1887-1903
COLONIAL REPORTS--ANNUAL.
293
5
in grave peril if the Boxers had any success. I telegraphed to His Majesty's Consul at Tientsin, asking his assistance in re-patriating the Cantonese, for which I undertook to be responsible to the extent of the sum named, and he very kindly made the necessary arrangements, forwarding bills for over nine thousand dollars, which were at once paid by the Chinese gentlemen who had approached me. A deputation of the young men whose escape had been secured waited upon me to express their gratitude, and one and all were assured that had they fallen into the hands of the insurgents their lives would have been taken. The incident was mentioned in the Chinese newspapers in Canton, and has, I hope, had some effect in strengthening the cordial relations that exist at present between the Government of the two Kwangs and this Colony.
6. Among the land sales effected during the year was a large area sold to Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, who propose to build docks there, one of which will be capable of taking in the largest ship now afloat. The Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company have applied for an additional area, upon which the Company proposes to add another dry dock of equally large proportions, and, as the Naval Yard extension now progressing includes at least one more dry dock of suitable capacity, the docking facilities of this port will in the near future equal, if not exceed, those of any port in the East.
7. The building of steam-launches proceeds apace, nearly one hundred having been constructed during the year. I question if, in any part of the world, better or cheaper steam-launches are built than those turned out in Hongkong. The extension of the boiler-making trade, due to this expansion of steam-boat building, is now forcing itself upon our attention by complaints of the nuisance created by boiler-makers who have set up their noisy business in quiet quarters of the town, and proceed to prosecute it day and night. It may be necessary to confine this trade to a particular quarter.
8. I regret to have to report the recrudescence of plague at the usual season, the end of February. The epidemic began at the end of February, and lasted 27 weeks, ceasing in the first week in July. During that time there were 1,080 cases, with a case mortality of 95.5 per cent. In 1899 the epidemic lasted for 38 weeks, with 1,428 cases, and a case mortality of 96.1 per cent. In considering this annual recurrence of plague, the situation of Hongkong renders it peculiarly difficult to deal with the introduction of disease from without, for the relief gradually obtained in other places by the death of the susceptible can hardly be looked for here with a perennial influx of susceptible coolies from the surrounding plague-infected provinces. A few hours bring these people to Hongkong, and nothing short of a ten days' detention of from two to three thousand persons who daily enter Hongkong would insure freedom from the introduction of plague by these visitors, while even if all are
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1887-1903
COLONIAL REPORTS- -ANNUAL.
293
5
in grave peril if the Boxers had any success. I telegraphed to His Majesty's Consul at Tientsin, asking his assistance in re- patriating the Cantonese, for which I undertook to be responsible to the extent of the sum named, and he very kindly made the necessary arrangements, forwarding bills for over nine thousand dollars, which were at once paid by the Chinese gentlemen who had approached me. A deputation of the young men whose escape had been secured waited upon me to express their grati- tude, and one and all were assured that had they fallen into the hands of the insurgents their lives would have been taken. The incident was mentioned in the Chinese newspapers in Can- ton, and has, I hope, had some effect in strengthening the cordial relations that exist at present between the Government of the two Kwangs and this Colony.
6. Among the land sales effected during the year was a large area sold to Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, who propose to build docks there, one of which will be capable of taking in the largest ship now afloat. The Hongkong and Whampoa Dock Company have applied for an additional area, upon which the Company proposes to add another dry dock of equally large pro- portions, and, as the Naval Yard extension now progressing in- cludes at least one more dry dock of suitable capacity, the docking facilities of this port will in the near future equal, if not exceed, those of any port in the East.
•
7. The building of steam-launches proceeds apace, nearly one hundred having been constructed during the year. I question if, in any part of the world, better or cheaper steam-launches are built than those turned out in Hongkong. The extension of the boiler-making trade, due to this expansion of steam-boat building, is now forcing itself upon our attention by complaints of the nuisance created by boiler-makers who have set up their noisy business in quiet quarters of the town, and proceed to prosecute it day and night. It may be necesna to confine this trade to a particular quarter.
8. I regret to have to report the recrudescence of plague at the usual season, the end of February. The epidemic began at the end of February, and lasted 27 weeks, ceasing in the first week in July. During that time there were 1,080 cases, with a case mortality of 95'5 per cent. In 1899 the epidemic lasted for 38 weeks, with 1,428 cases, and a case mortality of 96-1 per cent. In considering this annual recurrence of plague, the situation of Hongkong renders it peculiarly difficult to deal with the introduction of disease from without, for the relief gradually obtained in other places by the death of the susceptible can hardly be looked for here with a perennial influx of sus- ceptible coolies from the surrounding plague-infected provinces. A few hours bring these people to Hongkong, and nothing short of a ten days' detention of from two to three thousand persoas who daily enter Hongkong would insure freedom from the in- troduction of plague by these visitors, while even if all are
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