therefore come out to the tropics thoroughly abreast of the times, knowing what has been done and what requires to be done.
So it has come about that at the present day, instead of the two or three men who took a more or less languid interest in tropical disease some five or six years ago, a whole army of eager investigators has arisen, mainly composed of men educated or inspired by the Liverpool and London Schools.'
Sir PATRICK enumerated a few notable triumphs by men from the London School, which has now been in existence a few inonths over four years.
Firstly Dr. Low, present Superintendent of the School, showed how the blood-worm responsible for elephantiasis is introduced into the human body, i.e. by the proboscis of a mosquito. Then, the final proof of the conveyance of malaria by mosquitoes was given by the School, chiefly through DiS. SAMBON and Low. And again the parasite which causes the terrible malady known as Sleeping Sickness was discovered through the researches of two pup ls and the late Superintendent of the School. With regard to the latter discovery, Sir PATRICK MANSON said on the 7th December that until a fortnight before it could not be affirmed with certainty that this parasite, the trypanosoma, was really the cause of Sleeping Sickness. Now we know that the trypanosoma causes Sleeping Sickness, and the knowledge will in the end result in our being able, if not to cure, at least to prevent the disease, which (conveyed, it seems, through the bite of a species of tsetse-fly) is rapidly spreading not only in the Congo Free State but also in Uganda aud elsewhere in Africa. These discoveries are accomplished facts, "but," sad the speaker, "they are not enough; they only serve to stimulate us to attempt more." The School is now actively investigating that at preseut mysterious disease beri-beri, Dr. DANIELS, the late superintendent, being in charge of a very complete research laboratory at Kuala Lumpur. But for the schemes of investiga- tion on foot, for the remainder of the debt on the School buildings, for the furnishing of its brary and museum, etc., money is required. Sir PATRICK MANSON put the case thus:-"We want £100,000, or as muca of that sum as we can get. We have “given full value for that money. Apart "from the education we have supplied to our 354 students, any one of the dis "coveries I have mentioned is worth the sum I name ten times over. I have, "therefore, no hesitation in asking for something more on account.” For the purpose of collecting some of the required money, Sir FRANCIS LOVELL, the Dean of the School, is repeating his visit of two years ago. A wealthy Parsee, the Hon. BOMANJI, DINSHAW PETIT, Lefore gave 100,000 rupees to the School; Sir PATRICK MANSON Says that he does not despair of there being found somewhere a Chinese rival to Mr. PETIT, and looks especially to the Chinese, who stand to gain so much in the Malay Peninsula by the discovery of the cause of bei-beri, for aid at the present time. From business houses and corpora tious connected with the East the School has already received much support and this, Sir PATRICK is sure, will be continued. concluded with a graceful acknowledgement of gratitude 10 the Press, both at home and in the East, for their assistance to S FRANCIS LOVELL, and to his medical brethren in India, the Straits, Hongkong, and elsewhere for their co-operation.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND in the East. Hongkong will not be behind the rest in acknowledging this debt.
THE TRADE OF YUNNAN.
(Daily Press, 12th January.) From time to time, in spite of the constant prising of more important questions in other parts of China, and in spite too of the long obsession of the public mind by the varying phases of the Manchurian difficulty, atten- tion is directed in British official reports and in the columns of the British Colonial Press, to the subject of Yunnan's future and the probable share therein of British enterprise. We published yesterday the conclusions arrived at by Mr. LITTON, H.B.M.'s Acting-Consul, after a tour in the North-western part of the province last winter (1902-03). Mr. LITTON sets a good example to cousuls by his painstaking in- vestigation into the chances of his country's commerce in the part of the world wherein he is placed, and he writes neither with undue enthusiasm nor in despair. He points out, to start with, that Yunnan is out of the great current of China trade--at present, we may add, for the time is surely, if very slowly, coming when both Yunnan and Szechued must attract a portion of that current to send it on either to French Indo- China or to Burma. We wish that we could also say to Hongkong, and indeed ten years ago we might so have said, when a Kowloon-to-Burma railway did not seem more impossible than a French Indo- Chinese line to Yunnanfu. But with railways in a new country it is the first line in which stands all the chances of success and, further, threatens to prevent competition. To return to the point, Yunnan, Mr. LITTON says, is out of the main current of China trade and a successful year there depends on the opium and rice-harvests of the province, these in turn What is wanted depending on the weather. is some export products to give in return for Indian yarn and cotton goods. Similarly we find Mr. MONTGOMERY, Commissioner of Imperial Chinese Customs af Tengyueh, saying in his report on the trade of that place in 1902, that, if the importation of Indian and European goods is to increase, it seerus more than ever necessary to find some, means to add to the exports, so that they may be bartered for foreign goods and ruinous exchange transactions avoided.. Mr. MONTGOMERY dmits that it is not easy to suggest a remedy. Upium, of course, prohibited from entering or passing thoug Burna.
