June 23, 1900.]
requires that courts of a mininum width of 15 feet, opening at both ends for their full width upon a public street, may contain eight houses, and that for every house over this number one foot must be added to the width of the court. In 1889 the minimum width of new streets was extended to 36 feet and of courts to 30 feet, such courts to open at both ends on a public thoroughfare. The crying necessities of this colony in the way of Sanitary Legislation are:-(1) The curtailment of the excessive height of buildings in relation to the width of the streets upon which they front. (2) Power to condemn and to demolish insanitary houses and insanitary areas, such as is contained in the Imperial Housing of the Working Classes Act of 1800."
Dr. Lowson The tinkering at Public Health Legislation has led to clumsy and cumber- some procedure, and the less public talk about this the better. One thing would do good-far more than most people would imagine at first the amendment of s. 19 a, etc. 15/94, to the effect that on second conviction the Magistrate should demolish the house from top to bottom. That would bring people to their senses."
Lieut. Col. Ryan :- There is no doubt at all that the Board requires increased powers for dealing with insanitary property.
Mr. McKie I agree with Lieut. Col. Ryan."
Dr. Hartigan: Ditto, and also with Dr. Lowson. But it seems to me absurd to give the Board powers sanctioned by the Law Officers of the Crown which when the Board tries to give them effect (vide closing of premises unfit for habitation) are declared by those same officers to be illegal.
On the motion of Dr. CLARK, seconded by Dr. HARTIGAN, it was decided to return the papers to the Colonial Secretary, with copies of the members, in order that the views of the Board on the subject might be seen.
CHINA ÖVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
in Saigon, as stated in the public press that morning. If the report were true vessels from there should be medically examined before com. municating with the shore. It was a simple matter for the Government to make the enquiry, Dr. LowsON-I think you might include Bangkok as well.
metaphorically: incredible as it appears, quite 60 per cent. of the metropolitan mandarinate Boxer propaganda-viz, that they are able believes in the appalling nonsense of the and willing to sweep the hated foreigner, his religion, his institutions, his trade out of China. Men such as Prince Ching and Jung-lu know this to be rubbish; but the reactionaries who nów Lieut. Col. Ryan seconded and the motion have the facile ear of the Dowager are persuaded was carried.
Dr. Clark-Very well.
This was all the business.
THE CRISIS IN THE NORTH,
THE DEPARTURE OF TROOPS FROM HONGKONG. bour on the 14th inst, did not actually start till The Hinaang, which should have left the har-
200 men of the Hongkong Regiment, whom it one o'clock p.m. on the 15th inst. She left behind was decided not to take owing to lack of proper to reduce our garrison so much. These men will accomodation, or because it was not thought good not therefore proceed to the north, as far as is at present arranged.
44
of it, and are promising to sing the Nunc Di- mittis in a week or two, if the foreigners are expelled. Such men are Kang Yi, the Prince Tuan, the Duke Lang, Chee Sue Thu Tung and others. These fossil statesmen profess to regard the Taungli Yamen and the Peking abroad as University, and China's and foreign legations devils" institutions. The despair colossi of ignorance and hatred are in a of the situation consists in the fact that these
position to wreck their country; their removal, from some unexpected source, is only possible unless enlightenment comes to the Dowager at present by force; and without their removal nothing can be done. It is to be feared that even if the forces now en ronte are completely successful, their arrival will only be the begin- ning of a political impasse of which no one can
see the end.
EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN ACTION.
There was a
Numerous rumours were current in the city on the 16th inst. as to the state of affairs up north, some of these rumours being of an exceedingly startling character. For instance it was said that the German Minister at Peking had been murdered, that the foreign warships had smashed But now for the facts of the last few days. in Peking had been put to death. Though and officers on Saturday that the situation was up the Taku Forts, and that all the foreigners The Ministers wired the Tientsin consuls fortunately all these stories remain unconfirmed every hour increasingly critical: the messages received most disquieting news on the 16th inst. they arrived at short intervals. it is well known that the Colonial Government got briefer, more intense and more alarming as So much so that the Undaunted, which was
conference in which Col. Wogack urged delay with less than an hour's notice. to proceed home shortly, was despatched north till he could call a substantial force from Port
Orders to
Arthur. Consul Carles stood firm for no delay, get the sloop Rosario ready were also given, He said. "Send for the Russian infantry if you and it is expected that she will leave in the like, but instantly make arrangements to land a course of a day or two. The Terrible left the multi-national force from the fleet at Taku.” harbour at about ten a.m. on the 16th nst. with
Capt. MaCalla of the U.S. Newark however some 300 men of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and settled the business. Gentlemen, make what Royal Engineers. The officers of the R. W. F. plans you like, but my orders are 'proceed at tain J. H. Gwynne, Captain H. M. Richards, chosen for service are Major F. Morris, Cap.
once to Peking' and to Peking I start to- morrow morning: if I cannot entrain there I Lieutenant Rotherham, Lieut. O. S. Flower, walk, but to Peking I go." As usual the man A letter from the British Consul at Amoy, and Second Lieut. O. S. Owen. Major Wat- and then arranged to send 500 men up (in (Acting Adjutant). Lieutenant F. J. Walwyn, of action settled the matter, and it was there
son, of the R.A.M.C.. also proceeds to the front. addition to 600 and 700 already there) next
The total forces taken out included 6 officers, morning. 14 non-commissioned officers, 6 buglers, and 297 of the rank and file, Royal Welsh Fusiliers (2nd Battalion); one officer, one non-commissioned officer, a bugler and 18 rank and file of the Royal Engineers (25th Company). with 12 rank and file of the Hongkong Company; one officer, R.A.M.C.; with items from the Army Pay De- partment and Army Service Corps and hospital
RABIES IN JAPAN.
