The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-02-07
A Mauritius Newspaper.

\ friend has sent us a copy of the Mercantile
Record and Commercial GaSste, published at
Port Louis, Mauritius. 1t is interesting,-not
for It's news, having been printed last August
but as coming from a far-off island of the Indian
Ocean, a British colony, but situated with regard
to the neighboring countries something like these
Islands in the Pacific, and whose inhabitants, like
ourselves, are mostly in some way connected with
the production of sugar.
The paper before US is about the size OF the
ADVERTISER, of twenty-four columns pretty large
type. about half of which is reading matter, Eng
lish and French, and half is made up of adver-
tisements. These last are expressed sometimes
IN French, and sometimes in English, with a pre-
dominance of the former, indicating the presence
Of large element Of that nationality. In look
ing at the arrivals and departures of shipping, the
commerce Of St. Louis appears to be mainly with
Great Britain, France aud India. The leading
editorial Of the number before US is an argument
in favor ola public library and museum. The
epizoot, or cattle disease was prevalent, and the
Gazette gives an account of its ravages-in one
herd of 108 only 7 head remained. Consider
able space is devoted to the proceedings Of the
- Legislative Council This appears to be COM
posed mostly of government officials, such as
.. The Hon. the Officer commanding the Troops.
the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. the
Receiver General, the Hon. the Procureur Gene
raj, the Hon. the Protector of Immigrants,' &C.,
&c, presided over by the Governor, Sir George
Bowen. 4 column Of editorial is devoted to a
criticism ola theatrical performance, which judg-
ing from the names of the pieces, was in French.
Another column is occupied with an article on
- Cineiaction as a means of Sanitation" by the
Resident Surgeon of the Civil Hospital. 1t seems,
that in a sanitary point of view, Port Louis is a
good deal worse off than Honolulu has SO far be-
come. We copy from the article in question
The town Of Port Louis is almost comparable to
q presidential Latrine. - and it is not to be wonder
ed at that it is the hotbed of malarisl fever, which
scourge, with only q little common sense and a judi
cious expenditure of money, might be averted and
the town itself made as healthy as any elevated por-
ton Of this Island. Climatic influence has nothing
TO bear on the question. . After q calm thinking
the conclusion is that II is not at all surprising to
find malaria generated. Several portions Of the town
are near akin in similitude to q charnel house. ***
81 only ask any one to walk along the Market
and its adjacent streets, late at night, or in the ear
ly morning, they must observe the fostering heaps Of
decsyed vegetable matter, and excreta, which l have
often observed remain until near midday before re-
moval; and again in the other densely populated
parts Of the town, where Indians and Chinese reside; ;
possibly the refuse from the houses, and perhaps FL
thy rags and dressings Of loathsome diseases are
cast into the road and lay fostering in the sun, a.
waiting removal, whilst every person passing bye in
hales the germs and floating particles of malaria.
''It is perfectly obvious that il is highly dangerous
for any inhsbitant to walk through the streets Of
Port Louis after ~nightfall. The question now arises,
how could this be remedied it can only be done by
the immediate removal of all refuse, by small light
night soil carts, which should be passing through
the streets continually night and day at all hours,
collecting the excreta and rubbish, which should be
deposited near an adjacent Generator in the outskirts
all accumulated rubbish being destroyed in the cine
rator twice daily.
''The ashes are useful for manure, thus, with
such a measure, every foul germ is destroyed by the
best of all disenfectants-fre.
Generators are easily built, and in one sorely
famine stricken district in India proved an entire
success, more especially in its densely populated
parts.
''We hear Mauritius called the beautiful 81 Isle Of
the sea-" What a perfect satire when we simply
encourage the spread and growth of mslarial diseases,
and most of the inhabitants only regard it as the
"Asriners' refugee after q storm. They actively re-
pair a ship which proceeds to another cline, and
they never give a thought to the improvement OF the
isle they dwell in, although their wives and families
are almost always fever stricken"
The description very nearly fits the actual con-
dition OF Honolulu, an tie past,-for we are glad
to say that our sanitary affairs are a good deal
improved during these latter days. But much
remains to be done before we can expect our city
to be free from malaria. The idea Of cinefaction
is a valuable one, and we beg to recommend its
consideration to the Board of Health.
During two days in the month of August last
the highest temperature at Port Louis was 74.7;
the lowest &C.