Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-05

upon all imported gOOuS.
In addition to this enormous advantage
gained by Russia over other foreigners. she
also gets the concession of "grazing ground"
for her pack animals used in trading be-
tween Siberian and Corean cities. This con-
cession amounts virtually to plot of land
upon which Russia can stand as firmly
as though at st. Petersburg, and is
really but the beginning of series of mill
tary stations which she expects, and seems
to confidently intend, to gradually advance
by degrees-as opportunities occur-untll
her military lines are so thoroughly planted
in Corea that when the moment arrives for
taking decisive action she will have so
firmly ingrained herself into the country
that the annexation of Corea to Siberia will
be only child's play, and the efforts of China
and England to thwart her will have been
scattered to the winds like chaff.
With the acquisition of Corea Russia will
begin an era of development thus far un-
precedented in Eastern Asla-a movement
from which she has hitherto been prevented
by natural causes, namely, the closing of
her entire Siberian seaboard during
the winter months. and consequent stoppage
and stagEation of trade on this account.
Reasons for Great Britain's Jealousy.
In Corea she will have magnificent class
of open harbors, and these. fed by her pro-
jected and now building railroad, will bring
the enormous grain, mineral and timber
products of Siberia to these parts as an out
let for the markets of the world. With the
opening OF these places we will see the Rus
sian influence in affairs and commerce in the
East paramount, and that which Great
Britain now enjoys as rapidly melt away.
This Great Britain fully realizes, and hence
the reason of her attempts to thwart and
counteract all the efforts of Russian repre-
sentatives in their dealings with the i'm
perial courts of Corea, China and japan.
The spread of cholera is becoming alarm
ing. Heretofore its attacks have been, with
few exceptions, confined to the Chinese and
Japanese, but now its inroads upon the for
eign community are becoming very serious.
The precautions usually taken by foreigners
have generally been sufficient to keep the
plague out of the Concession, but this year
its arrival has been marked large numbers
of deaths already, and people are daily
being taken to the overcrowded hospitals
for treatment.
Last week the Hongkong Cricket Club
arrived to play game with the Shanghai
team, and while the two teams were greet
ing one another upon the wharf the captain
of the Shanghai team was suddenly stricken
with cholera and taken to the hospital,
where, in great agony, he died soon after
ward In one instance here an entire fam
lily OF six persons was swept away within "a
hours. This is a somewhat unusual case,
but serves to show the foothold which the
scourge has gained.
Mortality Due to Bad Water.
That the great mortality resulting from
cholera is due to the vile water supply of
most Chinese and Japanese cities there can
be no question. Japan has recognized this
factor and is beginning to surmount it, most
of her important cities now being supplied
with drinking water conducted from the
neighboring mountains.
Nagasaki, the city in japan which has
most suffered from cholera, is to open her
water works constructed at an expense of
more than 100000, on October 3, the an
niversary of the birthday of the Emperor.
Hongkong has had for some years the Ty-
tam Water. Works, built az a cost of
s., ,000, 900, besides the numerous reservoirs
built or dug out of the mountains for catch
ing and storing rainwater. To this is very
probably due the good health which Hong
kong has enjoyed. The sanitary regulations
are enforced more strictly in Hongkong
than elsewhere in the far East, by reason
of its being a BRITISH garrison colony and
Englands principal naval station in this
part of the world.
Hongkog Water Works, so constantly and
directly under the view of large fraction
of the Canton population, coming and going
between the two near ports, has brought up
the question of supplying Canton with
system on grand scale. At present the
water for the Cantonese is drawn from the
river and canal, into which is thrown and
drained all the refuse discarded by the \
3 5000 Chinese residing within the city
limits. This. coupled with the filth and
dirtiness of the narrow streets, has caused
plaques like cholera to sweep away thou
sands of the inhabitants in single season,
and has brought the subject clearly before
the eyes of the ruling Mandarins.
Money obtainable by Squeezing.
The money necessary for the building of
the water works can be raised easily by
the squeezing process that is, by the
tax collector forcing from each
inhabitant whatever he thinks the subject
capable of contributing. The city only a
very short time ago adopted very elaborate
system of electric lights, and this is of in
finitelv less Importance than a supply of
healthful drinking water.
At Soo-Choo, where the cholera has been |
dreadful during the summer |
and bids fair to continue through the fall,
the Mandarins are trying to check its |
raw: ges by dredging out the canals and |
ponuS, thus hoping to give the people
supply of running water, where heretofore |
they have been compelled to use that of the |
semi-stagnant shallow canals and ponds. |
This measure is very feeble one, but will |
cause some Improvement in the sanitary |
condition of the city. Soo-Choo has no |
water works, and besides the dredging of |
the canals, which receive the filth of the |
entire province, no move appears to have |
been made toward preventing recurrence |
Of the plague next spring.
Port Arthur, in Northern China, city
which previously lost large part of its |
residents each year through cholera, typhoid \
fever and other enteric diseases, is now
free from epidemic diseases
This is solely due to the energetic measures
taken by the French few years ago in
building system of water works and |
cleaning the Chinese part of the
city.
Until the Chinese cities have established |
4 system of pure water.supply, the ravages
Of cholera and other plaques will increase
with each season, and the final uprooting Of
he unhealthy conditions will become more
md more difficult. 1t is fortunate that the
native officials are beginning to recognize
his, and are taking measures to adopt the
'emedy.
Impish Freaks
Are those of disordered liver But when |
hat organ is thoroughly disciplined with |
Hostetter's Stomach Bitters, the bile is ade-