18
[January 16, 1904-
and watches, mirrors, enamelled iron- ware, cheap ribbons and laces for trim- mings, pocket-knives, padlocks, umbrellas; leather belts, the stouter cottons, such as American drills, cotton prints of a gaudy pattern, Turkey reds, cigarettes, jade, ogral, and amber. Mr. MONTGOMERY mentions also American kerosene and Japanese matches. The actual value of native pro- duce exported in 1902 was Hk. Tls. 148,392, of which no less than 78 per cent. was There were also Szechuen yellow silk. hemp-twine, carpets, walnuts, orpiment, paper, hides, and native drugs; Mr. LITTON adds musk, straw-braid, wools and furs, and bristles. With regard to mining-produce, Mr. MONTGOMERY has little to say, and Mr. LITTON does not care to offer any advice, while doubting whether in North- western Yunnan there are any mines which would repay the cost of transport of foreign" machinery and introduction of foreign en- gineers. On the whole, it cannot he said that the immediate prospects of this part of the province are brilliant, but still it is considerably more populous than the part served by the Red River route, and the opening of Tengyueh must lead to expan- But the sion of trade by the Burma route. real importance of Yunnan, it must always be remembered, is thut it is the threshold of Szech ien and the Upper Yangtsze region, and for this reason its ópering acquires a value entirely apart from what the province itself can do for Burmese and Indian trade. As the western gate of Central China the opening of Yunnan is essential to British commerce and influence.
HONGKONG JOTTINGS.
(Daily Press, 12th January.) been the obief feature of the past week, and The regular epidemic of war rumours has almost every prominent firm in the Colony has been credited
8 one day with telegram announcing an outbreak. As for the Acting Governor (I think that this brief synonym for the Officer Administering the Government is pa donable, if incorrect), the General, and the Commodore.
the number of important despatches which have reached them, according to popular report, is woude ful. No doubt these high personages have had some very interesting. communications, but with regard o the actions of Japan and Russia littl can be known, as both Governments are at special pans to Keep hingscone ind. Hongkong will not be the first place in the world to hear of a declaration of war, if such occurs; but we certainly make up or that by inventing or magining them, though they ave not got into priut yet. I supp se the intending war-correspondents, anxious to be uuder fire some of them), are the most eager for the news. There are, it is to be feared, a lot of the shadier kind of correspondents also on the watch for a good chair in a Chefoo or Tientsin hotel, whence to electrify their patrous in Europe and America and found the authentic news telegraphed by their more honourable to leagues near the
front.
Now Mr. LITION mak:8 some suggestions for increasing the export trade of Yuuuan. He points out the importance of the province as a possibe field of supply for ponies and wules; he urges establish ment if a cotton cloth weaving industry in the Tengrueh or neighbouring valley; and advises the presence of an European firm at Tengyueb in the hope of opening new lines of trade, especially of export trade, which the Chinese them-elv s are very slow to Next to war rumours, exchange vagaries he movements attempt. Yt it is to be noted from Mr. attract H ngkong attention MONTGOMERY's report that the opening of are really quite exciting to watch, and the famatear axoliduge gambers is the Tengyaeh Custom Hus on the 8th anxiety Ma, 1902, followed by that of two stations amusing, especially to the penniless philosopher. he exchange broker now must feel like the nearer Burma three days later, was favour-captain of a liner who is continually being ably received by the local merchants, vho asked. How many knots is the ship going to gave no trouble whatever in opposition to do to-day?"-except that the broker canut Customs, methods. The first twelve month control the dollar as the captain is speed. of Tengyueh were estimated to bring in Hk. Tls. 30,000 in duty collected, whereas under the old lekin rules the revenue varied between Hk. Tls. 10,000 and 20,000,
24
There has been some talk of late about dust and other rubbish having been thrown into The Government are Hongkong harbours,
We are confident that this new appeal will not be made in vain. The Loudon never reaching the latter figure. The very strio with vessels touching at the port, School of Tropical Medicine has established most popular imports, already a permanent claim on the sympathy by Mr. LITTON and active help of all classes of residents observations, are blankets,
from
as
ins sting that no rubbish be thrown overboard; enumerat din fact, if seafaring men are to avoid being his personal charged at the Magistracy they must be very cheap clocks careful. On the other hand, it is alleged by more
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