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is irrefutable. The infection will never cease; to contaminate if this advice is not taken. Try it and you will all see its marvellous effects and the evil will have its end Now-a-days it is advisable that everybody should be his own doctor, as the professional advices have so far failed to quench the evil. This is the voice of the oracle that hints to us the best system of dealing with the present epidemic.
The Sanitary Board will do well to act upon this advice.—Thanking you for the insertion of this letter.-Yours, etc.,
VOX POPULI.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PRESS,' 27th May. SIE,-The plague is upon us in its worst form, and unless some drastic measures áre adopted to remedy the evil, I am afraid it will cling upon us until the commercial prosperity of the Colony is greatly endangered. The out look at present is bad enough, and if the sanitary authorities still go on dilly-dallying with pigheaded communities and keep on yielding to absurd religious scruples of persons who are adverse to sanitary reforms, we shall one day have a plague case in every household like the tenth plague of Egypt.
With regard to dumping dead bodies, the suggestion about disinfecting the whole street in which a dead body is found would very wel stop this nuisance, because every householder for his own individual interest would keep a strict look out, and help the Sanitary Board to trace the culprit and bring him to justice; and at the same time it would also stop the removal of infected patients from one house to another in order to avoid disinfection. This measure was not adopted because the landlords were against it.-Yours, etc.,
A TWENTIETH CENTURY
CHINAMAN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.'
30th May. SIR,--Cannot something be done to check the carrying of personal effects along Battery Path, from the infected premises of Beacons- field Arcade, at hours when residents are pro- ceeding to and from the tram station. I passed up this way on going to the Peak last evening at 5 o'clock and witnessed a number of coolies taking goods away from the back premises of the Arcade, leaving them along the pathway until more had been fetched. All precautions should be taken by the authorities to minimise the danger of infection; the case in point certainly does not tend in that direction.- Yours, etc.,
PEAK RESIDENT.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Colony are greatly mistaken. Have they_not as big, if not bigger, an interest in this Colony as any other nationals? It is only prejudice and insufficient local representation that give rise to all this unpleasant misunderstanding.
THE CHINESE AND SANITATION.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY PRESS.” 28th May. SIE,-Some time ago a worthy member of our Sanitary Board alleged that the principal Chinese in this Colony had not rendered any assistance in the suppression of plague. He was not justified in making such an allegation, which would only tend to increase the ill-feeling against our fellow colonists. As one of the Chiness representatives on the Board pointed out to him at the time, the principal Chinese had been assisting the Government both publicly and privately in preventing the spread of the dreadful disease; as far as that is concerned, no one worked more heartily than their alects on the committee of the Tung Wah Hospital
In order to enlighten the Government on everything connected with the Chinese, and facilitate the carrying out of local laws, I understand they ihave already formed them- selves into a soca ty, and raised a large sum of money amongst themselves to meet the contingent expenses,
Regarding the dumping of dead bodies in public thoroughfares and the keeping back of plague cases, they have spent liberally in print- ing circulars and engaging medical students and district watchmen to go about, explaining the good intention of the Sanitary Board, and pursuading the coolie class to report the moment they know there is a case of plague amongst themselves.
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The binese are known to have great respect for their dead. No matter where he dies and however far he may be away from home, even by aid of subscriptions, his body is sent to his country to be decently buried. That some of them should depart from this "olo" practice must be for some serious reason. Why is the matter not investigated into ? am sure the leading Chinese will not grudge what ever assistance may be required of them.
Any concession which they ask for, and which the Government can grant without interfering with the public health, should be granted. We want to suppress plague and do not want infection to be scattered all over the colony. If they could do anything to induce the ignorant class to come forward and report willingly, why should certain bye-laws not be modified to meet local requirements P-Yours, etc..
FAIR-PLAY.
THE "CRICKET GROUND."
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,' Hongkong, 29th May.
SIR, May I ask through your medium whether the Cricket Ground at Hongkong is a Publio Recreation Ground like elsewhere or exclusively reserved for one privileged Cricket Club only. The ground is just being enclosed by a high sharp-spiked iron railing, so it is a matter of speculation for the public of Hong kong if in future they will have to bo grateful to a Club for still being allowed to feast their eyes on the san stuary over a grating, or whether the public of Hongkong enjoying too many gratuitous luxuries at the hands of the Go- vernment already will in future be admitted only on payment of a fee or by a season ticket.
Probably the greater part would not object if in return arrangements are made for a band playing there some nights in the week. There are smaller co onies than Hongkong where efforts are successfully made for somewhat relieving the dulns of the commoners existence. Thanking you in advance for kindly admitting the above,─Yours, etc.,
tent
ANOTHER MALCONTENT.
14
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.'
