428
The pilgrimage to Mecca.
[CHAP. XV.
of Bombay also issued a notification under the Epidemic Diseases Act
prohibiting intending pilgrims bound for Bombay from coming beyond
the railway stations of Ahmedabad, Bhusawal, Londa and Hotgi.
Endeavour to
dissuade
persons from
making the
pilgrimage.
Measures were at the same time taken to dissuade intending pil-
grims from proceeding to the Hedjaz during the current season. It
was ascertained from the Government of Bombay that there was no-
uninfected port on the Bombay coast from which pilgrim ships could
Calcutta and
Madras open to
the pilgrim
traffic.
depart, but Calcutta remained open to the pilgrim traffic and,
at the request of the Government of India, the Government
of Madras declared Madras to be a port for the departure and
arrival of pilgrim ships. It was made widely known that pilgrim
vessels might still proceed from these ports ; the Government of
Bombay were requested to give information on the subject to
the persons interested in the Red Sea traffic, and the Government of
Bengal was warned that it might be necessary for the authorities at
Calcutta to be prepared for an influx of pilgrin.s. About a quarter of
Asiatic Russian
pilgrims.
the pilgrims who depart from the port of Bombay are Asiatic Russian
subjects, and it was suggested to Her Majesty's Government that the
Russian Government should be requested to use its influence to pre-
vent Russian pilgrims coming to India en route for Arabia.
Strong protests
against the
embarkation of
pilgrims from
Madras.
Strong protests were received from the Government of Madras and
various commercial and other public bodies in the Madras Presidency
against pilgrims being permitted to depart from the port of
Madras. They feared that these pilgrims might carry infection into
Madras, and that the fact that they were allowed to sail from Madras
might cause that port to be quarantined by European countries, The
Precautionary
instructions
issued by the
Government of
India.
Detention of
intending
pilgrims in an
observation
camp in the
Bombay
Presidency.
Government of India asked the Government of Bombay to dissuade all
persons who had arrived in Bombay with the intention of going to the
Hedjaz. from proceeding either to Madras or to Calcutta in order to
embark for the pilgrimage. Instructions were at the same time given
that all persons who had arrived in the Bombay Presidency and
refused to abandon their intention of proceeding on the pilgrimage
should be detained under observation in some place in the Bombay
Presidency, and that until arrangements had been made for this
detention no intending pilgrims should be allowed to leave
Bombay. It was further suggested to the Government of Madras
that they should issue orders, similar to orders already issued by the
Government of Bengal, for the continuous medical observation, for at
least seven days, of all persons desiring to sail from Madras to the
Hedjaz, at an appointed place at some distance from the port. The
Government of India hoped that the adoption of these measures would
prevent large bodies of pilgrims coming from Bombay to Madras or
Calcutta, that it would ensure that any pilgrims who did come from
the Bombay Presidency were free from plague, and that it would