July 15, 1901.]
SHANGHAI, 10th July, 8.18 p.m There are strong indications that Prince Tuan is marching against the foreign troops with the Dowager Empress's tacit approval. The heir apparent has left Hsianfu and is proceeding to Yulinfu, in Shansi, to join
his father.
THE PLAGUE.
Saturday, 6th July,
During the 24 hours ending at noon yester day there were reported 5 fresh cases of plague and 5 deaths (all Chinese). The year's figures are now -1,529 cases, 1,457 deaths.
A ten-year-old Portuguese boy, named T. Thomas, residing in Queen's Road, Wanchai, was admitted to the Plague Hospital on Thursday. His attack is likely to be a mild
one."
All the Europeans under treatment are doing well; and there are no fresh cases.
on
Monday. During the 24 hours ending at noon Saturday there were reported 3 fresh casos and 4 deaths (all Chinese).
The lastest report concerning the condition of the European patients still at Kennedytown Hospital is that they are all making good
progress.
Tuesday. During the 48 hours ending at neon yesterday there were reported 6 fresh cases of plague and 6 deaths (all Chinese).
Last week's figures were:-47 cases (of which 38 were in Victoria), 46 deaths. The decline of the epidemic is marked, as after two weeks of 200 cases and over and three of over 150, we have come down to 62 and 47 for the last two weeks.
The Portuguese boy named Thomas, who was admitted to the Plague Hospital five days ago, has been discharged.
The European patients are all doing well.
Wednesday. Daring the 24 hours ending at noon yester. day there were reported 4 fresh cases of plague and 4 deaths (all Chinese).
The epidemic has so far declined now that there is nothing to chronicle beyond the bare figures. All the European patients are reported to be doing well in hospital.
Thurday. During the 24 hours ending at noon yesterday there were reported 3 fresh cases of plague and 2 douths (Chinese).
We regret to announce that Capt. Primrose and his son were removed to hospital at 6.15 yesterday evening, suffering from plague. It will be remembered that Mrs. Primrose was discharged from Kennedytown Hospital on the
4th inst.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
! HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held on the 11th inst. at the Board-room. The President (Hon. W. Chatham, Acting Director of Public Works) occupied the chair, and there were also present the Vice-President (Hon. F. H. May, C.M G., Captain Superintendent of Police), Dr. Bell (Acting Principal Civil Medical Officer), Dr. Clark (Medical Officer of Health), Mr. A. Browin (Registrar-General). Mr. E. Osborne, Mr. Fung Wa Chuen, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
FURTHER REPORT BY THE BANITARY
IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE.
The following further recommendations of the Sanitary Improvements Committee, in continuation of their reports of February 1st and April 19th on the improvement of the sanitary condition of the colony, were submitted:
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1. That the Government be advised to enact: erected of a greater depth than 40 feet (as That every domestic building hereafter
measured in accordance with sub-section E of section 56 of the Public Health Ordinance of 1907), shall be provided by the owner with a glazed skylight in the roof, of a total area of not less than 1-25th of the total floor area of such domestic building, and every upper floor shall be provided with a well-hole, corresponding, in position and area, to such skylight.
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Provided that no such provision shall be required in the case of domestic buildings which adequately lit by means of windows opening are, in the opinion of the Sanitary Board,
into a side street or other open space of a width of not less than 15 feet, in addition to being lit from the front. '
2. That with a view to the improvement in the condition of the storm-drains, provision should be made for a sewer inlet adjacent to every storm-drain inlet so that all foul waters
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ing held on 25th June, it was agreed (1) to recommend that a cemetery for wealthy Chinese be set apart on a portion of the land lying between Aberdeen Channel and Deep Water Bay, area to be about 150 acres, land to be purchasable at any time for graves only; and (2) that no netion be taken in regard to Mount Caroline Cemetery for the present."
The PRESIDENT-I propose these recommen- dations of the Committee be sent forward to the Government.
Mr. FuNG WA Chuen seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
A discussion then arose, on a question by Mr. MAY, as to the reason that no action was to be taken in regard to Mount Caroline Cemetery.
The recommendations of the Committee were then taken separately, and the first was carried unanimously.
Dealing with the second, Mr. My said he was not in accord with it. The reason, he said, was that a very large increase of the population was going to take place down East. When the Wanchai reclamation was carried out, as it was bound to be, the cemetery would have to 8o, so that it was really only making its removal more difficult to continue to bury bodies there. Again, it was not the place for a cemetery, as it was much too close and was situated on a flat piece of ground. Stops should be taken to close the cemetery, and to find another.
was any immediate necessity for closing the cemetery, to do which would have no practical effect whatever. There were very many graves in the cemetery, graves that bad cost a lot of money to build, and their being allowed to remain would not interfere with the future prosperity of the colony.
Mr. FUNG Wa Chuɛn did not think there
Mr. OSBORNE -I move that the Government be recommended not to allow any further
fiuding their way into the side-channels may enter the sewer, instead of, as frequently hap-interments to take place there. pens at present, entering the storm-drain. which latter should only receive storm-water. The Committee understand that this is an
essential element in the success of the separate system of drainage.
