Directory_and_Chronicle_1930 — Page 1069

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HONGKONG

1001

December, 1891. A petition addressed to the House of Commons at this time in favour -of Constitutional Reform resulted, in 1894, in the addition of a second Chinese member to the Legislative Council, in return for an increase in the Official element by the inclusion of the General Officer Commanding the Troops, and the introduction of two nomin- ated Unofficial members into the Executive Council. The year 1894 will be memorable, also, in the annals of the Colony as the most disastrous year of the plague. The Colony was declared infected on the 10th May, and the mortality rapidly increased until at one time it reached more than a hundred a day. Energetic measures were taken to cope with the disease, a system of house to house visitation being established by means of which all cases were promptly discovered and at once removed to hospital or, where death had already taken place, buried, and every house in the Chinese quarters was whitewashed and fumigated. Special hospitals were erected and the medical staff was augmented by additions from the Ariny and Navy and the Coast Ports. Amongst other measures taken to combat the disease, a portion of the Tai- pingshan district, where the cases were most numerous, was cleared of its inhabit- ants, for whom accommodation was provided elsewhere, and the property in the con- demned area was subsequently resumed by the Crown, the intention being that it should be reconstructed in accordance with sanitary requirements. The disease reached its climax on the 7th June, when 107 deaths and 69 new cases were reported. After that date its virulence decreased, and on the 3rd September the proclamation declaring the Colony infected was withdrawn. The total number of deaths recorded was 2,547. In the meantime the trade of the Colony had suffered severely. Large numbers of the natives fled, it being estimated that the population was reduced at one time by no less than 80,000, and the usually busy Queen's Road appeared almost deserted. As the disease waned the population returned, business was gradually resumed, and with the withdrawal of the quarantine imposed at the other ports vessels resumed their regular calls at Hongkong. In 1896 the disease again made its ance, but was much less virulent than in 1894, and in 1898 there was another visita- tion. In every succeeding year there was a recurrence of the epidemic notwith- standing the expenditure of millions of dollars and the prosecution of a vigorous policy of sanitation carried out on the advice of special commissioners (Mr. Ösbert Chadwick and Dr. Simpson) sent out from England to advise on the best means of improving the health of the city of Victoria. The annual returns since the year 1899 have been as follows:-1899, 1,486 cases; 1900, 1,087; 1901, 1,651; 1902, 572; 1903, 1,415; 1904, 472; 1905, 304; 1906, 892; 1907, 240; 1908, 1,037; 1909, 124; 1910, 23; 1911, 261; 1912, 1,847; 1913, 406; 1914, 2,141; 1915, 144; 1916, 39; 1917, 38; 1918, 266; 1919, 464; 1920, 138; 1921, 150; 1922, 1,181; 1923, 148; from 1924 to 1927 there were no cases reported. An outbreak of cerebro spinal meningitis occurred early in 1918, 1,232 cases being recorded. In consequence of the popular alarm that was felt, the Rockefeller Institute of New York was asked to send an expert in the disease to advise on the best methods of prevention and treatment. Dr. Olitsky, Lieutenant, U.S.A. Army, arrived in the Colony on May 5th and he strongly condemned the congestion prevailing in the western part of Victoria. On his advice the systematic manufacture of anti-meningococcic serum was undertaken.

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Sir William Robinson left Hongkong on the 1st February, 1898, and until the arrival of Sir Henry Blake on 25th November, 1898, the Government was administered by Major-General Wilsone Black. In 1900, on the despatch of the China Expeditionary Force from India, Hongkong becaine the base from which troops and supplies were sent forward. Prior to the arrival of these troops, a force drawn from the Garrison was despatched to the front, and the Hongkong Regiment were retained for service in North China during the whole of the campaign, only returning to the Colony in December, 1901. In October, 1902, the Hongkong Reginient were paraded for the last time in the Colony, handed over their colours to be placed in St. John's Cathedral, and embarked a few days later for India, where they were disbanded. Sir Henry Blake departed on leave for England at the close of 1901, and during his absence (until September, 1902) Major-General Sir William Gascoigne administered the Govern- ment. Owing to a very short rainfall in 1901, and a prolonged drought lasting until May, 1902, a serious water famine occurred, reducing the inhabitants to great straits, and forcibly bringing home to the Administration the urgent need for increased water storage. Large reservoirs have since been built on the island and a big scheme for securing water from the Shing Mun valley on the mainland is now being carried out.

In November, 1903, Sir Henry Blake left the Colony on appointment to the governor- -ship of Ceylon, and the Hon. Mr. F. H. May, C.M G. (later Sir Henry May, G.C.M.G.), was