The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-03


prompt and thorough cps to stop the
importation of cholera. The hating
and imperfect measures OF the British
local government board, directing that
no, what the boards edict calls filthy
unwholesome persons coming from for
eign ports" shall pass unchallenged
are questioned by high legal authority
as exceeding the powers of the board
Tho only act existing giving the board
shadow OF right to prevent the landing
OF aliens, either on route to another
country or having England as their per.
manent destination, is the act of 1SO3
for the registration OF aliens.
After such registration the power of
the board to interfere with aliens van.
lshes. The government in coping up
emigrants at Gravesend and elsewhere,
IS acting illegally, and will be obliged
TO ask parliament to pass retros pective
act legalizing what has been done. The
local board officials and the board of
trade officials desire to go further. 1t
IS feared that one result of. President
Harrisons measure will be to stop the
stream OF alien immigration to America
ana make England the permanent loca-
ton OF many families who had intended
to seek now homes across the water.
Inc prolonged quarantine declared
by the United States is not regarded
anywise as hostile to England, but as q
view to counterfeit its undoubted tend
ency to throw the crowd of infected
emigrants into Great Britain. The
officials OF both boards urge that the
government make Immediate assent to
the prohibition Of the landing Of emf
grants from the infected ports and to
long quarantine on vessels from such
ports. In the absence Of an act empow.
Ing such measure it is held that the
privy council could issue the edict.
Gladstone and Fowler have to. day com
municated with Sir Charles Russell, at.
torney general, and Rigby, solicitor
general, to obtain their advice with re-
gard to means TO meet the legal difficult
ties. An Associated Press representa-.
tive. who has interviewed the agents of
the leading steamship companies. finds
the consensus of opinion to be that the
Presidents circular is needlessly Sc
we're. 1t was felt like thunderbolt
Although prepared to refuse to book
any more Storage passengers the con-
panies could not regard with compla.
cency the order that the circular ahall
take Immediate effect. the result being
TO throw three weeks support of many
emlgrants upon them or oplige them to
to return the unfortunate people from
whence they sailed. Despite the circu-
lar, however, some vessels are certain
to take their full complement of emf.
grants
Several steamship companies now re-
fuse to book even first and second class
passengers hailing from Germany and
other continental ports, but the same
companies having thousands OF steerage
passengers already booked are in a
quandary how to instantly discontinue
this service, having contracted to pro-
vide for the booked emigsants until they
are landed at their port OF destination.
In the meantime the cholera In Great
Britain seems to have been fairly
mastered. The chief physician OF the
local government board told an associ-
ated press representative to-day that the
outlook was entirely satisfactory. He
said that although about 80 cases of
cholera at all the ports Of Great Britain
had been dealt with during the last ten
days, there was no single instance OF
tho disease spreading beyond the person
first attacked. While it has been proved
that every case OF cholera occurring in
This country was contracted abroad and
that the medical board puts its best face
on the situation, still the fact is pal
pablo to everybody that the public has
become utterly unconcerned and has be-
come imbued with the conviction that
the disease will not be allowed to spread
and that it will never assume any cpl
demic form.
Reports which have of late been ap-
pearing In the newspapers in regard to
fresh victims of cholera have been
traced to their foundati. n and the al
legged cases Of scourge have resolved
themselves into ordinary seasonal dis.
orders.
Absolute confidence prevails among
the people that the per feet sanitary con.
dition of England will secure the
country against the ravages of bacilll.