The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-17 00:00:00

THE QUARANTINE IN THE EAST.

ALEXANDRIX; Sept. 6.—The removal of the qua-
rantine restrictions lately laid upon vessels arriving
from Malta and Gibraltar has been none the less
welcome to all parties here since conviction has
been forced upon even the most obdurate that the
measure was adopted without the slightest neces-
sity, and that the, pretended case of plague on
board the Pactolus was purely and simply imagi-
nary. A medical commission, it is true, after
due examination of the body, deliberately and un-
rem-redly pronounced their verdict to the contrary,
hut even the warmest advocates of quarantine now
find themselves compelled to abstain from their
triumphant appeals to that decision ; for if it be
maintained that the doctors were right, then it must
be admitted that, to whatever purpose lazarettoes
may henceforth be turned, it must of necessity be a
more profitable one than that for which they were
originally intended. The passengers by the Pacto-
lus, some 250 in number, were crowded together
within the walls of the establishment of that name
-which we possess at Alexandria. The great majority
being in almost indigent circumstances they could
do little or nothing to remedy the utter discomfort
of their temporary prison and close confinement in an
out-of-the-way place, naturally aggravated by the
difficulty of procuring wholesome food, which their
poverty of itself already entailed upon them. In
their capacity of pilgrims we may concede their
claim to godliness, but its kindred virtue they cer-
tainly did not possess. It is needless to add that
space and supplies of fresh air in the cells assigned as
dormitories were equally deficient. In short, all the
more favourable circumstances were here sedulously
brought together for developing the germs of any dis-
ease they might have lain 'dormant among them;
and yet, strange to say, they resumed their voyage
and were landed at Beyrout in perfect good health.
The fact that we have failed to engender pestilence
or sickness in our immediate neighbourhood can
only be attributed to a piece of -inexplicable good
fortune; but, whether the case on board the Pac-
tolus were one of plague or not, surely the risk we
have run would have been greatly lessened had the
so-called measure of protection to public health
been altogether abstained from.

The Board of Health did not, however, take this
view of the question, and quarantine continued to
be imposed upon all vessels from Malta, until it
suddenly came to an end on the 28th ult. On that
day a steamer arrived from Constantinople with an
attache of the British embassy. It soon transpired
that among other despatches he had brought one
from the Porte to Said Pasha, recommending the
latter to put an end to the obnoxious and unneces-
sary- measure. The Viceroy was doubtless only too
glad of the opportunity to get rid of a troublesome
question in a manner perfectly consonant with his
own private views, and he forthwith give orders to
his Minister for Foreign Affairs, and to the Direc-
tor of the Transit Department, to have all restric-
tions at once done away with.
The Board of Health, almost entirely composed
of delegates from the several European Consulates,
did not, however, think proper to give in its ad-
herence to this arrangement, and they would pro-
bably have succeeded in creating difficulties ; but
while they were debating the question, our Consul,
Mr. Green, after having waited till late in the
afternoon, sent a communication to Capt. Campbell,
of her Majesty's steamer Vulture, then lying in
quarantine, informing him of the order issued by
the Viceroy, and Capt. Campbell cut the matter
short by hauling down the yellow flag, and
.esta-
blishing free communication between his vessel and
the shore. Our Consul, who throughout the whole
of these questions had found himself opposed by all
his colleagues, at once sent notice of what had oc-
curred to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, where, of course, not a word of objection
was raised. Not so, however, with the Board of
Health, who indeed to this day are still discussing
the question whether Said Pasha was justified in
allowing the passengers by the Colombo to proceed
on their journey through the country in an insu-
lated railway tram.

