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sarily involve a considerable outlay, all possible economy is being exercised, bearing in mind the urgent necessity of complete and comprehensive action in suppressing at all hazards this fell disease, the annual recurrence of which cannot fail to affect prejudicially the prosperity of this Colony. That those measures are bearing good fruit may, I think, be fairly deduced from the figures of the return of cases, which cannot be considered alarmingly high when it is borne in mind. that the disease is raging with great virulence in the City of Canton and on the mainland in the neighbourhood of the Colony, and that the population of the Colony has not been diminished by any such extensive exodus of the Chinese as took place is 1894.

22. In conclusion, I desire to state that the Members of the Sanitary Board and its staff deserve great credit for the efficient manner in which they are supervising and discharging duties of an arduous and disagreeable nature, but extra and anxious work has also fallen on other departments. I do not propose on the present occasion to mention the names of individuals deserving of special commendation. I consider that the staff at present employed in plague work aided as it is by departments of Government is sufficient to cope with the existing conditions, but so long as the disease is epidemic in Canton this Colony can never be free from grave anxiety. If the plague continues to rage in that City, it may be necessary to endeavour to prohibit Chinese immigration into this Colony from thence, though I doubt whether it will be possible to devise steps for that purpose which will prove really effective. In any case nothing will be left undone which can in any way help to eradicate a disease which has already inflicted great loss and suffering on this Colony and which may permanently affect its welfare unless it can be prevented from recurring.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble Servant,

WILLIAM ROBINSON,

Enclosure I.

Governor.

CONDITIONS SUBJECT TO WHICH PERSONS SUFFERING

FROM BUBONIC PLAGUE WILL BE PERMITTED ·

TO LEAVE THE COLONY.

1. Suitable ambulance boats shall be provided and they shall be towed astern of the S.S. Pasig, S.S. Tai On, or other river steam-boat to Whampoa and Canton, and shall on no account land any person or thing before arriving at Whampoa or Canton.

2. While in the waters of the Colony the ambulance boats shall fly the yellow quarantine flag.

3. While in the waters of the Colony the ambulance boats must lie within the quarantine ground, but they shall if required come to the China Merchants Wharf, Saiyingpoon, at 4 P.M. of the day on which they are to be towed to Whampoa and Canton, or at such other time as the Medical Officer of Health may fix.