July 5, 1902,]
HONGKONG AND PLAGUE.
In its issue of the 6th ult. the L. & C. Express The telegrams received at the Colonial Office
says:****
show that there has been a recrudescence of the plague this year at Hongkong, although, for- tunately, it is nothing like so severe as last year's outbreak. The increased precautions which have been taken would appear, therefore, not to have been in vain. There is still, however, much m re to be done if the disease is to be finally stamped out, and for the future prosperity of the colony it is absolutely essential that the local authorities should leave no stone unturned to bring about this desirable end. The recom- mendations which have been made by Professor Simpson i dicate clearly the line to be pursued. The carrying of them out may involve much trouble, expense, and some conflict with the local Chinese, but as it is, perhaps, no exaggeration to say that the very existence of the colony is at stake, the difficulties, however great they are, must be faced promptly and with resolution. We make this remark because at a recent meeting of the Sanitary Board some disposition wes shown to discontinue the fumigation and other precautionary measures in Chinese honses where plague-infected 1ats had been found, but fortunately wiser counsels prevailed. Professor Simpson appears to have put his finger on most of the weak spots. If it is not possible to put all the existing tenements on a thoroughly satisfactory sanitary basis, the authorities can at any rate prescribe the type of houses to be built in different parts of the colony in the future. On this and other points Professor Simpson makes many practical suggestions, and we certainly agree with him, as doubtless will the more enlightened opinion in the colony that the plague work should be independent of the ordinary sanitary routine work of the day, and therefore requires a special establishment which can work in conjunction with the Sanitary Department and get the benefit of its assistance.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND THE FILIPINOS.
The Times correspondent writ s under date Washington, May 30:-
++
of self-
An important address was delivered to-day by the President, who attended the memorial ceremony at Arlington and spoke to the veterans of the civil war and to the public. Much of the address related to the Philippines, their present condition and probable future. The following is the most significant passage of all: We believe that we can rapidly teach the people of the Philippine Islands, not only how to enjoy, but how to n ake good use of their freedom, and with their growing knowledge their growth in self-government shall keep steady pace. When they have thus shown their capacity for real freedom by their power government, then, and not till then, will it be possible to decide whether they are to exist independently of us or be knit to us by the ties of common friendship and interest." This is the first suggestion by the President that Philippine independence is ultimately pos- sible. He spoke fully also concerning the alleged cruelties by soldiers, admitting that they had occurred, but they have been wholly ex- ceptional and have been shamelessly exaggerat ed.". He bitterly deplored them, declared that all had been and would be sternly punished, pledged himself to stern measures to prevent their recurrence, and affirmed- Our warfare as a whole has been conducted with singular humanity under terrible provocation." The immediate objects of the war he defined as peace and freedom, the establishment of civil authority. and the extension of civilisation to secure abiding freedom of the individual, the only sure foundation upon which national independence (can be built." The speech altogether, with its stamp of constructive statesmanship, is likely to have a marked influence on American opinion. Reuter's correspondent at New York, says: In a speech made at the memorial exercises in the National Cemetery at Arlington, Virginia, to-day Mr. Roosevelt said that the troops were carrying to completion in the Philippines a small but peculiarly trying and difficult war. They had received terrible provocation from a
"law-
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
very cruel and treacherous enemy. Under the strain of provocations which he deeply deplored referred to lynchings in the United States some bad retaliated by cruelty. The President under. he said, circumstances of cruelty infinitely worse than any the troops bad committed in the Philippines. He went on to say:-"The men who fail to condemn these, yet clamour at what has been done in the Philippines, are guilty of neglecting the beam in their own eye while they are taunting their brother about the mote in his.
The acts of cruelty are bitterly regrett d, but they afford less justification for general condemnation of the army than the lynchings afford for condemnation of the com- manities where they occurred. Our enemies in the Philippines violated every rule of war."
HONGKONG,
Mr. J. O Neill, Deputy Expense Account Officer, Hongkong Naval Yard, has been appointed to a similar position at Portsmouth, tice Mr. Townshend, appointed to llongkong.
We understand that Mr. H. E. Pollock, K.C our former Acting Attorney-General, has not after all resigned the Attorney-Generalship of Fiji, but has merely gone home on leave of
absence.
We are asked to state that, the Indian merchants of Hongkong having cabled to Sir Thomas Jackson their congratulations on receiving the honour of a Barcnetcy, Mr. H. N. Mody has received the following reply
MISCELLANEOUS.
15
It is stated that F. S. Mayer, the American itizen who was convicted of fraud in the Yokohama Chiho Saibansho and sentenced to 18 months' major imprisonment and six months'
police surveillance, will not appeal from his
sentence.
Sir Claude MacDonald, British Minister at Tokyo, was proposing to give a garden party on the afternoon of the 26th nlt., iu honour of the Coronation of King Edward, and issued about a thousand invitations before the news of the postponement arrived.
Last advices from Chefoo are that the quarantine is making mail delivery very tedious. Nearly every steamer coming into port flies the quarantine flag, but detailed information on health subjects is somewhat difficult to procure. The Russians have put a stop to all coolie traffic between Chefoo and Port Arthur, This involves great loss to the local carrying trade, as coolies were in all cases the chief freight, Fcargo being shipped.ouly in small quantities.
