56
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRÉSS AND *ban in the last operations in which the which will appear in the order named : Navy was engaged, the relief of Peking Imperial Edicts-Important memorials- itself, though no less than 35 officers and 519 Public documents of the various yamens men were landed, only one man was wounded Telegrams from the provinces-For-ig but 10 men died of disense consequent and Reuter's telegrams-Important edito- upon the trying ordeal through which the|rials from other papers --Translations of relief force had to pass..
foreign newspapers--Agriculture, commerce, trad --Miscellaneous items, "susceptible of proof," both for China and foreign conn- tries;
also all matters which concern the
THE MANCHURIAN CONVENTION.
وو
morals and manners of the people in Peking This is (Daily Press, 23rd January.) and out of it-- Advertisements. The Japanese newspaper, the Mainichi, sufficiently comprehensive. The proviso gives what purports to be a further step in that the miscellaneous items shall be sus- the Manchurian negotiations. It will be ceptible of proof shows a paternal regard remembered that this journal at the end of for the welfare of the renders. But the last month published the terms of a new rules as to what are the things forbidden convention, the ncceptance of which it stated in this model paper are perhaps the most that M. LESSAR was urging on the Chinese humorous part of the prospectus. Firstly. Plenipotentiaries, Prince CHING and WANG there is to be no improper discussion of state WEN-SHAO. This was the document which affairs. This is decidly to be commended, LI HUNG-CHANG was supposed to be on the and it is obviously the safest course in point of signing at the time of his death. China, if the editor wishes to continue in
Secondly, "strange and im It appears that apart from the deceased his chair. statesman no one in China was acquainted probable things will not be printed." We with the convention (which we reproduced in imagine, therefore, that there will be a strict our issue of the 7th instant), and the Em-censorship over the telegrams. But surely; peror and Empress Dowager are said to have been absolutely ignorant of its nature. WANG WEN-SHAO therefore sent an answer to M. LESSAR, objecting to some of the principal stipulations and asking for fresh negotiations. The Russian Minister rejoined that he must refer the matter to S. Peters- burg. The addition now made by the Mainichi to the story is that M. LESSAR has informed the Chinese authorities that Russia will never restore the control of the New- chwang Railway to China unless the Treaty be ratified as proposed by Russia. On the other hand, our Japanese contemporary goes on to state, Sir ERNEST SATOW is reported to have made representations to China that the railway south of Shanhai- kwan will never be handed over to her as long as the Russians remain in control of the Newchwang line, and that in addition the administration of Tientsin is in danger of being permanently retaine: by the Allies. What there may be in this story we are not in a position to judge. On the face of it, it looks not impossible, but that is all that can be said. If it be true, obviously the solution of the question at issue is brought no nearer by the latest development.
A NEW PEKING OFFICIAL JOURNAL.
44
improbable things often happen and even find their way into REUTER's and other foreign telegrams-to say nothing of native despatches. However, the Peking journal evidently wishes to be on the safe side. Thirdly, "jokes and detraction of character will be excluded." Of course! low methods of journalism are Such unworthy of Peking, and jokes would be particularly out of place in a sheet which may someday enjoy the patronage of the Empress Dowager. Finally, "bribes will Other papers, we believe, not be extorted.' manage to exist without extorting bribes, but the Peking paper proclaims its in- corruptibility at once in a praiseworthy way We shall await the first number with interest.
THE CRISIS: TELEGRAMS.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
SHANGHAI, 19th January, 12.30 p.m. It is reported on the strength of good authority from Peking that General Tung Fuhsiang was executed on the 15th instant at Hsiaufu in the Governor's Yamen Shensi.
on
HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD. A meeting of the Sanitary Board was held the 23rd inst. in the Board Room. Present:- the President, Dr. J. M. Atkinson (Principal Civil Medical Office); the Vice-President, Hon, A. W. Brewin (Registrar-General); Dr. J. W Clark, Medical Offioer of Health; Hon, W. Chatham, Director of Public Works; Col. Hughes, R. A. M. C.; Mr. F, J. Badeley, Acting Captain Superintendent of Police; Mr. Edward Osborne, Mr. Fung Wa Chun, Mr. Lan Chupak, and Mr. G. A. Woodcock (Secretary).
SH PRATS AND BUBONIC PLAGUE.
