CO129-222 - Acting Governor Cameron Governor Sir Bowen - 1885 [7-10] — Page 320

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"If the above reasoning be applicable to epidemic cholera, it would appear to have greater force in regard to any endemic form of the disease, such as that which occasionally appears in China during the summer months.”

2. Personally, I am disposed to agree with the spirit of the instructions from the Foreign Office quoted above. But, it will be remembered that very conflicting opinions have been held, and very different courses of action have been followed, respecting quarantine, by various Colonial Governments and Communities. I would request your Lordship to inform me, for my future guidance, if you desire that the principle laid down by the Foreign Office should be followed, in questions relating to Quarantine, by the Government of Hongkong.

SIR,

I have, &c.,

(Signed),

G. F. BOWEN.

Secretary of State to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G.

DOWNING STREET, 13th February, 1885.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch of the 19th December last, on the subject of Quarantine regulations.

2. The views expressed in the Foreign Office instructions to Her Majesty's Minister at Peking, quoted in your Despatch, are those entertained by Her Majesty's Government on the subject of Quarantine against Cholera, and these views have been put in practice in the United Kingdom, where Quarantine is no longer enforced except against plague and yellow fever.

3. Her Majesty's Government have not, however, thought it necessary to press for the adoption of a similar course in Colonies where public opinion is strongly in favour of the enforcement of strict Quarantine regulations; but, if it is probable that the Legislature of Hongkong would he willing to adopt the English practice, I should approve of your introducing the necessary legislation.

4. If Quarantine were abolished, it would be necessary to give the Governor in Council power of making regulations similar to that possessed by the Local Government Board under Section 130 of the Public Health Act, 1875; and it would be necessary for the Governor in Council to make regulations for the detention and examination of ships suspected of being infected with Cholera, or coming from places infected with Cholera; for the medical examination of the passengers and crew, and for the removal from the ship and the detention and treatment in proper isolated places of the sick persons on board; for the disinfec- tion of the ship, and for the disinfection or destruction of all infected articles on board similar to those made by the Local Government Board in their Order of 12th July, 1883. A copy of that Order is enclosed for your information, with copies of the accompanying letter to the Sanitary Authorities, and of a Memorandum by the Medical Officer of the Board on Precautions against Infection of Cholera.

I have, &c.,

(Signed), DERBY.

Governor

Sir G. F. BOWEN, G.C.M.G.,

&c.,

&c.

Sin,

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HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG, 10th April, 1885.

In reply to your letter of yesterday's date, transmitting copies of correspondence with the Secretary of State respecting the question of Quarantine, and requesting the opinion of this Chamber on the subject, I have the honour to state, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, that this Chamber recommends the adoption of the following regulations.

Every vessel arriving in the waters of this Colony having at the time of her arrival any cases of infectious or contagious disease on board, shall immediately ou entering the waters of the Colony fly the Quarantine flag, and shall keep the same flying, and shall be deemed to be in Quarantine until released by order of the Health Officer.

Any vessel arriving in the waters of this Colony having on board any case of infectious or contagious disease, shall be visited and examined by the Medical Officer of Health, and, if he is of opinion that the ship be infected, he shall give a certificate to that effect, and order the vessel to the Quarantine Ground,

The Medical Officer of Health shall, as soon as possible after any such vessel has been certified to be infected, examine all persons on board of her, and all persons who shall not be certified by him as suffering from an infectious disease shall be permitted to land, and any person certified by him to be suffering from an infectious or contagious disease shall be removed to some Hospital or other place previously appointed by the Sanitary Authorities, and detained there.

The vessel shall then be fumigated and released from detention.

I have the honour to be,

The Honourable W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,

SIR,

Colonial Secretary,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

(Signed), W. KESWICK,

Chairman.

*

HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG, 15th July, 1885.

With reference to my letter of the 10th April last and to previous corres- pondence on the subject of Quarantine Regulations in this Colony, I have the honour to again address you respecting the nature of the Quarantine Regulations published in the Government Gazette of the 27th ultimo.

I am desired to call your attention to this Chamber's letter of 10th April last, in which the Committee, upon receipt of copies of correspondence that had passed between His Excellency Governor Sir G. F. BOWEN and the Secretary of State, recommended the adoption in this Colony of Regulations of a similar character to those prevailing in the United Kingdom, and which Lord DERBY intimated would be approved of by Her Majesty's Government.

The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

Oct