The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1895-11-13 — Page 4

$4

16

14

360

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

[November 13, 1895.

for it, but they would welcome a new ruler, | been so happily successful. The two gentle if he had courage and firmness. Meantime, men named have worked as a committee of the however, there is no evidence of the appear Sanitary Board, to which body their report ance of a national regenerator, and so long is made. It may be urged that the same as an armed rising only seems likely to gentlemen would have performed the same mean the destruction of order and commer- work with equal efficiency had there been no cial disaster it can but be regarded as a Sanitary Board in existence and had they general misfortune. Meantime the struggle been responsible directly to the Government, seems likely to prove a severe one, and will a contention with which we are not disposed be watched with a lively interest, as mo- to quarrel, for speaking generally we have mentous issues may turn upon its upshot. no doubt of the zeal and efficiency of the It will, however, be wise to accept all the individual members of the Government news concerning this revolt with due reserve, Service. It is the system under which they hearing in mind the unreliable nature of work that is at fault, a system that impedes the channels through which the information free movement and hinders adaptation to must filter.

circumstances at all out of the ordinary routine. Some measure of popular repre sentation is required as a corrective to the obstruction caused by red tape, and more especially is this the case in matters relating to public health, in which little real progress can be made unless public opinion be enlisted in its favour.

PLAGUE PREVENTION WORK.

perialists both unprepared and unwilling to fight. So far the rebels have had it all their own way, and the only engagement approaching a battle cuded in the utter rout of the Imperial troops. He adds that "it is not true that the Mahommedans have "met a check to the east. On the contrary they annihilated over twenty liang of 'troops and then went west to suit their "" own purposes. At present the Imperial troops are afraid to face the rebels and are 'mustering around Lanchow and Ping- liang." General TUNG FU-SIANG only arrived in Hsian-fu in the latter week of September as a special commissioner with full powers to levy and load troops against the rebels, and left for the west on the 27th idem. The correspondent above quoted says that a rumour was current that the General had Imperial commands to make In their report on the progress of special terms of peace at all hazards, but he adds work carried out for the prevention of the that the Mahommedans having crossed the further spread of bubonic plague Comman- Rubicon of revolt are committed to war and der HASTINGS and Mr. Crow say the ex- are determined to conquer or die. A good perience of this year would seem to demon- deal of this, of course, is mere hearsay strate that the disease was nipped in the gathered from the natives, and therefore to bud and an epidemic averted by the prompt be taken with a large pinch of salt, but no removal and segregation of the inmates and doubt sufficient fiet remains to excite much the disinfection and cleansing of the infected more apprehension than the Central Goy-premises. Twenty-six cases occurred, all of ernment at Peking will admit there is which proved fatal. Of this number six came from one house in Heung Lane The Manchu Government has always been and two from an adjoining house, all singularly slow to move when a domestic occurring within six days. The fear enemy has arisen. The reasons for this that this was but the beginning of a lethargy are not very obvious at first sight. formidable epidemic was not an unreason- It is not that the Government so much de-able one, but happily the measures taken to spise the foe as that they are never ready to prevent the spread of the disease proved strike crushing blow at the outset and effective. There is every reason to believe check the spread of the movement, They that the epidemic of 1894 could also have been have resources in abundance, and it isnipped in the bud had the work been taken probably the knowledge of the possession of in hand in time. At that time experience these resources that imparts a slow can- in the matter was wanting, but the authori- filence in them that checks prompt action. ties cannot be held altogether blameless for This happened in the case of the Taiping the disastrous delay which occurred, nor do Rebellion, al was repeated during the the circumstances lend any support to the subsequent Mahommedan rising. Both were contention that Government officials are suppressed after sets of blood had been more trustworthy guardians of the public shed and whole provinces depqmilated. And blth than the Sanitary Board. We ven- now, with equal calmness and the same ture to think that had the latter body had fatuity, the mandarins look forward possibly any means of becoming acquainted with the to another struggle with a like result. And existence of the disease on its first Appear truth to say, they have no little reason for aute more prompt action would have been this belief in the final triumph of their own taken and the epidemie would never have persistence supported by unlimited resources. been allowed to assume the diniensions it Twenty years ago the Mahommedan prodid. As it was, the Board had no medical paganda was spreading, to all appearance, fast and steadily in the north-west provinces, and YAKOOR BEG, the soldier of fortune, was generally regarded there as the coming

reason to entertain.

man.

