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about six lákhs of rupees, of which more than half was spent in the Karachi
District, one lakh in the Hyderabad District, and one and three quarter lákhs in
the Shikárpur District.
The pleasing task remains of endeavouring to acknowledge the services of
the officers through whose instrumentality, under divine blessing, the plague
disappeared after being epidemic during a little more than seven months.
During the plague, no officer rendered more valuable and conspicuous
service than Mr. Robert Giles, the Collector of Karachi. To him first the
thanks of the Acting Commissioner are pre-eminently due for experienced, unre-
served advice, well considered suggestions, and the ability and determination
with which he prosecuted to a successful issue whatever he undertook. On him
fell chiefly the heavy barden of controlling plague operations in Karáchi, and
whatever success is due to those measures largely belongs to him.
To General T. A. Cooke, Commanding Sind District, the Acting Commis-
sioner would respectfully offer hearty thanks for the appreciative way in which
the General has spoken of all the officers serving under him. From the day he
took charge, the General and the Plague Committee were most active, first in
house-searching and then in turning out people from badly infected quarters and
providing new accommodation. Not only places in Karachi, but every place
within reach to which temporary colonies had migrated and where plague ap-
peared was visited and thoroughly dealt with. The camps were concentrated
and placed under European supervision and Military guards. The disinfection
arrangements for the clothing were most successful, and the arrangements at the
port for the disinfection and detention, where necessary, of arrivals are admirable.
The General used the Military—officers and men—freely, and the advent of this
large establishment, controlled in every detail and all working together, had an
almost immediate effect in diminishing the number of cases.
With General Cooke must be mentioned Surgeon-Captain Arnim and Mr.
Strachan, C.I.E. The former, before the formation of the Plague Committee,
has already been mentioned for the help he rendered in cleaning and disinfecting
and in taking charge of quarters, and thereafter General Cooke and Mr. Giles
testify to the valuable aid received. The latter was the executive officer of the
Municipality to whom every one turned, and he met all demands with promptness
and temper. The water-supply and the public buildings of Karachi will long-
remain a record to Mr. Strachan's exceptional ability, and his work during the
plague added to his reputation.
Mr. Tahilram Khemchand, the President of the Karachi Municipality,
greatly assisted in explaining the necessity of the plague measures to the
people, and to him the thanks of the Acting Commissioner are specially owing
for loyal support. As the Collector states, Mr. Tahilram set an example of
personal courage and loyalty to the measures that alone would have made him
conspicuous, but he was also valuable for his constant presence in the city and
in bringing the full resources of the Municipality to the aid of the Superin-
tendents.
Dr. Kaka, the Municipal Health Officer, was extremely active in visiting
the houses of all plague cases reported and seeing that the prescribed measures
were taken, and to him is due the credit of procuring daily a fairly accurate
return of the cases and deaths occurring during the preceding 24 hours, a return
that soon was worked up to a high degree of accuracy.
In this work, Mr. C. McIver assisted by his supervision of the burial and
burning grounds and by the readiness with which he lent his Police to aid all
operations. For this and for the cordiality with which he personally undertook
any duty, the Acting Commissioner would offer Mr. McIver his thanks. There
was no panic among the Karachi Police, and Assistant Superintendent Book
and the Inspectors and European Constables all did good service. The Collec-
tor specially mentions Inspectors Nedou, Jashanmal, Khushaldas and Samson,
and Chief Constables Rahimdad and Pir Muhammad, and Constables Mathieson
and Miles.
As assisting the Plague Committee, the General prominently mentions
Major Bayly, D. S. O., Assistant Adjutant-General, Superintendent of the
B 1440—8