408
THE CRISIS. TELEGRAMS. [FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.]
Shanghai, 10th May, 7.35 p.m. Reliable information from Haisufu states that the Empress Dowager's favourite eu- nuch, Li Lien-yang, is heading a strong reac tionary party, including Lu Chuan-lin and Ying Lu, inside Hsinn, and several high provincial officials outside, with a view to abolishing the Emperor and substituting Prince Tuan's son, Pu Ch'un, on the throne. It is believed that Prince Tunn and General Tung Fubsiang are preparing their troops and await the Empress Dowager's commands.
SHANGHAI, 12th May, 6.57 p.m. The friends of the Emperor are in strong hopes that, if they are successful in baffling the designs of Li Lien-ying and Lu Chuan- lin, this week they will rescue the Emperor and convey him to Peking, the Empress Dowager remaining in Honan until Peking is in a settled state.
SHANGHAI, 18th May, 8.25 p.m. The Chinese offer to pay 450,000,000 taels in thirty equal annual payments, including 10,000,000 from Salt revenue, 2,000,000 from native Customs, and 2,000,000 from lekin. They also ask for an increased Tariff.
The local mandarins learn officially that the Imperial Court arrives at Kaifengfu next month.
P
SHANGHAI, 16th May, 7.42 p.m. Haianfu despatches state that the health of the Imperial Court is perfect. The Grant Council proposes to pay the in- demnity by an increase of the Customs Tariff, not by the Salt gabelle.
All the Chinese and Manchu officials and merchants in Peking are sending a memorial to the Emperor, urging him to return.
SHANGHAI, 17th May, 7.55. p.m. A Chinese official from Hsianfu declares that he saw Kang Yi alive there.
The Kansu troops guarding Hsianfu, not having been paid their wages, are mutinying. An Imperial Decree orders the disbandment of last year's rescue armies.
The report is revived that Russia proposes to take Chinese Turkestan in ex- change for Manchuria.
Peking reports that the French military headquarters moved to Tientsin to-day.
THE COREAN TROUBLE.
SHANGHAI, 15th May, 11.16 p.m. Weihaiwei reports that a force of 1,500 troops under General Dorward is ready to embark on H.M.S. Terrible for Chemulpo
at six hours' notice.
A Tokyo telegram, dated the 3rd inst., says: The import duties at Newchwang are levied at the rate settled by treaty with China at pre- sent, and Russia is not able to levy a higher duty. When the place was first occupied by the Russians, their officials hoisted the Russian flag over the Customs, but it was eventually hauled down owing to ■ joint protest by the Powers. The Russians isened a regulation in which it was state that one Russian official customs No protest and a Russian official ving in the Customs since. The the Customs belong to the Chinese Government as a matter of fact; but it is not definitely known now where the money goes to.
onld servOS 11
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE NEED OF MUNICIPAL FREEDOM IN HONGKONG.
COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM.
TRIFLING WITH EVILS,
It may rightly be claimed for Hongkong that it is the most important British colony in the Far East. Whether from a naval, military, or mercantile point of view, it is the premier Colony; it is a strong naval base; its military position is of great and increasing importance; its commerce is vast, and its shipping is proudly referred to as being third in the world's rebord The and influence of Hongkong is therefore importance unquestionable. The Colony is wealthy; in 1899, the excess of revenue over expenditure amounted to $447,350. H.E. Sir Henry A. Blake, G.C.M.G., in concluding his report, as Governor of the Colony, for 1899, wrote: "The future prospects of trade are good, general condition of the Colony is most flourish ing, and with the command of cheap labour, it gives promise of developing into a great manu- facturing centre."
the
The prosperity of Hongkong is due to the energy of the European merchants, and to the facilities the Colony offers to the Chinese for that money when they have made or are making making money, and the security it provides for it. As a manufacturing centre it will never equal Shanghai; its recently acquired territory is a costly encumbrance necessitated through military reasons; its advancement depends on ita wise government and the security offered to the colonists, European and Chinese, who re-
side therein.
or Asiatic resident in Eastern colònies is con-
|
(May 20, 1901.
H.E.
with lamentable and disastrous the Governor, omitted i
Blue point out that Hongkong acquiring reputation as a centre for bubonic plagne, which breaks out yearly and cannot appare be eradicated; that from a sanitary point view the disease is more or lem trifled with; that overcrowding er sts on a gigantic scale, and any relief (like the present reclamation scheme) is left to private enterprise; that excessive rents and food prices are still going heavenward, with out any scheme of relief being forthcoming; that some of the most important roads, like the system of drainage, are in a most objec tionable and dangerous condition; that unless these evils are removed the prosperity of the sidents have demanded the right - which every Colony must necessarily suffer; that the re- British community is considered to possess and does possess elsewhere in the Far East to regulate their own parochial affairs with a view to mitigating and eventually stamping out these evils.