(Daily Press, 24th January.) The Shanghai native papers give the out- lines of a new official journal which it is proposed to establish in Peking. It appears that the Board of Regency
"is to protect the new venture in the first instance, and that subsequently, should it prosper, the Government will be asked to control and aid it. The scheme of the paper, as detailed in the native Press, makes rather amusing
A ban book (with relative correspondence) reading. We are gravely told that, the
was laid on tho table from the Clayton Fire Ventilating Co., Ld., chief object of the paper being to aid in the Extinguishing and enlightenment of the people it will not there-regarding the Clayton machine and its efficacy fore print anything "political or trifling.' for the destruction of rats on abips from plague
ports. The combination of " political or trifling
The Medical Officer of Health minuted: -I is delightful. Then we are told that if any strongly recommend that the Government so-called news is afterwards found to be should order this apparatus from England false, it must be corrected in later issues. Type C-without the fire-extinguishing at- This is sometimes done in unofficial papers tachments, which do not appear to Le needed for in other places than Peking. As a guaran- the work we require the apparatus to do— tee of the sale of the new paper it is stipu-came'y the destruction of rats in the holds of lated that, this being the official organ of ships and possibly also in our drains.
The Director of Public Works minuted :- government, the civil and military officials
Until some idea has been formed as to the of all the provincial capitals must of course
meaus of using the apparatus and the probable buy it and read it, and the governors must
cost per aunum it is somewhat premature be ordered to command their subordinates to apply to Government. The apparatus must and people to do the
The be mounted on a barge, which will require to list of contents includes the following, 'be manned and will also require either to be
same.
[January 27, 1902.
solf-propelling or to be towed about the Har- hour by means of a steam launch. What vessels is it proposed to disinfect or fumigate? I pre- sume one apparatus would be quite incapable of dealing with all the vessels entering the Har-
bour.
The Registrar-General minuted :-I should like to know under what circumstances it is proposed to use this apparatus and how often it would have been used say last year.
The Medical Officer of Health minuted:-In reply to the Hon. Registrar General I should say it would be used on all steamers leaving this port when plague prevails here and on all steamers arriving from plague-infected ports only, however, with the consent of the shipping agents. I suggest the matter be referred to the Chamber of Commerce for their opinion by the Government.
Ingladed in the correspondence was a letter from the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, con-
taining an extract from a letter from the Local Government Board in reply to an enquiry as to the risk of rats introducing plague into a country by swimming ashore from vessels arriving from plague-infected port and as to the precautions to be adopted to prevent it. This extract was to the effect that the Board were advised that, as a rule, rats when actually plague-stricken are be considerable or the water at all rough. So far,
not in a condition to swim ashore if the distance
however, as the Board have had experience in the matter, it would seem that rats on board ships from plagne-infected ports do uo neces. sarily suffer from plague and that it is the exception to find that rats on such ships have
voyagǝ. been suffering from notable illness or dying in conspicuous numbers during the If however cases of plague have occurred thero among the rats during the voyage i3 no surety, so long 23 any remain. alive on board the vessel, that some of thess animals may not be capable of importing plague into the place of the vessel's destination. Hence the Board have recommended that special measures should be taken as regards rats in all such cases and they forward copies of a memoran- dum prepared by their Medical Officer setting out the precautions which should be taken to prevent as far as possible the introduction of plague into a place by means of ship-borne rats. These were-(1) destruction of rats on board, prevention of rats leaving the vessel by mooring a sufficient distance from other ships and from the shore, and placing guards on the mooring hawsers; (2) enquiries regarding mortality among rats on board vessels coming from plague-infected ports, examination of dead rats, and, if plague- stricken, the ship to be dealt with as provided under clause 1; (3) exceptional sickness or mor- tality among rats on board any vessel within the district to be viewed with suspicion; (4) rats when destroyed on board ship not to be handled but at once cremated; (5) in the event of rats on board any ship being found to be infected with plague, all parts of vessel frequented by them to be disinfected; (6) authorities of sea- port towns invaded by plague to endeavour to secure destruction of rats in the town, not least
those inhabiting the docks and quayside warehouses, measures to be taken to prevent shore rats boarding vessels in port and attempt made to destroy all rats on board vessels about to proceed on their royage, and captains of such vessels to be urged to take steps during the ensuing voyage for the destruction of rats that may have escaped destruction.
With a view to ascertaining the details of the apparatus devised for pumping 802 gas into the holds of ships for the destruction of rats the Colonial Office in London was communicated with and a letter was received in reply enclosing the bandbook of the Clayton Co., above referred to, with descriptions of the machine, which is specially designed for fumigating and dis- infecting and may be erected
a
on board barge or on a wharf, connecting ships' holds with the machine by means of flexible pipes passed on board. So soon as the rats perceive the presence of the 802 gas which the machine pumps into the ships they came out of their hiding places in their desire to get air and being suffocated in the open are readily collected and cremated. This gas ensures the destruction of all insects and The price of the parasites upon the rats. fumigating machine is £300 and of the necessary piping and accessories about £159.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.