408
Provided that the water supply and the milk supplies of the colony are zealously guarded from pollution, we need have no fear of any extensive outbreak of this disease, since the system of conservancy in vogue, provided it be efficiently carried out, lends no aid to the local dissemination of such a virus as that of enteric fever, but if we would maintain this exemption the Board must zealously guard its powers of preventing the introduction of water-closets and of the water-carriage system of the disposal of excreta, for there can be no question that sewers, containing such matters, may play a most important part in the dissemination both of typhoid fever and of diphtheria.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
which occurred among the Chinese community, from offering the welcome dictated by our feel- no less than five were clearly proved to haveings of loyalty. This restraint is now removed, returned from the mainland in an infected con- and if he comes we will do our best to prove dition, and of the remaining five, one was our love; honour, and reverence for his ancestry, brought from Tsat Tsz Mai and one from and our attachment to the grandchildren of our Hunghom (an employé at the Docks), while gracions Queen. It is essential that there be two occurred in No. 7 Health District of the between the various colonies of the British city, and no information was obtainable con. Empire a wide knowledge of their several con- cerning the remaining one.
ditions, & deep sympathy with their aspirations, and a strong union between themselves, and also with the mother country, for mutual assistance and support. Instead of this being regarded as only desirable when it can be shown to be convenient, its importance must be felt to be pre-eminent; and for its accom- plishment all members of the numerous and scattered family must be prepared to make the sacrifices which are the foundation of real and lasting union. The true bond of British union to which by our education we are dalled, in the faith so generally prevalent in the existence and the power of God, in the truth of His holy word, and in the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 5.--Puerperal Fever.
Signs are not wanting of the growth of this senti- Twelve deaths were registered from puerperal ment, which may be believed to be as genuine fever among the Chinese, and no less than ten as it is new. The relaxation of the stringency of them occurred at Kowloon, eight being of the protective tariffs in the Australian among a boat population of about 6,000. In colonies may be regarded as partly owing to speaking of the enormous infant mortality commercial enlightenment as to the benefits of among the Chinese, I have advocated the regis-free trade, and partly to a clearer perception of tration of all Chinese midwives, and this is another strong argument in favour of the necessity for some control being exercised over these women, who are at present able to carry about in their persons and their clothing s0 fatal a malady as puerperal fever, and thus produce a death-rate equal to 13 per 1,000 in a flourishing suburb of the city.
COMMON LODGING-HOUSES.
A series of admirable by-laws, relating to the regulating of common lodging-houses, were drafted by the Board in 1891 and approved by the Legislative Council, but owing to the various circumstances these by-laws did not come into force until January 1st, 1895. They are now in working order, and have already done much to lessen the overcrowding of the coolie-houses, and to ensure their cleanliness and ventilation. In fact, at the present moment, some of the healthiest Chinese dwellings in the city are the more recently licensed common lodging-houses.
IMPERIALISM AND THE BRITISH EMPIRE.
LECTURE BY MB. GRANVILLE SHARP.
On the afternoon of the 8th May, at the Odd Volumes Society's rooms, Mr. Granville Sharp delivered a lecture on "Imperialism and the British Empire." Commodore Boyes pre- sided and there was a large attendance, which included His Excellency the Governor.
Mr. Sharp said-Many circumstances have tended of late years to draw the British people more closely together. It is diff. cult to assign to each of these the exact amount of force which it has
ex-
ercised in producing the great change which has taken place. Undoubtedly the enormous stimulus which has been given to interoceanic communication is a most powerful factor. Where one travelled a few years ago, ten tra- vel now.
The round voyage is no longer the experience of individuals alone. Whole families visit the Far East in company; and it is a common occurrence to find in the passenger list four or five, (I do not mean young children) Distinguished visitors
name.
of the same arrive and depart by every boat. How much we owe in this connection to the Pen- insular & Oriental Company, whose fecundity grows greater as her years increase, and which gives now promise of larger and more powerful additions to her numerous family! As to the Canadian Pacific Railway line, and her three peer- less Empresses, it may be truly said that every friend who accompanies a departing passenger on board straightway resolves to follow by the same means at the earliest opportunity. And may we not hope that it will be found possible to give us the great joy of welcoming to our little Island home our own Prince and Princess, the Duke and Duchess of York, in the course of their contemplated visit to the colonies. On the occasion of the young midshipman's previous visit we were prevented by the rules of the service
[May 13, 1896.
