Star.
London, England, 1825-05-20 00:00:00

far from tl inking it conclusive, and therefore even no
alteration in those laws by which we have hitherto been
preserved from this dreadful scourge of humanity
ought to be made without due deliberation and inquiry.
We have conversed with several Captains and Mas-
ters of vessels who, while they admit the necessity of
strict quarantine laws against suspected ships from the
coasts of Egypt and Turkey, yet consider quarantine
unnecessary as relates to vessels from Leghorn, Naples,
Genoa, Malta, and Gibraltar. The security, however,
is comidered rather in the strictness of the quarantine
laws at those places than in anything else ; and if they
relaxed those laws, that security, it the plague is really
contagious, would in consequence be diminished.
It will be seen by some extracts from letters received
this morning from the Agents to Lloyd's, which we
subjoin, that the proposal of altering our quarantine
laws has excited considerable alarm, both at Leghorn
I and Genoa. At the former port, the Board of Health
has in contemplation to place all vessels coming from
Great Britain under quarantine, so much is the alteration
in our laws on this subject dreaded ; while at Genoa,
an order has actually been issued, which places all ves-
sels arriving from Great Britain under quarantine for
13 days, exclusive of the day of their arrival.
It is evident, then, the Boards of Health, both of
Leghorn and Genoa, differ from such of our legislators
as wish to reduce the term of quarantine, and that
commerce will, in the aggregate, gain nothing, by the
facility, if those laws are enforced against vessels sailing
from this country,in countries where they have hitherto
been exempt.
Whether the Quarantine Laws alone have been the
means by which the introduction of the plague into Eng-
land has been prevented,we shall not take upon ourselves
to decide; but, as during their operationithe occurrence
of that disease in this country has happily not taken
place, a prima facie evidence of their beneficial effects
exists, and their repeal should not be sanctioned until
it could be satisfactorily :hewn that the plague could
not have been introduced, had those regulations not
been in force, nor could ever exist, under any circum-
stances, in this country: To us it appears that
the weight of evidence in proof of the infectious
nature of the plague and its communication by con-
tact with articles contaminated with it, is vastly be-
yond that which has been brought forward by the
opponents of this theory ; and in a matter which
affects in so high a degree the interests of society, we
do consider that it is better to adhere to regulations
which may possibly go farther than may be absolutely
necessary, rather than to put to hazard the safety of the
community. It is certainly possible, that if the laws
were altered we might still escape the plague, but it is
also possible that a combination of circumstanoes might
occur favourable to the propagation of its infection, and
that the metropolis might be depopulated by the adop-
tion of a system founded on erroneous conclusions of the
nature of the disease.

It has, we think, been completely proved, that dis-
eases, which in their original nature were not conta-
gious, have become so by finding a soil congenial to
their growth. A remarkable instance in support of this
opinion, occurred in the fever which was introduced in
the Island of Ascension, in the year 1828, by his Ma-
jesty's ship BANN, a very interesting account of which
is contained in the official Report lately published
by Dr. By RNETT, one of the Medical Members of the Vic-
tualling Board, to which we shall call the attention of
our Readers to-morrow. Dr. BURNETT, we think, clearly
shews that the fever there described, though originally
not contagious, did become so in a degree which has
seldom been exceeded, either in distinctness or viru-
lence of character.

If such is really the case, and to us it appears esr-
dent that it is so, ought not we to pause before we dis-
turb or alter a system which, whatever inconvenience
it may be to commerce, has preserved this country
from that scourge which has so often desolated other
lands? If, however, we do break down those barriers,
which, as Lord BIBLGRAVE well observed last night,
interpose between the dead and the living, we shall have
more cause than ever to repeat that part of the Litany
which says—" From plague, pestilence, and famine,
good LORD deliver us r

QUARANTINE REGULATIONS AT PORTS IN THE ME.