It now remfunt' • to be seen whether, at Malta and

in other ports of the Mediterranean, the perfect
state of health in Egypt, will be looked upon as
sufficient reason for admitting vessels from Alex-
andria to free pratique. This, it is to be feared, can
hardly be hoped for. Even in England it would
appear that our Government thinks it necessary to
cast a look of suspicion upon passengers arriving
from Alexandria, although the taint supposed to
exist here must, it is agreed, have reached us from
Malta, which latter is asserted to be healthy. May
it not truly be admitted, that quarantine law, as at
present established, is a perfect type and embodi-
ment of one huge circumlocution-office, ramified
throughout every civilised state in the world.
A great deal is said and written of Turkish
abuses, out here we have the source of a host of
abuses, a thing moreover which Europe deliberately
and peremptorily forces upon the Turks. By way
of exemplification, though at the risk of wearying
yaur readers with the subject, I will briefly add
another incident of the voyage of the Pactolus. She
left Alexandria for Syria on the 21st ult., and, as
already mentioned, landed h'r passengers at Bey-
rout in perfect good health. A fresh difficulty,
however, now arose. Part of her cargo was for
Alexandretta ; but the latter is not a lazaretto port,
and the captain was consequently informed that
everything must be landed at Beyrout, to remain
there until the expiration of the quarantine laid
upon him at Alexandria, when he would be at liberty
to convey the goods to their destination. The cap-
tain, whose temper was doubtless not improved by
his late experience, stormed and protested until he
was finally told that he should be released from fur-
ther delay provided he did not refuse, to pay quaran-
tine dues on the whole of the cargo. At Alexandria
we had had a somewhat analogous case. A vessel
arrived with a quantity of iron castings, quarantine
dues upon which at the rate of about 4s. each were
claimed to the amount of £340. The consignee of
the cargo resisted the demand, alleging that he
looked upon it as almost equivalent to confiscation,
and he seemed so determined to make a noise about
the matter that the quarantine authorities ended by
foregoing the claim altogether.
The effects of the declaration of quarantine upon
the trade of the country have already been most in-
jurious. At the present moment, with stocks of
grain and pulse for export sufficient at the most
moderate computation to afford cargoes to some 60
vessels, only three ships are available for carrying
it hence ; and, as a natural consequence, goods
which in the consuming markets have advanced in
value have here undergone an unnatural deprecia-
tion. Were Europe suffering from a deficiency of
food, this state of things, for which after all she is
chiefly to blame, might constitute no small addi-
tion to her embarrassments.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,.

FORTH AND CLYDE JUNCTION,

The report of the, directors of this company states
that the receipts for the half-year ending the 31st
of July amounted to £8,050, and the expenditure
to £5,006, leaving a balance of £3,004. To this was
added £1,187 from the preceding half-year, making
£4,231, out of which £1,787 was deducted for inte-
rest on debentures and loans, and £670 for divi-
dend on preference shares, leaving £1,774. The
directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 3 per
cent. per annum on the ordinary share capital of
the company, leaving. a balance of £lB6. The traffic
for.the half-year, ending the 31st of January, 1857,
amounted to £6,571, ending the 31st of July, 1857,
to £7,090, ending 31st January, 1858, to £7,642,
and ending the 31st of July last to £8,050,
the latter showing an increase of £960 over the
corresponding half of 1857. The directors consider
this increase satisfactory under the circumstances
of a general depression in trade, which has affected
nearly every railway. The directors trust that the
increase in the receipts will continue, so that a fair
return may be obtained for the money expended on
the undertaking, which has proved so great an ad-
vantage to the district through which it passes.
Since the last report was issued the directors have
been successful in disposing of as many of the pre-
ference shares as in the meantime they considered
necessary, and thereby obtained funds to clear off the
obligations of the company to bankers and others,
and place the company in a very different position
from that in which it previously steod, so far as
money matters are concerned. The expenditure
under capital includes a sum of £2,359 in set-
tlement of land claims, and with the exception
of one or two more cases, involving a small
amount, that account will very shortly be closed ;
£3,109 for -works and stations is made up of £94
for extra sidings, and the remainder for furnish-
ings supplied when the works were taken posses-
sion of by the company after the contractors bank-
ruptcy, and for which bills were granted. The sum
of £3,536 is the balance due for plant, and £l,BOO
for engineering, which closes both these accounts.
£3Ol is connected with -the obtaining of the new
act and the issue of preference stock. £216 is for
law charges, for which there will be a further sum
to pay, and which the directors would have wished
to include. The directors state that these sums in-
clude every charge which could possibly be brought
forward at this time, and they trust to be able to
state at the next meeting that all obligations of the
company have been met.

