FOR
THE QUESTION OF CHINESE CONSULATES.
(Daily Press, 21st May.) In the Notes on Native Affairs" published by our changhai morning contemporary we observe a statement in reference to the sug gested establishment of Chinese Consulates in important centres of trade in British terri- tories. It is announced that SHENO Kung-ly make himself acquainted with the busi- pao had telegraphed to the Chinese Foreign Office at Peking that he had found the British Commissioner, Sir JAMES LYLE MACKAY, Willing to consider favourably the question of the establishment of Chinese Consulates in British territories, under the favoured nation clause, and asking "whether "this clause inserted in the New Treaty “should be considered as settled." Now we are of course unaware what "centres of "trade" were referred to, or what countries were meant; they may have been in the United Kingdom, or they may have been in the Colonies or India. If it be proposed to establish Consulates in certain cities of the United Kingdom no great harm could result, though probably little good would accrue to China or to England. If, how- ever, the British territories alluded to meant the Colonies or India, some friction might ensue on the establishment of Con- sulates. For instance, it is doubtful whether either the great Canadian Dominion or the Commonwealth of Australia would
appreciate the honour of a Chinese Consul being appointed to live there. They would fear, and not without some reason, the interference of the Chinese Consul with the Chinese living there. The action of the Chinese Consul-General at Singapore some years ago in endeavouring to collect a war tax from the Chinese in the Straits Settle ments will not soon be forgotten. Nor would the Governments of Canada and Australia care to have a centre of Chinese influence created in those countries, as trouble might arise with China. All the drawbacks and difficulties imaginable in other places, how ever, would pale before those which would follow the establishment of a Chinese Con- sulate in this Colony. This question has been mooted on several occasions by the Chinese Government, but has, each time, been firmly and definitely rejected. We trust the idea was not Eroached to Sir JAMES MACKAY. In case it should be so broached we will set before the British Special Commissioner some few of the principal objections enter- tained here to the establishment of a Chinese Consul in the Colony.
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**
May 24, 1902.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
by the Canton Government as hostages for which is to be seen in the report wh their compliance with any demand that are discussing. What this is might be made upon them. At present the perhaps most briefly show by quoting Chinese residing in Hongkong not only from the Times of India. “Though the enjoy the protection of the Colonial Govern total mortality from all causes was ment, but they are also free from Cautonese “what less than in the previous rear se surveillance. This immunity would soon our contemporary, the plague mortality cease if a Chinese Consul were permitted to showed a considerable increase. The reside in Hongkong. He would very quick-“excess was doubtless due to some extent
to the abandonment of the policy of com pulsory segregation of contacts which, in "the opinion of many of the district officers, has resulted in the spread of infection. But, after all, the first essential condition " of a successful combat against an epidemic is the absence of panic and an attitude of confidence in the public mind: aud Mr. "SHEPPARD is only voicing the universal popular feeling when he says that the "abolition of compulsory measures has helped in a considerable degree to bring “about these very desirable and beneficent
results.
In many cases the people have shown that they appreciated the measures of disinfection and evacuation, the two most effective weapons in the "armoury of plague prevention. They "have even of their own accord sought for › "the co-operation of the officials in carry- ing out these measures, and have some- times done it without such co-operation. These are solid, tangible advantages "not to be disregarded even in the "face of an increased plague mortality." Now the compulsory removal to hospital of plague sufferers, which Bombay has aban- doned, is a question which concerns us very materially in Hongkong. We have endea- voured as far as possible to enforce such a policy so far, and it was only last year that a slight relaxation was allowed, in some cases. A little more than twelve months
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ness, the income, and the family connections" of all the principal Chinese residents, and it would not be long before he commenced to apply the screw. At first, no doubt, he would proceed warily, and would content himself with occasionally collecting sub- scriptions for various purposes to which it would be equally difficult for the victim, or the Hongkong Government on his behalf, to" take exception. After a time, however, and when he had surrounded himself with spies and agents, the Consul would spread his nets wide and invite the flies to walk in. There would, of course, be troubles when he overstepped the mark and tried to snare a bolder fly than usual, and he might even get recalled for an excess of zeal or for unauthorised inter- ference with the Hongkong people; but his place would promptly be taken by another spider, who, profiting by his pre- decessor's downfall, would proceed with greater caution. But, in any case, the presence of a Chinese consular representa- tive in this port would be prolific of mischief, while the necessity for such an appointment could not, by any sophistry, be demonstrated. There is absolutely no need for such an official. The Chinese do not want his protection; they are exceptionally and they enjoy the special attention of the well represented in the Legislative Council; Registrar-General, who is virtually a pro- tector of the Chinese community. On every ground, therefore, any proposition having for its object the erection of a Chinese Consulate in this Colony should be most strenuously resisted, not only in the British interest but also on behalf of the Chinese, who, on the faith of the assurance of protection by the British Governinent, have been induced to settle here for purposes of trade or employment.