3. That additional flushing tanks should be provided for the sewers of the City of Victoria. 4. That with a view to the exclusion of rats
from the dwelling houses and the exclusion of garbage from the sewers and storm-drains, the gratings to the storm and sewer-gullies should be furnished with as small interspaces as possible.
5. That ceilings and lath-and-plaster walls should be prohibited in all tenement buildings in the City of Victoria below the level of Caine
Road, and in Kowloon,
Dr. BELL agreed with the views expressed by Mr. May. In seven years hence the reclama- tion would be made, when the graveyard would have to be removed. If it were closed now, the cemetery would be ready to be built upon at the end of the seven years, but if bodies were interred right up to the last moment, the recla mation work would be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. BREWIN-I think the place where they are burying now is about a mile back from the sea, and about seven hundred feet above the sea.
You will never cut that down.
Mr. OSBORNE-No harm can be done if wo s'op burying there now,
The PRESIDENT-I think it is simply a case of passing the recommendation or not passing it, so we might as well take a vote.
The recommendation was lost, Mr. BREWIN and Mr. FUNG WA CHUEN being its only
supporters. Friday.
During the 24 hours ending at noon yesterday there were reported 8 fresh cases of plague (6 Chinese, and the 2 Europeans (whose names we have already given), and 5 deaths (Chinese). The year's figures now are:-1,553 cases (1,474 Chinese, 51 other Asiatics, 28 Europeans), 1,478 deaths (1,435 Chinese, 34 other Asiatics, 9 Europeans).
6. That the nuisance caused by the hawking of fish, vegetable, and other perishable articles of food should be remedied as far a possible by the provision of concreted open spaces to which hawking should be strictly confined. The Committee suggest that a part at least of the south side of the proposed new Harbour Office. temporary market which is to be erected on the be devoted to this purpose, and also that the vacant foreshore immediately to the west of the Public Works' store on Praya East be levelled and concreted, and used for a similar purpose, Also that a level site be set apart for the haw- During the 24 hours ending at noon yester-kers in Taipingshan, and another in Yaumati. day there were reported 4 fresh cases of plague and one death, all the victims being Chinese, Kok be proceeded with at once.-
7. That the segregation camp at Lai Chi Thus, after the slight rise of the previous 24 May, F. W. Clark, E. Osborne.
-(Sd.) F. H. hours, the decline of the last two weeks has
With regard to paragraph 5 of the report. continued.
the PRESIDENT was of opinion that it should be altered 80 as to decide the European reservation, which was not amply specified. It was necessary that the prohibition should only extend to buildings outside the European reservation.
Saturday.
The Sinwenpao records a snub received recently by Li Hung-chang from the Foreign Ministers at Peking. Four battalions of Governor Yuan Shih-kai's disciplined troops were ordered by Li Hung-chang the other day to enter Peking in order to preserve order inside the city after the evacuation by the Allied forces. Li's orders seam, however, to have been premature, as he failed first to consult with or notify the Foreign Ministers of the proposed entrance of the Chinese troops in question. Li Hung-chang was therefore given a broad hint that the entrance of Chinese troops being "officially unknown" there is every pro- bability that when they are met by the Allies the Chinese troops will be fired upon. Li Hung. chang therefore countermanded his orders.
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This view was supported by the other members of the Board, and on the motion of Dr. BELL seconded by the PRESIDENT, the report, as amended, was adopted.
REPORT OF CHINESE CEMETERIES COMMITTEE.
It was resolved at a meeting held on 2nd May that the Board appoint a Committee, consisting of Dr. Clark, "Mr Brewin, and Mr. Fang Wa Chinen, to select a burial ground for rich Chinose, and a burial ground in substitution for the Mount Carolina Cemetery.
The report of the Committee was laid on the table, and was as follows: "At a meet-
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Dr. CLARK-I think a resolution might be moved to close the cemetery now.
Mr. OSBORNE-We must get another one first.
Mr. MAY-I move that the report be sent back to the committee, with a request that they select a more permanent site.
This was seconded by Dr. BELL, and carried unanimously.
REMOVAL OF PLAGUE BODIES.
The following reply from Government re- lative to the removal of plague bodies from the colony was laid on the table:- His Excellency the Governor approves of the resolution of the Sanitary Board that the bodies of Chinese whọ have died of plague may be coffined in the usual Chinese manner by relatives and friends and removed from the colony without any restriç. tions."
ADDITIONAL STALLS IN YAUMATI MARKET. There was also laid on the table the reply from Government relative to the erection of eight additional stalls in Yaumati, recommended at a confidential meeting of the Board held on the
30th ult.
The reply showed that the recommendation had been submitted and approved. The expendi ture entailed will be charged against the
"Miscellaneous Works” Vote.
DR. ATKINSON'S RECALL. With reference to the recall of Dr. Atkinson, Principal Civil Medical Officer, and the appoint- ment of Dr. Pearse as Assistant Medical Officer of Health, the following copy of a telegram
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