLARKE,

Governor.

Or about £2,700:

It may be noted that there has been no special expenditure on expert advice, all necessary supervision having been carried out by the regular Government staff. Thus all the money voted for the purpose has been expended on the work itself, the whole of which is of a permanent nature.

I cannot conclude this brief report without alluding to the prompt and business- like way in which this emergency was dealt with by the Government of the Federated Malay States. The proposals made by the engineering and medical staff were acted on without question, and the expenditure of a comparatively large sum of money was sanctioned without delay. The confidence shown by Government in its profes- sional advisers has, I consider, been fully justified.

Kuala Lumpur,

August, 15th, 1903.

E. A. O. TRAVERS.

46461

No. 128.

MALTA.

GOVERNOR SIR C. M. CLARKE to MR. LYTTELTON.

(Confidential.)

SIR,

(Received December 29, 1903.)

[Answered by 3580/1904.]

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatch of the 7th instant,* on the subject of the proposed appointment of a joint Com- mission representing the Admiralty, the War Department and the Civil Govern- ment, to investigate the question of Mediterranean Fever.

The Palace, Valletta, December 23, 1903.

2. I entirely concur in the proposal mentioned above, and I may mention that before the receipt of your despatch I had actually taken steps to appoint a local

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C.O.885

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