PLAGUE-FIGHTING IN BOMBAY.
(Daily Press, 22nd May.) The recently published report of the Bom. bay Municipal Commissioner on the plague in that city in the year which ended on the In the first place, and foremost in political 31st May cannot help being of interest in importance, is the fact that the creation of this Colony, where, if our epidemics of the anything in the shape of a Chinese official disease do not rival those of Bombay, we yamen here would be the establishment of have to encounter at least all the principal an imperium in imperio in the Colony. The difficulties which confront the Bombay mandarin would be regarded as the outward sanitary authorities. Bombay, ns is well and visible sign of Chinese suzerainty, and known, when first attacked by the plague not only would there be perpetual appeals adopted in the endeavour to stamp it out to him for intervention, but the Chinese most drastic measures, far more extreme masses might in certain eventualities refuse than those taken in Hongkong in 1894, the to recognise any other authority, In the year of our first visitation. In consequence second place, the Consulate would speedily of this policy those in whose care the health become a centre for the collection of in- of Bombay rests had, very shortly to deal, formation and of its dissemination among as the Times of India put it recently, with the ignorant coolies and others. In the a disorganised city and a demoralised rabble. third place, it would become the engine for The people had not the slightest confidence the collection of illegal taxes from the in the steps taken by the Government, and Chinese population. No wealthy Chinaman by their strenuous resistance defeated would long be safe, unless judeed he had practically all the objects in view. The no relations in China and had no desire to result was that the disease was not mastered, the country of his origin. As, how-while on the other hand the future welfare the vast majority of the Hongkong of Bombay was permanently threatened. so have the bulk of their relatives in Finally the authorities became convinced lung they could always be easily of the hopelessness of the struggle to com reached by the provincial officials by means bat plague in such a manner and a change relatives, who would be regarded of policy was introduced, the sequel of
of th
ago H. E. the Governor proposed in a minute to the Sanitary Board that plague patients at Yaumati should be allowed to be
treated in their own homes under certain
conditions-a suggestion which found no favour with the Board. In June last Mr. E. OSBORNE proposed substantially the same plan, but the Sanitary Board refused to change its mind. It was felt that the ques- tions which Doctor BELL asked at the time were unanswerable. Where were all the people to go, he said, who left the infected houses? Where were the people to look after the patient? Where could the medical men be got to look after the cases ? how could the continuous isolation of the patients be guaranteed? Bombay, as the report which we are considering shows, has a system of health camps" which is found to answer the intended purpose admirably.
And
We are told that there is reason to believe that this means of warding off the disease has taken a real hold on the popular mind, and that the people would go into camp in much larger numbers if they were provided with free quarters, and permitted to occupy them for the whole epidemic period of four or five months. "It is well-known," says Mr. SHEPPARD, "that, once they are lodged. under such circumstances, they endeavour "to remain in these huts as, long as they.
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possibly can, and are only turned out after "considerable difficulty." The poorer classes, however, are handicapped by want of means from taking proper advantage of the health camps. That these camps deserved their name is evidenced by the fact that the average number of residents at the private health camps during the year under report. was about 2,600 a month; and the average mortality from all causes among them was less than 4 per thousand, against 91 thousand for the whole city of Bam But it is needless to point out that we
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