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MISS MCINTOSH'S PLAGUE SERVICES IN INDIA.
The following correspondence is published in "the Gazette :---
Government Civil Hospital, Hongkong, 7th October, 1897. SIR, I have the honour to enclose, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, a letter which Miss McIntosh (Sister Catherine) received by the last mail from the Bombay Go vernment with reference to her services in India this year-I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
J. M. ATKINSON, Principal Civil Medical Officer. The Honourable J. H. Stewart Lockhart,
· Colonial Secretary.
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FROM THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT TO MISS C. MCINTOSH,
General Department, Poona, 15th September, 1897. Madam, I am directed by His Excellency the Governor in Council to send for your in- formation au extract from a report by the late Mr. W. C. Rand, I.C.S., on the measures adopted for the suppression of plague in Poous. I am to say that, had your address been known, His Excellency in Council would have taken an earlier opportunity of expressing his own ap- preciation of the services you rendered whilst working under the Plague Committee in Poona. This appreciation is enhanced by the rocollection that you were the first skilled nurse to offer your services, and that the offer was in the fullest sense voluntary. I have the honour to be, madam, your most obedient servant,
J. D. C. ATKINS, Secretary to Government.
(Enclosure.)
"17. Of the ladies that accompanied the search division the following rendered valuable
assistance
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"Miss McIntosh.
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"Miss McIntosh, who had had considerable experience of plague-nursing in Hongkong, was an invaluable assistant to the search parties till April 18th, when she was transferred to the General Plague Hospital on nursing duty."
THE VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENT.
13th October.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[October 21, 1897.
song about it. But the men don't mind · the length, as the singer, judging by an extra- ordinary string of complimentary and uncom. plimentary soubriqueta by which he is known, has a host of submissive friends.
his way. On and on be went, up hills, down hills, but never a tent bove in sight. The moon was shining gloriously, and the wanderer, afte a weary and futile tramp of an hour or two, seriously considered whether he should the imitate his Commandant and squat on
Mosquitoes take possession of most of the hill side until morning time. But no, be tents at night and all the king's horses and all decided to push forward. At length he was the king's men would not drive them away. challenged by a Sikh sentry Evidently things They are big creatures and do not fail to let were getting dangerous, but the lost Maxim everybody know that they can buzz boisterously. shouted Friend" and passed on-through a A few human specimens are also occasionally fort, as it happened. The active sentry heard outside the walls of the tents. after now became very suspicious and he peremp-"Lights out" has been sounded. But the torily called upon the "friend" to halt, but orderly sergeant knows an excellent cure for apparently this order was not heard, for them. There is peace for the weary when he is the Volunteer instantly made a rush down about. a hill, up another hill, down a second hill, turned sharply to the right, then made a half left turn, and eventually found himself on the sea shore about a mile away from the camp, but at a spot which he knew. After taking a short rest to restore normal breathing the gunner hurried as fast as he could to the camp. Dinner had by this time been well digested by the lucky men under canvas and so our friend the gunner had to go to bed without even a snack. He says he never knew that such a small island could be so large, and we believe he is open to challenge the whole of the Volunteer topography experts to satisfac- torily surmount the extraordinary intricacies to be encountered in the highways and by-ways of Stonecutters' Island.
15th October.
The Volunteers were treated to a pleasant surprise on Wednesday night. His Excellency the Governor, Sir William Robinson, G.C.M.G., Hon. Colonel of the Hongkong Volunteer Corps, paid a visit to the camp at stonecutters' Island. His Excellency was accompanied by a large number of naval and military officers and private residents. A guard of honour, consisting of inen from both units, was drawn up near to the East Pier to receive the distinguished guest, and on his approach the guard, which was under the command of Lieutenant Fullerton, presented arms. The Governor seemed highly pleased with this official reception, which was perhaps unexpected, and before proceeding to the officers' The guard The Camp Gazette arrived in camp yesterday mess he closely inspected the men. afternoon and there was naturally an eager was shortly afterwards dismissed. demand for it. It would be rather unfair if we When His Excellency arrived the weather repeated bere any of the numerous good things was somewhat threatening. The moon could not to be found in its columns, and we will there- be seen and the darkness was dense, but several fore content ourselves by saying that this year's lamps and Chinese lanterns which were hung first number of the Camp Gazette is quite equal on trees along the route to the officers' mess to and perhaps eren better than last year's issues considerably relieved the blackness of the night. and we strongly recommend the general public | Fortunately, the clouds became scattered to- to purchase a copy at Messrs. Kelly and Walsh.wards the completion of dinner and for the The price is only 25 cents and the public may remainder of the evening the light from the rely upon getting many a good laugh for their moon was bright and clear. money. The second and final number will be ready in a day or two.