The rise of 6s. per share on Mr. Alfred Holt's offer to the China Mutual shareholders came from Messrs. A. Weir and Co, who are with one exception the largest British sailing-ship own- ers, and they also possess some 22 steamers. They have one regular line of sailings from Glas- gow and Liverpool to New Orleans, and their other vessels are employed in tramp business. They are associated with the Glasgow firm, Messrs. Harrison, Weir and Co., and with Messrs. T. and J. Harrison, of Liverpool.
Many thanks, Indian merchants. Jackson:," The reiterated rumours to the effect that Sir Henry Arthur Blake, G.C.M.G, was not likely to A sum of $1,560 has already been guaranteed return to the Colony to resume the Governorship lor the match between McAuliffe and Ryan, were discounted on the 28th ult, by the receipt the American, at Tientsin. As McAuliffe has of a telegram stating that His Excellency would modified his conditions from $3 009 to $2,000 leave England for Hongkong on the 15th of July. there is now every prospect that the match will We received from the Colonial, Secretary come off. The first week of July will probably last Saturday the following Copy of a telegram include the fixture; it will be in Gordon Hall from the Secretary of State for the Colonies and will be wholly under McAuliffe's aus- to the Governor, Hongkong, dated 27th June:picies as regards the gate, &c., except that the Queen begs me to express her thanks to guarantors will have free adu ission and specially Hongkong for telegram expressing sympathy." reserved seats, The match is attracting the As the result of the agitation by the members widest attention, and the hacking is by no of the local Fire Brigade for an increase of pay, means one-sided. a matter which was first mooted in the Daily Press, the Government have offered, in addition to the men's ordinary pay of $9 per month as firemen, to grant them a dollar each for every fire they attend. The concession is not favour- ably viewed.
'The Indian Government has this week notified M. Consul at Canton that the regulations of the Venice Convention will be enforced against all pers ns or articles arriving from Canton at Indian ports which are free from infection. This notice particularly concerns Parsee and Indian traders exporting Canton goods to Bombay and Culcutta.
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha sis. Tamba Maru (Captain T. W. Wale) ran aground on 'l hursday She while leaving the Harbour for Japan. had been lying alongside the Kowloon Wharf After being and was due to sail at noon. backed out from the wharf, her head was pointed for the northern éntrance, and she was got under way, But in rounding the point opposite the Terrible's anchorage, she took the gronuq about 200 yards from the Police Pier and remained fast on the bank for one and three quarter hours. The steamer floated ff at 2.45 p.m. with the rising tide. When the mishap took place Inspector P. Riley of the Water Police telephoned to the Dock Co informing them of what had happened, and also No assistance notified the Harbour Master. was required, however; the steamer floated off safely and, no damage having been sustained, she proceeded on her royage to Japan. There was a strong current ruuning, about 4 knots, when the vessel grouded.
The Japanese cruiser Chihaya left the harbour on the 30th ult. for Formosa.
The French flagship D'Entrecasteaux left for Chefoo on Thursday.
A Seoul telegram says that a Mr. Munstead (P) who was an adviser to the Foreign Depart ment some time ago, has been re-appointed on the recommendation of the Russian Minister, and a contract has been signed. This is under stood to be a move to prevent the appointment of an American adviser.
The second steam launch purchased by the North Borneo Government, the British Chantek, arrived at Sandakan on the 7th inst, after a rough passage of 11 days from Hong- kong, in which, however, she behaved very well. The Chantek did nine knots on her trial tri. She was intended for use in Darvel Bay, but this may now be altered. The Singapore Free Press hears the Government are likely to buy another launch, locally, and that Messrs Klamberg & Co., of Tawao, are negotiating for the purchase of one of the Hongkong ferry launches, for their timber trade at Datch Sebatic.
In Berlin military circles it is reported that besides the augmentation of the German troops in China, also the clothing of the corps will un- dergo a complete transformation. Neither the summer nor the winter dress of the men has been found to answer the service required of it especially the catsfurs, of which at the eqdip- ment of the troops over 10,000 were furnished, could not be kept from being spoiled by moths or the climate. The shoes or boots also were found impracticable for East Asiatic conditions. It has been decided, therefore, to adopt the En- glish system of dressi g the German troops in Asia, both infantry and cavalry.
A correspondent forwards a letter from Tokyo to the Paris Débats briefly commenting on the question of Socialism in Japan. Up to the pre- sent the people have, generally speaking, obeyed the directing classes, and have not interfered in political or social questions. But the events of the last 30 years have evoked a critical spirit, which is producing a combative temperament that commences to formulate indiscreet demands. It is somewhat curious to observe, says the L. & C. Express, that the initiative of this move ment is taken by a group of converted Chris- tians, headed by Katayama Sen and Shimada Saburo, who seek to form a democratic party with the object of obtaining universal suffrage. Other drastic measures would follow in the train of this-when such an event has been con- summated. It may be interesting to see what part this party will taked in the forthcoming elections.
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