The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1898-12-17 — Page 5

December 17, 1898,]

ing the ideas and sentiments of Sr. Paterno, the president of the native Congress; and in this capacity its utterances have been re- garded as semi-official. This paper has been the boldest in advancing the Filipino cause and calling aloud that the natives will have nothing but independence and are in a position to fight until they get it or perish in the attempt. The time is ripe for the con- sideration of the question. These ambitious, energetic, growing people have reached a point where it takes the utmost effort of their brightest men to cope with the problem before them. Roughly speaking the natives are divided into two natural classes, one the military and the other the civilian agricultural. There is a marked tendency all over the island of Luzon, and it is reported also over the produc- tive southern provinces. to return to the regular pursuits of agriculture, wearing, fishing, and so on. Support for the cause of liberty still flows willingly into the coffers at Malolos, but the civilian class is anxious for the end of hostilities or preparations for them. Hemp and coffee buyers and many speculators are getting into the various productive districts and offering good prices, which the growers would be only too anxious to accept, if they had the men, time, and resources to raise crops. The agricultural element is gradually, almost unconsciously undermining the military, which

CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.

MORE CREDIT FOR HONGKUNG ENGINEERS. After weeks of steady work the sunken Spanish steamer Isla de Cuba has been raised and fitted with her own steam, by the Hong- kong and Whampoa Dock Company. On Sun. day last she made her trial trip flying the stars and stripes, and registered a spead of 11, knots. Her appearance was loudly cheered by the

members of the fleet.

THE GENERALS' REPORTS. Generals Anderson and MoArthur have handed in their reports and publication has been permitted. Both officers briefly outline the work of August 13th in detail and credit is unstintingly bestowed upon deserving officers and weu."

The total of casualties in the taking of Manila from the beginning until the troops occupied the city amounted to 122. On August 13th there were five killed and forty-three wounded; previous to this in the trenches there were fourteen deaths and sixty wounded,

MOVEMENTS OF THE TROOPS.

The work of landing and quartering the new troops goes on slowly. A battalion of the Teu. nessee Regiment has pitched touts on the large open space adjoining the Luneta. The engineers have selected locations on the high ground about three and a half miles outside of Manila. The place is naturally well drained and in a healthy situation; it is very likely that some of the

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do not think there would be any difficulty about that.

Mr. DYER BALL said it seemed to him that this was a very important matter. They started it by a representation to the Government, and they did not contine themselves simply to the one port of Shanghai, which was at present in fected, but they wished to make regulations to preserve the colony intact from this dreadful disease as far as they possibly could. They were not acting in a way foreign to other branches of the empire, because such regulations were enforced in Singapore and also in Australis, Dogs were practically forbidden to land in Australia, so he understood and be thought this showed that they were not taking excep tional action in the matter. When they con sidered what a frightful disease hydrophobia was, how it was well nigh impossible of oure, he thought most drastic measures were neces. sary in order to prevent the colony from being infected. He must say he felt very strongly on the subject. About a year ago he lost a near relative from hydrophobia, and this had brought the matter very close to his mind, and he thought it was almost impossible for them to take too strong measures, within a common

sense view of the subject, to try and preserve themselves intact in this colony from this frightful disease. If the matter was ready for proposal he would propose that the regulations

at present holds all the glory and attractiveness | troops now quartered in the city, probably the be accepted and forwarded to the Government. that has ever been accorded to brass buttons, shining ornaments, and dangling swords.

The interests of these two sets of people are destinctly at outs. By that it is not meant that there is any display of antagonism at the present time, but unsuspectingly they are beginning to work one against the other. It is most natural that those who compose the

Third Artillery and one regiment of Volunteers, relieving the cramped conditions. will be sent into camp for the dry season, thus

HO GKONG SANITARY BOARD.

The fortnightly meeting of the Hongkong Sanitary Board was held on the 15th December. The Vice-President (the Hon. F. H. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, occupied the

Dr. CLARK--I move that the regulations be accepted and forwarded to the Government.

Mr. DYER BALL-I second that.

powers of the military element as well as many of the lesser factors, should and do hope for the retention of the present heavy standing army while on the other hand the great mass of chair, and there were also present the Hon. R. D. enjoyed good health was at the Peak. Ho

people from whom these men are drawing their sustenance and means of display fail to 500 wherein they are to any extent the gainers. Taxes have been increased and port duties and levies of various natures placed upon the crops, causing more or less inconvenience; and besides these things a show of military strength bas always been unpopular with the natives. That and the Spaniards have always been too closely linked to admit of a sudden separation of the ideas, even though the strength be composed of native soldiers.

To the casual observer there is apparently little friction and the tangled questions devoly. ing upon the fathers of this rapidly growing, self-reliant, and pugnacious child-nation are being handled with exceptional ability and discretion; but there are unmistakeable evid- ences of the hidden forces that are at work gradually and irresistably advancing until they must soon be the leading question of the day.