If
Those
a linen or calico "boiled" shirt so called by our American friends is correctly regarded as an instrument of torture in the tropics, the Australians may have enough to do to meet the demand for their chief, staple, and the woollen mill shares, which were all at a heavy discount when I was there, may rise to a corresponding premium. wages are too high in the Australian colonies for manufacturing with success, why not import the wool, and work it in Hong- kong? We have often repeated the remark that it is an education for Englishmen to visit the United States and Canada. The same may be said of our Australian colo- nies, and there can be little doubt that the revulsion which they have recently experienced from their former unparalleled success will do more for them than an uninterrupted course of prosperity. It is difficulty, not facility, which develops character. The first gold finds in Australasia lay too near the surface, only know how to keep wealth who have toiled and waited. God could have easily made loaves to grow upon the trees, but he meant us to work and, working, to learn the nobility of labour. We may be well assured that Austra lia will shortly be again a place of plenty for all capable and willing hands. The Colonies are much in advance of us in many ways. One cannot but be surprised to overhear two the anomaly of probibitive duties between not Sydney labourers with picks and spades upon their only friendly states, but members of the same shoulders discussing the relative standing of family. "Love never faileth," and if they banks, referring to items in their printed reports will send a regiment of. Australian soldiers for confirmation, and eventually agreeing that to fight side by side with their brethren the " Union" is the best; and one naturally looks from England, they will no longer grudge round at catching the words "form a ministry that we сал build a locomotive cheaper at in passing two mechanics in earnest conversation Newcastle-on-Tyne than they can at the in the street. A clue, however, is found as one Phoenix Iron Works, Ballarat; or that they enters the public libraries at a little after five in cannot at present make a boot as good as the the evening, and notices the rows of one best that can be bought in Bond Street, or bind or two hundred workmen and boys, just come a book quite as well as Rivière or Zaehnsdorf from the lathe, the bench, and the mill, in London. They can surpass us at lacrosse, and all silently engaged in study, mostly consult. beat us hollow in growing meat and wool.ing works of reference, or, with pencil and What does not bread at present prices and memorandum book in hand, copying diagrams good beef at 3d per lb. mean to the British of machinery! The same disposition is displayed workman Truly we owe much to free trade, in Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and the and to our Australian brethren. Let us be smaller towns. It is a change from Hongkong, confederates by all manner of means. There where we generally measure our largest lots by can be no doubt that confederation is in the air.
the superficial foot, to visit a people whose Mr. Chamberlain said the other day it was paddocks are ten miles square, and who change essential that we should seek it along the line of horses to ride over their estates, instead of This magnificent off. east resistance, viz. of commerce. This is doubt. walking around them. less our most pressing necessity, and for the con. shoot from the parent stock may, with her Itinuance and prosperity of our ocean trade the stalwart sons, yet render signal service to the protection of our mercantile marine is absolutely mother country, and, should trouble come, help essential. The distance and world-wide extent us to "speak with the enemy in the gate."
of our colonial possessions, constituting, as it does, an element of weakness and of danger, necessitates bonds of the closest union ; and that these be strengthened by commercial interchange, rapid and frequent communication, and con- stant cultivation of sympathetic and friendly feeling. Our scattered and far distant colonies source of weakness will instead of being a then increase our strength. It is probable that Australasia will yet show a development equal to that of the United States. Its wool trade. notwithstanding its present, volume must be considered as only in its infancy. Wool is in Europe but little used, its value at present being understood only by a very few even in England. Asia with her hundreds of millions hardly knows of its existence; but these will discover its value, and, as their con- dition is improved by the introduction of ma- chinery, they will learn to appreciate and wear it, and find, as Jack says, "if its ever so wet Cotton and cold, it is always dry and warm." is good enough clothing for those who mostly go without; but, if the Creator had intended it for this purpose, I think He would have made it grow upon the sheep's backs, and the wool upon the trees.
was
荡荡
Lord Chesterfield's definition of a gentleman fine linen and plenty of it," and I well remember my eldest brother starting upon his first voyage in the Old East India Company with twelve dozen shirts in his sea chest. But I would give the whole gross for a piece of Siemssen's fine ganze German flannel, and so get better value than my brother did when he barterell six dozen shirts for a blue monkey! and then wrote home to his mother saying he thought it very cheap! When the real valus of wool, as clothing, is generally known, and
11
Recent events have abundantly justified the large additions for some time past in progress to our fleet. Did not every Briton's heart swell and his chest heave as, in March last, he glanced over the Graphic's chart of "Our first
defence"? line of
Returning from this magnificent naval review to our own Hongkong harbour, what can be more beautiful than the organization and arrangements on board H.M. ship Centurion, which left on Tuesday last. On meeting the members of that company in twos and threes about the colony, one could not but be struck with their appearance and demean- our, testifying to the high character of the ship in which they serve. The same may be said of our splendid Hongkong Regiment, and of our Rifle Brigade. But some one may remark, it is not men now but machinery, and the issue of a battle depends upon science, artillery, rifles, and arms of precision. But whilst personal courage and prowess may not have the same scope as formerly, they have perhaps greater influence; and the importance of morale and character remains unchanged. Fidelity and devotion are essential for making the best use of scientific improvements, and for the control of such enormously costly pieces of mechanism as Her Majesty's ships of war, and the deep responsibility for lives and money which are involved in the direction of military movements.
I believe we have as good men now as those who led and fought at Trafalgar and at Waterloo, and that when the note is sounded we shall find them well pre- pared. Every man and woman connected with the British Army and Navy knows that no man will be unnecessarily called upon to risk his life; and that if he be so called upon, it will
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