OUDE.

The half yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday at the office, Moorgatc-street--Sir Mac
donald Stephenson in the chair.

Mr. C. TWIGG, the secretary, read the report.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, said it appeared from returns of the traffic of
the country made in 1856 by Mr. Reece, of Calcutta,
that the trade of the district in Oude through which
they intended to pass was considerable, and would
be greatly increased if railway facilities were
afforded for bringing the produce to market. The
cost of railways in England had been very heavy,
but in India the cost had been very moderate. The
Madras company had executed their works for a
smaller sum per mile than any other company. The
Oude Railway as proposed would be executed for
less than £3,000 per mile, and, includino• rolling
stock, it would not exceed £B,OOO per mile, which
was a very moderate cost for so important a line.
The first section of the line would extend from
Cawnporc to Lucknow. Negotiations had been
going on for a considerable time as to a guarantee,
but were not vet brought to a termination. It
was considered necessary to wait till the country
was more settled. Matters were becoming more tran-
quil in Oude, and it was now expected that all re-
sistance would soon be overcome. The Act of Par-
liament incorporating the company had been ob-
tained, and provision was made for the amalgama-
tion of that company with the Central Oude
Railway Company. The details had not been
arranged, but there was every disposition on the
part of the gentlemen representing the Central
Company to meet them fairly, and he felt sure that
satisfactory terms would be made when the gua-
rantee was granted. The matter respecting the
union of the two companies would be submitted at
the proper time to general meetings of shareholders
in both companies, specially called for the purpose.
The financial statement showed that they had re-
ceived £ll,lOO, and after paying for surveys, Par-
liamentary and preliminary expenses, there re-
mained a balance of £7,200 to the credit of the
coMpany. The directors regretted the loss of Mr.
Garrett, who they considered was one of the ablest
engineers that had ever left this country. He
trusted the Council of India would soon order the
making of the railway, and that the natives would
be speedily induced to adopt the shovel, the barrow
and the pickaxe in lieu of military weapons, and
by .the construction of the necessary railways de-
velope the great resources of the country.
Mr. J. C. MARSIIMAN, deputy chairman, seconded.
the motion for the adoption of the report. He ad-
verted to the obstacles they 'tad encountered from
the disaffection in Oude. They had placed them-
selves in communication with the President of the
Board of Control respecting their undertaking, and
it was deemed necessary by the authorities in India
to suspend operations until matters were sufficiently
settled in Oude to justify them in proceeding with
the railway. The mutiny had been quelled, and
Completelyto completely
tehrusathinththee disaffectionbeginng in Oude. It
was wo,aof November
the whole of the military force would
be brought.
to bear on Oude, and it was believed that m the
course of two or three months the i authorty of the
Government there would be Completely
established.
By the beginning of February next they might be
called upon to commence operations on the first
section between Cawnpore and mow.
Lucl At
the
time they projected the line it was merely for com-
mercial purposes, but circumstances had since oc-
curred which made the railway also desirable
for political and military purposes. He had
no doubt it was one of the
lines of
railway -which the authorities would be most
anxious to see established in that part of India.
Mr. WYLDE thought the expenses of the company
had been verg moderate. He suggested that - the:
line shoald be made by the company's staff instead
of by contract, as he believed it was a much cheaper
system, and' had been carried out successfully
by
other railway companies in India.
The CHAIRMAN said he was glad the proprietors
considered their expenses moderate, which they un-
doubtedly were. With regard to the construction
of the line he was not certain which mode was the
best. A great extent of the lines in India was being
executed by. contractors ; the matter, however,
would be fully considered by
.the board.
The report was then unanimously adopted, the
were
retiring directors and auditors re-elected, and_
a vote of thanks to the. chairman and directors for
their attention to the interests of the company con-
cluded the proceedings.