Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-04-21
rHE MtDRis coaPLIctrroN.
Correspondence and Comment

Correspondence and Common,
Herewith we reprint from the Gdstne the
correspondence between the Agents Of the
lfddy,u and the Board Of Health also letters
10 the Gaicfr from II. II. NJ. Vice. Consul,
Mir Davies, and from Captain Bradley of the
Kad,p. We should concur, in the main, with
the suggestion Of the Gdfcrt, that some old
hulk he obtained for the infected Chinese, II
any such hulk were obtainable. But we think
that the owners Of the vessel ought to bear all
the expenses of quarantine. The Castne is
clearly right in assuming that the public would
sustain the Board Of Health, "if Il shows de.
cision and ability" Clearly It has no, shown
ability. II no hulk he obtainablc, the sick
men ought to be taken on to the reef and there
both cared for and guarded. The ship ought
to be visited by health inspector daily and all
new cases removed, After q reasonable time
has elapsed provided the surviving patients on
the reef have fully recovered, the ship ought to
be allowed to land her Honolulu pas.
sengers and all their property on the reef
and proceed on her way. As it is, there is
quite as great danger Of contagion to the city
from the patients on the ship as II they were
on the reef; while the danger to passengers
and crew is vastly greater there is constant
danger Of mutiny and escape Of Chinese from
| the Madras, which we on shore would be
poweress to prevent except through the in.
| tervcntion Of the men.of.war. The Gazette
| says
Below we give the correspondence be.
tween the Board of Health and the
| Madras. Since writing last week informa.
| ton has come to our knowledge which con.
| siderably alters the aspect Of the case. We
were informed by one Of the principal officers
| of the government that the Uad,at had not
cleared for this port. Later and more correct
| information states tha, she did clear for
this port. According to the captains state
mcnt he did not come uninvited. He says
| that Mr.. Gibson himself urged that Chinese
should be brought; that he supplied Captain
| Bradley with information, which, being pre-
sented to the Governor Of llongkong, caused
that official to grant special permits for this
port. OF course Captain Bradley had no
written statement of what Mr.. Gibson said to
him, no "do documentary evidence" in fact, so
we are quite prepared to hear the conversation
denied or explained away. Finally, it appears
that the government have not told the vessel
what she can do, only what she can't do
| Every one in town is ready to support the
Board of Health il it shows decision and abil.
ty. The matter Of the MADRAS, however, has
shown indecision. She is not even in proper
quarantine yet, and she has been more than a
week at our gates. Every one here breads the
Introduction of smallpox, but there is some
humanity to be considered and, after inviting
a ship here with Chinese, it is pretty hard to
refuse to do anything for her. The easiest
| solution would be to engage hulk to put the
infected cases on, and not to land any at ALL
However, something should be done, and on
the Board of Health rests the onns Of practic-
ing system of mastery inactivity"
| HoSoLuLu, April I6, 1883.
| EDITOR GAZETTE In the hope Of correcting some
Of the imaginary facts which floating about in refer
ence to the Madras and her unfortunate inmates beg
to state that the steamer cleared definitely for Ho
nolulu with 400 Chinese passengers-and the Hong
| kong clearance is in my possession
The captain naturally applied to the government,
quarantine reporting that he had two Victoria passen.
gers suffering from smallpox, whom he proposed to
keep on board, and he would proceed to Victoria.
son for they had provision for the due isolation of
so many people. But the government proceeded fur.
,her than this, and virtually ordered the ship away
from shores without offering any sort Of help to the
captain in his dilemma. When the letter conveying
this decision read to the English officers and
gneers they unanimously refused to on in the ship
L this order carried out. saying that their lives
would not be safe amongst the exasperated Chinese.
The captain having exhausted his direct efforts, the
agents Of the ship addressed to the Board Of Health
letter, Of which incose a copy and on the following
day received reply, Of which copy is inclosed. The
agents Immediately wrote another letter. copy Of which
| also transmit, and to this no answer has been
ceived.
The crime committed is that with or without the
sanction Of the Board Of Health Captain Bradley en-
/ leayOred 20 HODgkOng
Chinese immigration removed, with the hope Of bring
ing in steamer load Of say 500 Chinese every six
others took advantage Of the opening, and we
threatened with more Chinese than we want
| The proposal was which any Minister might have
encouraged for limited introduction Of Chinese labor
is necessity of the plantations has always
been. But the promised influx is beyond all reason
and naturally look for speedy steps being taken to
check it.
But am wandering away from the Madras and her
sad position to the subject Of general Chinese immgra
ton. That is where have all gone astray Captain
| Bradley is responsible for the coming Of
Chinese than those who induced them to come, and
those who welcomed the that they coming;
| so must look elsewhere for the crime.
L he crime-is smallpox; the penalty appears to be
| outlawry.
great perplexiiy, in dealing with which they have the
sympathy of US all but there be rights to be
recognized in the position Of the Madras and perusal
| Of the inclosed correspondence will show that the
agents Of the ship have only asked that those rights be
defined and respected, and in the they suggest,
they are emphatieay supported by the port physician
and the physician Of the Queens Hospital, who
that the plan is absolutely safe.
It seems to me positively barbarous to leave man in
| such circumstances have related without word
| Of counsel. sign Of help Where he go, if
no, Christian port Will British Columbia be likely
to take in 400 Chinese simply because they bounded
| away from their port You get rid Of an
unpleasant duty by shutting your eyes. ard If it
possible which in the face Of the protest Of her officers
it is not to drive away this ship from sight, she
| would be conscences. Yet am told that If
there old hulk available, steps might be
taken receive and relieve this but h the claims
Of humanity depend on the existence Of an old hulk
really think a compromise might be made, and some
other similar plan be adopted. There persons who
think good taste to twi with anxiety increase
my commissions the risk Of bringing smallpox into
this country and there is personl presume only
one-who thinks the captain should be shot for coming
in get beef. am not writing for these people, but
for the many who, II they help, can feel for
brave with the odds heavily against him.
| am sir, your obcdient servant,
THO. II. DAWES.