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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
|GERMANY'S INDEMNITÝ CLAIM.
(Daily Press, 26th June.)
(July 1, 1901.
PLAGUE BURIALS IN HONG-
KONG.
(Daily Press 27th June.)
MEDICAL INSPECTION OF ARRIVALS AT HONGKONG.
(Daily Press, 22nd June) The Government is decidedly to be con- The increase of Germany's indemnity claim The question raised by our correspondent gratulated on the step which it has taken from China to £14,000,000 will not occasion “PUZZLED" concerning the cemeteries is an to improve the system of medical inspection much surprise. The Chinese authorities important one. It is not, however, by any of arrivals at this port. As our readers some time ago received a warning from the means a new question. Many years ago, have seen from the report of the Chamber representatives of the Berlin Government before bubonic plague was thought of and of Commerce meeting on the 11th instant, that the continued occupation of North when we lived in blissful ignorance of the the Chamber, at the instance of the Pen- China by the German troops would involve evil times impending, the desirability of insular and Oriental Steam Navigation a larger claim for compensation. In April providing a cemetery outside the limits of Company, supported by all the leading last the German claim was for £12,000,000, this island was propounded in this column. shipping firms and agencies in the Colony, Now another £2,000,000 have been added The immediate occasion for this suggestion drafted a letter to the Government, which on, the increase being designed to cover the was the then crowded condition of the was forwarded on the 1st instant, calling further expenses of maintaining the German Chinese cemeteries on the slopes of Mount attention to the pressing need for such forces up north to the 1st July. We do Davis. It was believed by many persons improvements in the system of medical not know at present whether any other competent to form an opinion that the inspection of shipping visiting Hongkong. Powers are about to follow Germany's lead. malarious condition of the Western portion The Government on the 7th instant replied, It cannot be denied that in demanding from of the city, more especially the district along stating that H.E. the Governor fully realised China that she should defray the enormous Bonham Road, was due in great measure to the importance of the subject and proposed expenses involved in despatching the the exhalations carried by the westerly to amend the quarantine regulations as German expedition to Chihli and in keeping breeze from these cemeterias over that suggested. Yesterday a Government Gazette it there as long as it was necessary, district. It was also considered that the Extraordinary was issued, dated the previous Germany was perfectly within her rights. cemeteries in Happy Valley were becoming day, amending the regulations published in But the question arises whether it is too crowded, and that at no distant date 1897. Section 19 of the new regulations equitable to keep on claiming more from they would have to be closed. These evils runs as follows:-
The preceding regula-China for every extension of the period of have become greatly intensified since then, “tions (with the exception of No. 15) shall occupation. We have been told, on the and the need for fresh burial accommoda- "not apply to any vessel which has on board evidence of most trustworthy witnesses, that tion has become urgent. All the objections as Surgeon or Medical Officer a Medical the conduct of affairs by Count VON then raised against existing cemeteries have 'practitioner entitled to be registered as WALDERSEE has from various reasons— become accentuated both by reason of their such in this Colony, provided that upon chiefly from the lack of a competent crowded condition and by the necessity for "entering the waters of this Colony the intelligence department--been marked by providing a separate burial ground for the "Master of the vessel shall sign a certificate, grave errors. Our readers will remember victims of plague. The question has not in the form A appended to these regula-that we have dealt with this question more escaped the attention of the Sanitary Board, tions, to the effect that there has been no than once during the past few months. It for at a recent meeting they decided to send "sickness of an infectious or contagious appears, however, that China is to be made in a recommendation to the Government board such vessel within ato pay the entire cost, in spite of the fact that the present plague cemetery, which "period of twelve days previous to the date that at least three Powers are in favour forms the most conspicuous object on "of arrival of the ve-sel within the waters of a reduction of the already fixed entering the port through Sulphur Channel, of this Colony, and unless the Surgeon or indemnity. These three Powers, needless should be closed, and that a new one should Medical Officer of the vessel shall at the to say, are deeply interested in the develop-be opened in Sandy Bay. same time sign a certificate, in the form ment of China's trade. But not only Great "B appended to these regulations, to the Britain, the United States, and Japan are same effect, with the addition that he has so interested; Germany herself is, to a seen every