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remaining five had affected their escape. In anticipation of further escapes and in the absence of means for preventing them, the Sanitary Authorities decided that the vessel should be anchored two miles off the Port. This order was necessary, seeing that if persons affected with trachoma continued to escape they would disseminate this disease throughout the country, inasmuch as it was not possible to ascertain the destinations of the fugitives. This order was issued on the 16th of June, whereupon the British Consul requested the Chief of the Port to concede a period of 24 hours' grace during which to prepare for putting to sea and to take on board supplies of water and provisions, in order that the ship might be in a position to lie outside the bay for as long a time as should be deemed necessary. This period of grace was conceded, but on the expiration of the same the Company refused to send the vessel away, and she did not actually leave the Port until the morning of the 20th of June.
As the objection may be raised that if the second-class passengers were permitted to enter the Country in spite of being affected with trachoma, the immigrants might have been allowed to do so also, I must observe that the destinations of passengers of the former class were in all cases ascertained, so that the Authorities concerned could be advised of their intended places of residence, thus enabling them to be watched and isolated in case of need. This precaution could not be followed in the case of the immigrants, for being wanderers in search of employment, their destinations were unknown, and local Authorities were not in a position to exercise any vigilance over them. It was therefore indispensable to take precautionary measures with a view to the prevention of further evasions, but in addition to this the Master of the Vessel had intimated to the First Medical Delegate that there was danger of a mutiny amongst the passengers taking place on board. If such a mutiny had actually occurred inside the Port the four hundred and twelve immigrants on board would have made their escape, and have
361
remaining five had affected their escape. In antici-
pation of further escapes and in the absence of means
for preventing them, the Sanitary Authorities decided
that the vessel should be anchored two miles off the
Port. This order was necessary, seeing that if persons
affected with trachoma continued to escape they would
disseminate this disease throughout the country, inas-
much as it was not possible to ascertain the destina-
tions of the fugitives. This order was issued on the
16th of June, whereupon the British Consul requested
the Chief of the Port to concede a period of 24 hours
grace during which to prepare for putting to sea and
to take on board supplies of water and provisions, in
order that the ship might be in a position to lie out-
side the bay for as long a time as should be deemed
necessary. This period of grace was conceded, but on
the expiration of the same the Company refused to send
the vessel away, and she did not actually leave the
Port until the morning of the 20th of June.
As the objection may be raised that if the second
class passengers were permitted to enter the Country
in spite of being affected with trachoma, the immi-
grants might have been allowed to do so also, I must
observe that the destinations of passengers of the for-
mer class were in all cases ascertained, so that the
Authorities concerned could be advised of their intend-
ed places of residence, thus enabling them to be watch-
ed and isolated in case of need. This precaution could
not be followed in the case of the immigrants, for be-
ing wanderers in search of employment, their destina-
tions were unknown, and local Authorities were not in
a position to exercise any vigilance over them. It
was therefore indispensable to take precautionary
measures with a view to the prevention of further eve-
sions, but in addition to this the Master of the Vessel
had intimated to the First Medical Delegate that there
was danger of a mutiny amongst the passengers taking
place on board. If such a mutiny had actually oc-
curred inside the Port the four hundred and twelve
class
immigrants on board would have made their escape, and
have
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