Hongkong, 3 th May, 1901. SIB,-Your correspondent" Another Malcon-
has hit upon one other long-felt want if I may call it-in this Colony. Though not many, still we have places where a band may play during the afternoon or the evening, therefore, it is matter for wonder that we have nothing of the kind here, whereas, not to go farther than Macao or Shanghai, the public enjoys a band twice or oftener a week in favourite places of resort.
Surely our public would be too grateful if one-say, the able band of the Madras Infantry or any other-were to play at least once a week at the Botanical Gardens, as was done in former times. It would be welcomed as a boon, after the heat and harass of the day, to pass a few hours inhaling the fresh air of the gardens and listening to the band. Trusting this suggestion will not be quite in vain Yours, etc,
8.
SOAP FOR COAL-COOLIES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS. SIB.-In your issue of Monday you report a meeting of the Sanitary Board where amongst other matters there aroso a question of soap for the people who use the new free baths. The thick epidermis of a coal-coolie cannot be cleansed by water alone, and, as Dr. C ark said, if solid soap were supplied, every user would walk off with the cake whether he had used little or none.
I therefore venture to suggest that a liquid soap be supplied, say a solution of strong alkaline soft soap, with or without some dis- infecting agent added. This could be measured out to each bather in a little earthenware dish They are doing this still, having retained a or mixed with the water supplied; thus woul! locally, educated doctor for similar purposes. the complexions of the bathers be improved and Those who think that our Chinese neighbours | it would also save them the trouble of carrying do not take any interest in the welfare of this misrobes about.—Yours, etc.,
W.
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[June 3, 1901.
A SUGGESTION FOR FLUSHING.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “DAILY PREES.". 25th May.
SI8,- In the article signed "T" in yesterday's issue of your valued paper I found something which I have thought of before I mean the erection of flushing tanks on the high levels into which sea water must be pumped for flushing the drains. Now, what I would like to know is whether it would be possible and whether in the long run it would not be much cheaper to use the natural wind-power for working the necessary pumps instead of steam engines swallowing big sums for fuel? In my opinion it ought to be possible in the following manner :-
A number of modern wind-motors are erected at places on the Peak where they are well ex- posed to winds from all directions. The wind- power by means of dynamos is to be trans- formed into electricity, which is to conducted to the pumping stations, where it becomes the working power for the pumps. So the latter work as long as there is any wind. Of course the whole system has to be built on so big a scale as amply to provide for a time when strong winds are wanting.
If the whole thing is possible at all, there is the prospect of using the water-power so gained also for other purposes, electric light, etc.
I do not know whether ever a trial has been made to use the natural wind-power on such a large scale, but I, and I think some others, would be pleased very much by receiving the opinion of some technical man upon this subject. · Enclosing my card.—Yours, etc.,
WIND-POWER.
A POSTAL ANOMALY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE-" DAILY PRESS.
25th May.
SIR,-Can you or any of your numerous readers inform me why in the British Colony of Hong- kong, postcards should be headed with an inscription in the French language? It seems somewhat of an anomaly, especially in the case of cards intended for merely local circulation. It is to be hoped that the new cards shortly to be issued will bo free from such an absurdity.— Yours, eto..
T. W.
THE "STAR" FERRY CO., LIMITED.
The third ordinary annual meeting of share- holders in the above company was held at the company's office, No. 2, Connaught Road, on the 29th inst. at noon, for the purpose of receiving the report of the directors and a statement of accounts to 30th April last.
The Hon. C. P. Chater, C.M.G. presided, and there were also present Messr. N. A. Siebs, JA. Mackay (directors), R. C. Wilcox, A. Mackenzie, A. J. Raymond, T. H. Reid, E. H. Sharp, W. H. Potis, Lau Hip Chu, W. FL. Ray, and E. Osborne (secretary).
The CHAIRMAN said-I propose, if you please, to dispense with the leading of the report. The figures show an improvement on those of previous years, and in spite of increased expendi ture on all sides which wo, in common with others, have to face, the profits for the year enable us to recommend a 12 per cent. dividend and to effect a considerable writing off from boats, goodwill, turnstiles, nud Ica House Street. pier improvements. The whole of the premium on the new issue of capital we propose should be transferred to reservǝ, which with $856 added from working profits will then stand at $20,00› We do not recommend a larger dividend because we think the permanent welfare of the company is best secured by writing down unrealisable assets such as goodwill, and also because, in view of the fact that our boats are uninsured, it is desirable that a reserve fund equal at least to the cost of one new boat, should be built up as speedily as possible. The ques tion of expenditure I have referred to is mainly in connection with our wages account, which is continually on the increase, owing to the diffi- culty we experienos in obtaining crews for the launches and their incessint demands for higher pay, and whilst on this subject I may remark to those who are continually indulging in criti cisms concerning the steering of the boats that
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