Correspondence was submitted re the exist ence of rabies at Nagasaki, Yokohama, Kobe, Asaki. and Moji. The correspondence showed that the ports mentioned were free from rabies.
PLAGUE IN AMOT.
and dated June 9th, said:-
"On the 5th inst. I had, the honour to send you the following telegram Plague exists Amoy and vicinity. Not yet epidemic. Please notify Commodore. While I thought it my duty to advise you as above, I am glad to be able to report that. as far as we can at present judge, the plague in this district is far less prevalent and of a milder type than last year at a corresponding date."
LIMEWASHING RETURN.
In his fortnightly limewashing return, Mr J. H. Dandy (Chief Inspector of Nuisances) said:-
"The progress in the limewashing work this lest week has been very slight, the Inspector on that duty having been in Hospital some days. The prosecution of defaulting owners has been vigerously carried on, 67 cases having been taken, the fines amounting to 8455. Three of the cases were dismissed. Though the Inspec- tor in charge of limewashing is off duty the slow progress cannot be put down to that ac- count, as the notices of intention, etc.. that have accumulated in the office only cover 72 houses, and some of those are in the Central district."
:
THE PLAGUE IN MACAO.
The deaths in Macao for the week ended May 29th numbered 82 (including 39 from plague), week ended May 29th 100 (including 49 from plague), week ended June 2nd 84 (including 34 from plague), week ended June 9th 67 (including 20 from plague).
THE HEALTH OF THE COLONY.
The death rate for the colony for the week ended June 2nd was 364, against 352, for the previous week and 408 for the corresponding week last year. The rate for the corresponding week last year was 408. The rate for the following week was 275, against 395 for the corresponding week last year.
Dr. Hartigan minuted: Absence of fevers
other than bubonic again noted."
THE REPORTED OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA IN SAIGON.
Dr. CLARK proposed that the Government be asked to enquire whether cholera was raging
attendants.
AFFAIRS IN THE NORTH.
[FROM OUR TIENTSIN CORRESPONDENT.] Tientsin. 12th June. The Boxer nuisance, serious as at is in many aspects, has pro tem, subsided into insignificance in comparison with the crisis in Peking. As railway communication has been broken for five or six days, we are at a loss to know exactly what were the facts which precipitated this crisis. Courier and water communication have not rbeen esorted to on anything but a private scale for two reasons; everyone hourly expected the railway to be re-established and people have been too pre-occupied to attend to correspondence and courier. All we can ga- ther from the curt telegrams which reach us very intermittently (the Chinese Telegraph authorities say the wires are cut; but we know this, that our messages get through) is that up to Sunday evening, 10th June, the evil feared had not happened, but that general feelings of suspense and anxiety were still intense. In Tientsin we are confident that what is feared is a meeting of the very indifferent troops and attack the Legations for loot. We do not know their collusion with the city cavaille to if the Boxers are in the reckoning or not. There are 600 foreign guards in the various Legations; all the out-lying residents have been called in to the centre and we know that all British and American women are under the direct protection of their Ministers in the big Fuhs.
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$4
very alarming
At 11 p.m. the messages from Peking became Come at once, or you will be too late." This was flashed out fourteen
brought in 1,550 men. with five days' rations miles to the Bar at midnight; within five hours, 8 flotilla of boats, launches, &c.
7.30 a.m. saw them in Tientsin by train. Ths Chinese here at first refused permission to entrain them for Peking: then the roll- ing stock was commandeered and off they went at 9 a.m. No platelayers or gangers went in the first train, but the resident engineer was able to get a crew for the second. The whole force reached Lo-fa for the first night (81 miles) and yesterday was past Lang Fang (40 miles). To-day we heard the Boxers ventured to attack this morning the engineer's squad of workmen engaged and sleepers removed by the Boxers. They on relaying the plates
pany of marines (Major Johnston). I will to were under the protection of a small com-
patch as summarized here.
accuracy quote the Admiral's des
Boxers tried to cut off our advanced guard of marines under Major Johnston, and a body of Engineers. They were soon driven off without casualty on our side, but some 60 Boxers were killed and others wounded. Several of the latter have been sent
ensure
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down to Tientsin." I hear that two or three of these wounded Boxers have died en routes the num ber of wounded is by some said to be six or se ven, by others sixty or seventy-a typical illustration of the vagueness of all our Foxer news.
NAUTICAL LANGUAGE AND ITS EFFECT""
the Admiral had started, Capt. Bailey, of H. M. S. I must not forget to state that on Sunday, after Aurora, was left in command at Tientsin. One of the directors of the railway (Tong) tried to stop the entraining of an additional 600 mm at mid-day, and unwisely asserted himself firmly. He is an English speaking self-important per- sonage. The gallant captain gave him the finest dressing down on record to the intense amuse- THE IMPERIAL Government's ATTITUDE. ment of a delighted crowd of blue-jackets, serves such a name, is still sitting on the wall,
The Imperial Chinese Government, if it de-foreigners, and railway officials, After
peroration which consummated nautical ob•
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