14th October,
The attendance at camp maintains a most satisfactory figure, there being always a strong muster of both nuits for early morning parade. Yesterday morning the Maxims engaged in musketry drill, while the Field Battery received excellent instruction in fire discipline. from the Adjutant, Captain Gordon, R.A. The men have put in some really useful work and there seems to be
of very good results being obtained at the firing on Saturday afternoon from the north shore.
likelihood every
The drum and fife band has made wonderful progress. On Tuesday retreat and tattoo were' played on the green near the gun park, aud there was quite a big turn out of men to listen to the lively strains of music.
The sun has at length condescended to shine on the Volunteer encampment at Stonecutters' Island, and the Volunteers are happy. Monday night was beautifully calm, a pleasant contrast to the wretched conditions which prevailed on the previous night. The full moon shone with all its power, unobstructed by dreary clouds, so that the duties of the guard, which was fur. nished by the Maxims, were performed without At night there was much moisture in the any of the physical discomforts which were atmosphere, the result being that every man's experienced on Saturday and Sunday nights. uniform become quite clammy, and those who At sunrise yesterday morning ugly looking could suffor them wrapped themselves closely clouds hung over the harbour, but they disap-in blanketsbefore snoozing for the night. peared as if by magic soon after six o'clock.
There was an exceedingly good attendance of both units at the morning parade. The Field Battery received instruction in gun drill, which was very pleasant though warm work, while the Maxims were put through a course of musketry. Later in the morning these members of the
··Field. Battery who remained in camp were instructed in 64-pr. R. M. L. gun drill, range finding, and laying,
to
in the
The Commandant, Major Sir John Carring- ton, has been very active during the encamp meat. He is about at all hours of the day and night, and certainly runs the camp on business lines. Surprise visits to the guard are com- mendable, and we are glad to say that the vigilaut sentries have been prompt in turning out the guard on every required occasion. Sir John has also taken a great interest in the men's evening diver ions, and has on Fortunately the health of the men is excellent
one or two occasions watched with consid- and there is little to report in the nature of erable interest the doings of the card players. incidents that can be considered as forming a Nor has he neglected to make enquiries as corollary to the encampment. One gunner in the men's personal comforts the Machine Gun Company had an amusing matter of victualing and sleeping. The au- experience. On Monday he had his tiffin iunouncement made one morning at early parade Hongkong, and his next meal was Tuesday's breakfast at camp. The fasting was in- voluntary and it came about in this way. He -oaught an outside launch which took him to Commissariat Pier, Stonecutters, and as he had previonsly landed at East Pier he took care, being - alone, to inquire the shortest and best route for the camp from this strange spot. He was told most minately, all the hills and dales and turnings being described to him with the utmost care, Armed with this mental guide be proceeded on
The drum and fife band played the tattoo and we understand that the guests in the officers' mess were very much pleased with the music.
The great event of the evening was the open- ing, for one night only, of the Frivolity Theatre. This important function was carried out "under the distinguished patronage and in the presence of" Mr. Smith, R.A. Mr. Smith, it must be understood, not a Royal Academician. He is Quar ter-Master-Sergeant William Henry Edward Smith, Royal Artillery, one of the Corps instructors. He of course occupied the highest place in the "theatre." the said place being a specially constructed bamboo chair about nine feet in height, placed immediately to the right of the stage, and from this elevated position Mr. Smith, R.A., was able to clearly follow everything that was said and sung at the special entertainment pro- moted for the occasion. Mr. Smith, R.A., was doubly blessed. Not only was he the patron, but gathered near him were the following high officials and residents:-H. E. the Governor, Sir William Robinson, G.C.M.G., Commodore Hol- land, A.D.C., Colonel O'Gorman. Colonel Clarke, Colonel Elsdale, Major Lindlay, Captain Phil- lips, A.D.C., Captain Long, Captain J. J. Fraucis, Lieutenant Buzzard, Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart (Colonial Secretary), Hon. F. H. May, Messrs. E. Cooke, R. 8. Whealler, and others.
The entertainment was provided by the Stone. cutter Scamp Minstrels, who, according to the announcement made in a gorgeously. yellow progamme, were en aged at great ex- pense and enormous personalginconvenience. An admirable stage was fitted up and in front chairs and forms were arranged for the tremen- dous number of people who witnessed the show, The minstrels were beautifully black and all wore fearful and wonderful costumes, but the excellent disguise did not extend to their voices and the people were doubtless not far wrong in guessing the performers to be all members of the The Corps-most of them young members. performance was really very good and many a hearty laugh followed the ringing of the big The impromptu concerts at night have been bell which indicated the cracking of a joke, very enjoyable. There is one gunner who can The violent ringing of a bell is a decided im- sing a song on almost every animal or birdprovement on the old hammer and chisel contained in the Zoological Gardens, London. system, because if the joke fails to reach its Give this gunner the name of your favourite pet | destination there still remains the bell to laugh and he will at once fire off a beautiful and long' at. In all there were seventeen items on the
that the Commandant would inspect the tents acted as a wholesome incentive to neatness, and now the occupants of each tent try to outshine their neighbours in interior orderliness-a very necessary adjunct to military discipline.
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