However, it is possible that, before the natives

realize that these two questions are confronting them and assuming such maguitude that they will not admit of being overlooked, the United States will have stepped in and settled the problem for good and all. But on the other hand, people, like plants and animals, mature very quickly in this tropical country, and assuming, not without reason, that the entire international question will not be settled before the lapse of the next six months, local matters will have had ample time in which to come to a head.

all

$3,000 FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER AND MORE COMING.

Some few days ago Dr. Sanger, an American dentist, headed a subscription list with 8100, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to get ting up a Christmas dinner for the sick soldiers of Manila. Money has been pouring in from quarters and to-day the list has reached $ 1,980, U.S. Consul Williams has taken a lively interest in the movement and has pro- posed to Dr. Sanger, appealing to the noble sentiments of a victorious people, to extend the original limitation of the dinner to American sick soldiers, aud include our unfortunate pri- soners.⠀⠀ Answers have not yet been received, but it is expected that the suggestion will be acted upon, and Christmas day will be one long to be remembered by all the military of Manila, both Spanish and American.

Ormsby (Director of Public Works), Mr. J. Clark (Medical Officer of Health and Acting Dyer Ball (Acting Registrar-General), and Dr.

Secretary).

THE IMPORTATION OF DOGS.-DRAFT

REGULATIONS.

The following draft regulatious for the impor- tation of dogs into the colony were submitted:—

1. GENER A L.

1.-Imported dogs will be permitted to land in this colony subject to the follow restric- tions:(a) On production of a certificate from a veterinary surgeon or a medical officer of health or a British Consul that no case of rabies has been known to occur in any district in which the dog has been kept for the six months prior to the date of shipment; and (b) a statutory declaration by the captain of the vessel (or by the importer if he has travelled with the dog) that no case of rabies occurred during the voyage.

2.-In default of the two above-named certificates. the dog shall be kept in qua- rantine, in a building to be set apart for the purpose by the Government, for a period of three months from the date of impor- tation at the expense of the owner. Upon production of the above certificates to the Cap- taiu Superintendent of Police, or upon the ex- piration of the period of quarantine, a license and a badge will be issued and any dog permit- ted to land or found at large without such badge shall be forthwith destroyed.

3.-Permits shall be issued by the Captain Superintendent of Police to the owners of sporting dogs that have already been licensed in the colony to enable such dogs when taken into Chinese territory to be brought back there- from, on the condition that such dogs will not be permitted to land at any port or place at which rabies is known or has been declared to exist within a period of six months prior to the date of such landing.

11. SPECIAL.

No dog brought from the port or settlement of Shanghai will be permitted to land in this colony for a period of 12 months from the date of this notification.

The Hon. R. D. ORMSBY-How would you define a place ?

Dr. CLARK-Place is a locality. Port or place is already used in the quarantine regula- Lions. It is a recognised legal expression. I

The VICE-PRESIDENT said he had had a great deal to do with dogs, and he thought they were more likely to bring hydrophobia. by locking up a number of dogs together in quarantine for a period of three months than by letting them go free. In this colony in particular dogs required a great deal of care, and the only place where European dogs Suw a good deal of difficulty in putting

sity had arrived. The measures taken so far by these quarantine regulations into force, and he did not see that as yet any urgent neces-

the Dogs' Ordinance, which had weeded out a lot of underfed and ill-cared for dogs, had been- productive of very good results. They had not had a case of hydrophobia for the past five years. It seemed to him for the present it was quite sufficient that there was power to prohi bit the importation of dogs from the place where hydrophobia prevailed, and if that power were given it would have to be widely meant, so that the importation of dogs would also be prohibited from ports of call between certain places and the colony. For in- stance if they had pydrophobia at Shanghai, power could be given not only to prohibit the importation of dogs from Shanghai and but from Shanghai and places of call. It seemed to him that that would be sufficient. They must not forget that in this matter as in other

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matters Hongkong stood in & very exceptional and peculiar position. They were a large distributing centre. They were only separated from the mainland of China by a very short space of water, and they were alto- gether on a different footing from a place like Singapore, where there was not a continued go- ing and coming almost of animals of all sorts. He begged to move as an amendment that these general regulations be not adopted, and that the Government be recommended to prohibit the importation of dogs from any place or places at which hydrophobia may prevail and from the ports of call between such place or places and the colony.

The Hon. R. D. Ormsby seconded.

On the matter being put to the meeting two voted for the amendment and two for the re- solution, and it was accordingly agreed to for- ward both to the Government, with the names of the movers and seconders.

MORTALITY RETURNS,

The mortality returns for the colony of Hong- kong for the week ending November 26th show a death rate of 16'9, against 18-2 for the previous week and 20-9 for the corresponding week last year. The death rate for the following week was 186, against 31 last year.

The returns for Macao for the week ending Nov. 27th show 57 deaths and for the following week 54.

The Board then adjourned.