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The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, JANUARY 28TH, 1869.
THE MORTALITY ON BOARD THE "ITALIA,"
An inquiry into the circumstances attending the mortality among the coolies on board the Italian ship Italia was held before the Honourable William Keswick, Italian Consul. The Spanish Consul and consignee of the Italia were also present.
The Captain, Baimondi Dulueta, was called, and having been duly sworn, said he had been in command of the Italia for two years. The vessel was put under the Italian flag in Havana on the 27th July. Before that, she was under the Russian flag. The reason why the flag was changed was because the two years allowed by the Russian Government for flying the flag had expired, and the ship would have to go to Russia for another. On the 22nd July, he received a provisional register from the Consul in Havana. He left Havana on the 9th August, 1867, being chartered by two Chinese to convey Chinese passengers at $70 each. The charterers were to find food, the ship to find only wood and water. Besides this, however, the owners of the Italia put on board $1,800 worth of medicines, not required by the contract. He gave a list of the articles of food required to the charterers, and passed it all himself. There is no emigration officer at Havana, because the coolies all come there and few go away. On his first voyage from here he took 553 coolies to Havana, and only twelve died. He furnished the charterers with a list of food required for 100 men, and this was afterwards increased as more coolies came. (The captain's book containing his list of stores was put in.) He had one hundred and fifty coolies on board when he left Havana. The coolies came on board by degrees, nineteen days being taken in all in filling the ship. Many of the coolies were ill when they came on board, apparently from consumption. Many he believed died from opium smoking, which was carried on to a great extent on the voyage. He tried to persuade the men not to smoke so much opium, but they only told him they were passengers, and could do what they pleased. He was unable then to say anything, because it was not a breach of the regulations of the ship.
The question was put by the Spanish Consul - Why did the captain not take a memorandum of all the effects of the deceased coolies?
The captain said when the men died, they made a sort of verbal will giving their property to the different other passengers on board. His log would show to whom the different goods were given.
Examination continued - He had fine weather and calms on leaving. The first death occurred when the vessel was 49 days out, but this was a sudden death, the man falling down dead without notice. The real sickness did not commence until some time after this, although most of the passengers were very frail and sickly from opium smoking. The second death occurred when 69 days out, in longitude 8 deg. 41 min. West, and latitude 3 deg. 11 min. South. The third death occurred when 73 days out. There were nine doctors on board, eight of whom died. There was one ship's doctor, and the others were passengers, but they also looked after the sick. These medical men reported to him what sickness there was twice a day. He (captain) used also to visit the sick and sometimes made up medicines. One of the doctors on board had been fourteen years a doctor in Havana and knew how to administer European medicines. On the occasion of the first death, the doctors reported a man sick, with no perceptible pulse and with no hope of recovery. The man died six hours after the report. The second man died from incautious exposure to wet weather, the third died of consumption. The fourth died on the 102nd day, when the Italia was in lat. 41.39 S. and long. 36.55 E. of Cadiz. This death was from the disease which carried off most of them. These deaths all occurred in cold weather, and he believed because the blood was poor.
Of the coolies who were active, such as the cooks, &c., not one died, only those who were lazy and smoked. Most of the passengers who were on board were men used to an active life for eight or fourteen years, and the sudden laziness and enervating life they led on board must have been the cause of such mortality. The fifth death occurred when the ship was 105 days out, this was from the same disease.
Dr. Adams here said that it was a sort of dropsy, the limbs swelled from being full of water, and left a hole if pressed with the fingers. Examination continued - He had a new medical work on board, which he studied very hard, and he endeavoured from the instructions contained in the book to bleed the sick men, but nothing but water came from them. He tried everything that the book suggested, but there were only one or two of those whose limbs ever became swollen that survived. It was not at all extraordinary for Creoles and Asiatics to die in this way in cold latitudes. An Australian ship coming out to Macao was attacked in the same way, and many of the European crew died from this same disease, besides a number of the coolies. The lime juice was a concentrated essence in a powder, a little of which would make a great deal of lime juice.
Dr. Adams said that was citric acid, not the juice of the lime.
The captain added that it was as good as lime juice, and was given out in Liverpool too. Dr. Adams said by Act of Parliament the real juice of the lime was put on board ship in British ports. There were lime juice inspectors to see it was all right.
Examination continued - He had been captain of a vessel fourteen years, and never heard of any other lime juice than that he had on board. It was the custom of Spanish ports to give that description. On Sunday the Chinese had wine and spirits served out to them.
(Here the store book was examined and the amount of stores served out to the European crew and passengers. It there appeared that Rice, dried meat, Saltfish, Potatoes, Peas and Beans, &c., &c., had been given out daily.)
The captain continued - That provisions were put on board for 150 days, but they were some time over that, nevertheless there were spare stores, which had been handed over to the Chinese on arrival here. There were deaths, pretty well daily deaths, after the 102nd day. He arrived here on the 21st January, with 76 men alive, many ill. Had he been out one month more he did not think that one would have been alive.
Dr. Adams said he saw the men who came here, fifteen were very sick, and very few were quite well.
In answer to the Spanish Consul, the captain said with regard to the men who died, they came on board with little more than they stood in, and when they died, they were tied in their blankets, and with a little ballast inside buried at sea.
Examination continued - The ages of the passengers ranged from 35 to 60 years, and it was mostly the elderly men who died. The survivors gambled with the money left by those who died, the majority of whom were opium smokers. He ordered a fine of twenty dollars to be paid...
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179
0.
The Daily Press.
HONGKONG, JANUARY 28TH, 1869.