But the years rolled on and the Imperial forces still remained unconquered though often beaten, and in the end the Turtar chief and his power collapsed and not only was North-west China saved but Kashgaria was won back to Chinese rule by the generals under Tso TSONG-TANG. The Government at Peking, like the nation, are

eaten up with conceit, and will never believe in their own weakness until, as in the recent war with Japan, they are brought face to face with impending ruin. They have now, for the moment, learned respect for a foreign foe, but they have none for one sprung from their own soil. They trust, probably, in the last resource, to the wiles which have before been so often successfully employed to sow discord in the ranks of the insurgents, to buy over a section of them. But they may possibly for once be mistaken, and find that the rebels are really bent on revolution in- stead of plunder and anarchy. That is the real danger now confronting the existing Government at Peking. There is widespread disaffection in the empire, and any change in the administration would be welcomed by masses of the people. They will not fight

|

officer on its staff and the disease had been making headway for some time before official routine allowed the fact to come to the Board's knowledge. The result was that many lives were crifice l--a horrible holocaust on the altar of red tape-business was paralysed for months, and every member of the community sufferel loss and incon- ventence. The lesson was a severe one and has not been without its effect. It is true the Government misread the lesson and instead of strengthening the Sanitary Board and increasing its powers tried to wipe it out of existence. What the result of that attempt may he is still unknown, the decision of the Secretary of State not having been published.. In the meantime, however, the necessity for efficient sanitary precau- tions has been recognised and it has been demonstrated, we think, that with the exercise of care, and promptitude in dealing with cases as they arise, the colony can protect itself against the dreaded disease and need have no apprehension of any such epidemic as that which occurred last year again desolating the dity. To Commander HASTINGS, Mr. Crow, and the officers who have been associate with them in the work that has been carried for the revention of the spread of plague the thanks of the com- munity are due for their exertions, which have

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

་

The appearance in this harbour at the present juncture of a large portion of the British Squadron would seem to indicate that the British Government had little share în the uneasiness with which many persons have been watching events in the North. Admiral BULLER will leave here for Singapore shortly in his flagship, a further sign that he is under no apprehension as to the turn events are taking. It is probable, as we suggested recently, that Lord SALISBURY in accord with Russia all the time, and that there has all along been a perfect understanding in regard to the situation in the Far East. In any case it is clear that the British Govern- ment do not intend to be drawn into a quarrel with Russia to please France. The latter Power does not, after all, seem to have gained very much from the diplomacy of M. GERARD, and it may yet transpire that Great Britain will reap as much advantage from the efforts of Sir NICHOLAS O'CONOR. It is true that, up to the moment, his labours appear to have been singularly barren of results, and we seem as far as ever from the attainment of any of the concessions we had a right to demand, The acquisition of a little blood money and the lopping off of a few, coolies' heads will constitute a very poor atonement for the ghastly outrages, robberies, and murders of British subjects which have been perpetrated for years by instigation of the ruling caste in China, and we must de cline to believe that even the most pusil- lanimous of Governments would rest satisfied with it Matters move slowly when diplo mats are at work, and we must wait the issue- of the negotiations presumably in progress to arrange the terms of settlement. So far no terms have been mentioned, but we can hardly doubt their existence. We have given an outline of what we think they should conf prise; we are beginning to yearn for in formation as to what they really are.

The acting Treasurer of Hupeh, the N. C. to his subordinates, the local mandarins in the Daily News says, has been sending instructions

of giving special protection to the Protestant province, impressing upon them the importance and Roman Catholic missions in Hupeh., News received from the same source states that the Emperor has sent a special decree to the Governor at Wuchang to the effect that the garrison of that city is not to be disbanded. ~~It will be remembered that the troops were on the point of rebellion when the news was rer dived" retrenchment in Hupeh province the garrison' t that in accordance with the proposed scheme of of Wuchang, some 5,000 strong, was st disbanded in favour of disciplined militiamen Liang Yung.