person on board such vessel rapidly increasing extent. We cannot "within the twelve hours immediately therefore see how it is to her interest to preceding his signature thereto." Section help in the crippling process which nations 15, which is excepted above, refers to whose interest in China is political, not Chinese passengers ships or vessels which commercial, are prepared to see applied. have passengers on board in a filthy or The policy is a short-sighted and narrow otherwise unwnolesome condition, or are one, sacrificing the future in return for a overcrowded with passengers, emigrants, comparatively small gain at the present etc., and to "infected" or suspected moment. Those German writers who are vessels The effect of the new regulations insisting so much on the inevitable growth is to relieve our very much overworked of their country's trade would, if they aimed Health Officer of the Port and to confer an at consistency, make strong representations immense boon on the big sipping com- on this point. But we fear that inter- panies who go to the expense of keeping national jealousy has too long swayed the thoroughly trained doctors on board. Mr. H. relations of the Powers in China to allow a A. RITCHIE's letter to the Chamber of Com-recognition of the principle that what is best merce put the case in favour of an amend- for China is also best in the long run for the ment of present conditions as well as it Powers who are not merely aiming at wrest- could be put, and we need add nothing in ing at once a lump sum from her. The its support. By its commendable prompti-transformation of Germany is too recent tude in issuing new regulations the for her rulers to be ready to give up the Government has deserved the thanks of all immediate political advantages for the shipping firms here, as well as of the community in general,
"nature on
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commercial promise of the future. The most unfortunate part of the affair is that those opposed to the crippling of China by excessive indemnities have apparently no remedy, for they are in the minority, where the greatness of their stakes in China
counts for little.
Arrangements have been made, says the Bangkok Times, to let the N. D. L. steamer Deli run-in connection with the homeward and out- ward German Mail in the following manner : — The Deli will leave Bangkok every alternate Thursday to arrive at Singapore on Monday morning, the homeward boats leaving Singa In the I.M.C's first quarterly returns this pore on Monday at 4 p.m. The outward year, one of the plac's mentioned is Yatung in German Mail is due at daylight on Thursdays Tibet, where there is a Custom House which of the same week, and the Deli is thus to return collects nothing but figures. The trade seems on Thursday afternoon and will reach Bangkok to have fallen off somewhat in 1901, for the on Monday morning. It is not expected, we loads carried inwards and outwards ware only helieve, that this regular mail connection will 20,045 against 22.484 last year. The import of Fay the owners unless a subsidy can be obtained cottons and woollens looks rather large, but it is from the Siamesa Government. However the given in yards; other imports were numerous run will be given a trial for several months, and but in small quantities. The exports were not we sincerely hope that means will be found to vary large; they included 8,490 lamb skins and continue the same for some time to come, 6,000 piculs of sheep's wool.
This recommendation is certainly by way of improvement, because this cemetery is within the waters of the harbour, and is therefore an eyesore and an affliction. But the Sanitary Board might have gone much further than this. When, as we have stated, it was proposed to find a site for a new cemetery, we proposed that an island should be acquired from China by the British Government for the purpose. Objections were raised to this proposal, the principal, of course, being that of the difficulty of securing an island. Another difficulty mooted was the means of conveyance, the weather being sometimes such as to make the passage across a draw- back. The first of these difficulties bas vanished with our recent territorial aggran- disement. The colouy now possesses n large choice of territory on the mainland for the purpose, to say nothing of several islands within easy reach, and with large unoccupied slopes availablɔ. The island of Hongkong is, as “PUZZLED" remarks, much too overcrowded to be used as a cemetery, more especially for corpses from the main- land, where there is a practically unlimited choice of sites. If, however, it is decided to select a site for a new cemetery on the mainland, it would be necessary before doing so to carefully study the conditions, including the water-supply for the peninsul., and the great growth of population along the northern shores of this barbour. A general cemetery, if on the mainland, should be accessible by a good road or railway, or it would make the cost of interment a serious matter to the pobrer classes. Probably the best, and, pu the whole, most easily accessible site for the use of the in habitants of Hongkong would be on Lamma Island. Regular means of com- munication would have to be maintained by
Government, and the charges
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