THE MORTALITY ON BOARD THE "ITAIJA,"
An inquiry into the circumstances attending the mortality among the coolies on board the the Italian ship Italia. was held before the Honourable William Keswick. Italian Consul. The Spanish Consul and cousignee of the Italia were also present.
The Captain, Baimondi Dulueta, was called, and have been duly sworn, said he had been in command of the Italia for two years. The vessel was put under the Italian flag in Hava- na on the 27th July. Before that, she was under the Russian flag. The reason why the flag was changed was. because the two years allowed by the Russian Government for flying the flag had expired, and the ship would have to go to Russia for another. On the 22nd July, be received a provisional registrar from the Con- sul in Havana, He left Havana on the 9th Angust, 1967, being chartered by two Chinese to convey Chinese passengers at $70 each. The cbarterers were to find food, the ship to find only wood and water. Besides this, however, the owners of the Italia put on board $1,800 worth of medicines, not required by the con- tract. He gave a list of the articles of food required to the charterers, and passed it all himself. There is no emigration officer at Ta- vana, because the coolies all come there and few go away, Ist voyage from here he took 553 coolies to Havana, and only twelve died. He furnished the charterers with a list of food required for 100 men, and this was afterwards increased as more coolies came. (Ibe captain's book containing his list of stores was put in.) He had one hundred and fifty coolies on board when he left Havana. The coolies came on board by degrees, nineteen days being taken in alling the ship. Many of the coolies were ill when they came on board, apparently from consumption. Many he believed died from opium smoking, which was carried on to a great extent on the voyage. He tried to persuade the men not to smoke so much opium, by they only told him they were passengers, aud could do what they pleased. He was unable then to say anything, because it was not a breach of the regulations of the ship.
The question was put by the Spanish Consul- Why did the captain not take a memorandum of all the effects of the deceased coolies?
The captain said when the men died, they made a sort of verbal will giving their property to the different other passengers on board. His log would show to whom the different goode were given.
Examination continued.Te had fine wea. ther and calms on leaving. The first death oo curred when the vessel was 49 days out, but; this was a sudden death, the man falling down i dead without notice. The real sickness did not commence until some time after this. although most of the passengers were very frail and sickly from opium smoking. The second death occurred when 69 days out, in longitude 8 deg. 41 min. West, and latitude 3 deg. 11 min. Sonth. The third death occurred, when 73 days out. There were nine doctors on board, eight of whom died. There was one ship's doctor, and theothers were passengers, but they also looked after the sick. These medical men reported to him what sickness there was twice a day. He (captain) used also to visit the sick. and sometimes made up medicines. One of the doctors on board had been fourteen
racu.
yeurs a doctor in Havana, and knew how to administer European medicines. On the oc- casion of the first death, the doctors reported a man sick, with no perceptible pulse and with no hope of recovery. The man die à six hours after the report. The second man died from incautions exposure to wet weather, the third died of consumption. The fourth died on the 102nd day, when the Italia was in lat. 41.39 8. and lat. 36.55 E. of Cadiz. This death was from the disease which carried off most of the These deaths all occurred in cold wea- ther, and he believed because the blood was poor.
Of the coolies who were active, such is the cooks, &e.. not one died, only those who were lazy and smoked. Most of the pas. sengers who were on board were men used to an active life for eight or fourteen years, and the sudden laziness and evernating life they led on board must have been the cause of such ! mortality. The fifth death occurred when the! ship was 105 days out, this was from the same disease.
Dr. Adams here said that it was a sort of dropay, the limbs swelled from being full of water, and left a hole if pressed with the fingers. Examination continued-He had a new me- dical work on board, which be studied very hard, and be endeavoured from the instructions con- tained in the book to bleed the sick men, but nothing but water came from them. He tried everything that the book suggested, but there were only one or two of those whose limbs ever became swollen that survived. It was not at al extraordinary for creoles and Asiatics to die in An Australian ship this way in cold latitudes. coming out to Macao wis attacked in the same way, and many of the European crew died from this same disease, besides a number of the coolies. The lime juice was a concentrate essence in a powder, a little of which would make a great deal of lime juice.
Dr. Adams said that was itric acid, not the juice of the line.
The captain added that it was as good ast lime julec, and was given out in Liverpool too. Dr. Adams said by Act of Parliament the real juice of the lime was pat on board ship in British ports. There were lime juice inspectors. to see it was all right.
Examination continuet-He had been cap- tain of a vessel fourteen years, and never heard of any other lime juice than that he had on board. It was the custom of Spanish ports to give that description. On Sunday the Chinese had wine and spirits served out to them.
(Here the store book was examined and the amount of stores served out to the Earo. pean crew and passengers. It there appeared that Rice, dried meat, Saltfish. Potatoes, Peas' and Beans, &c., &c., had been given ont daily.)
The captain continued-That provisions were put on board for 150 days, but they were som? time over that, nevertheless there were spare atures, which had been handed over to the Chi- uese on arrival here. There were deaths, pretty well daily douths, after the 102nd duv. Hà arrived here on the 21st January, with 76 men alive, many ill. Had he been out one month more he did not think that one would have been alive.
Dr. Adams said he saw the men who came here, fifteen were very sick, and very few were quite well.
In answer to the Spanish Consul, the captain said with regard to the men who died, they came on board with little more than they stood in, and when they died, they were tied in their blankets, and with a little ballast inside buried
at sea.
Examination continued-The ages of the pas. sengers ranged from 35 to 60 years, and it was mostly the elderly men who died. The survi- vors gambled, with the money left by those who died, the majority of whom were opium smokers. He ordered a fine of twenty dollars to be paid
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