First let us consider briefly the question, of plague. Few residents of observation will be prepared to affirm that, this is being dealt with as it should. The Government had a surplus in 1899 of four hundred thousand dollars: at a recent meeting of the Sanitary Board the Medical Officer descended to question the wages of coolies engaged at the plague hospital! The have been 500 cases this year known to the plague is with us with renewed severity; there
sanitary authorities, and probably twice as many unreported cases. At this period when the Government should be expending every cent it can possibly gather to stamp out this vile disease, we find an undermanned sanitary staff, and the only trained sanitary officer absent on leave!
from other diseases.·.·
Dr. Tidswell, the Principal Assistant Medical Officer of the Government of New South Wales, contributes an article to the January number of the Journal of the Sanitary Institute entitled, "Some Practical Aspects of the Plague in Sydney." Though there were less than twenty cases of plague in Sydney, it is interesting to
quote the precautionary measures. Dr. Tidswell writes:
:
Under ordinary circumstances the medical staff of the Department of Public
The sanitary staff consists of a doctor and Accepting that to be correct, can it be reason- about twenty inspectors, who are not paid saf- ably claimed that the Colony of Hongkong is ficiently well enough to induce a man with administered to the satisfaction of the residents; sanitary training and experience to accept such s is it wisely governed and is full security of post. These officers at present, as can be readily fered to those who live and have their be- understood, are much overworked. These, with ing here? Concerning the military and naval a few others, form the staff that is supposed by aspects of the case, the residents rightly a careful Government to look after a densely of control. They help the Imperial Govern- foreigners, and 280,000 Chinese, which is enough do not claim to exercise any rights built city containing a population of 10,000 ment as much as possible by a yearly military infected with plague and is not free contribution. Beyond that, those subjects in a | Crown colony are rightly enough outside the province of the colonists. In the matter of local protection, Hongkong is as well policed as Singapore, Penang, and the settlement of Shanghai. It is right to admit that Hongkong is on the whole fairly well guarded by a good disciplined police force, though that force might well be increased. It is not with the attacks of thieves or bandits that the European cerned, for efficient policing affords protection Health were two (now three) specially in most civilsed centres. It is immunity from qualified hygienists; but there were sickness and disease, the possibilities of addition two Medical Officers of Health, living safely and economically, and of more or less closely in touch with the being permitted to exercise a voice in the central office. On the outbreak of plague the municipal government of the place These are medical staff was increased to seven members the cardinal points which claim attention. two stationed at the hospital, three engaged in These are essentialsfor the permanent prosperity regular visitation of the patients, and two and advancement of any colony; these are mainly occupied in administrative and other features which are lacking to-day in Hongkong, general matters connected with the epidemio. We may pride ourselves on our position in
From time to time we had the assistance of shipping; H.E. the Governor may write medical visitors from other colonies who came optimistically of our commerce and re-to gain experience, and of many medical men venue; but the fact remains the residents are denied the liberty extended at home to a rural parish council, and are compelled to live under conditions which in certain respects are more applicable to the 12th than the 20th century.
Briefly, Hongkong at present is suffering, and is likely so to suffer for some time to come, from the following choice collection of evils in a severe form :-Bad sanitation, insufficient water supply, bad roads, inability to cope successfully with infectious diseases, overcrowding, excessive rents, high prices for food, lack of efficient schools, and other minor questions. Some of these were casually noticed in H.E. the Governor's last report; others were ignored. Elsewhere, in most civilised places, the eradication and prevention of these attributes of a thickly-populated centre are a responsibility enjoined on the residents themselves, and from the experience of other places in the East it is conceivable that an energetic Municipal Council with money and freedom might successfully combat these evils here. But the Government such sa prefers to exercise its own municipal control
practising in Sydney, but these were chiefly employed in connection with the inoculation of Haffkine's fluid. I must here remark that, once convinced of the reality of the plague, the medical profession generally gave and loyal support to the Departme
Gourtson
Apparently in Hongkong, in the sary matter of house-inspection, no pro vision was made in advance to combat the disease. Whilst the insanitary and uninhabit- able rookeries remain standing in Hongkong. Plague, medical men think, will be alwaya with us; and as
be
and apparently the principal interests are un officially represented on the Legislati
ancil. those valuable alums are not likely rebuilt until they have collapsed age. The community Department gerous habits send plagu public for
ence of the entitled the
do so still had it not been
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