The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-17
EUROPE FEARS LIES ENEMY.
JOINT ACTION TO BE TAKEN TO
KEEP OUT INDIA'S PLAGUE.

disease ana COuId FLOURISH IN
Most European Climates-The Re
spOnsibiIity for Spreading the In
lection Fastened Upon Rats, Ants
and other Insects.
Copyright, 1897, by the Sun Publishing and
Printing Association.
London, Jan. 16-The eyes of the Eu-
ropean world are turned this week to-
ward India, each days intelligence from
that stricken land making it more appar-
ent that the greatest tragedy in modern
history is being enacted there under the
double curse of famine and plague. The
heart of Europe has been touched at
last and the universal sympathy is per-
haps more keen, because it is now tinged
with apprehension. 1t would not be sur
prising if within a month a genuine
plague panic should spread through Chris
tendon. The great powers show
alarm and the news comes to-day that
Italy has summoned an international con-
vention to meet forthwith at Rome to con-
slider measures for dealing with the dan
ger. There is little doubt that the re-
spouse of other governments will be faV-
orable, and all the resources of modern
this hideous foe. Reliable information
about the great extent of the plague In
Bombay and vicinity is lacking, and re-
garding the mortality, 1t is only said in
general terms that more than half OF
those attacked succumb. The news ser
vice of the London press is strangely in
adequate, and it Is from private sources
that most of the information comes. The
point which interests most Europeans Is
whether the awful disease is likely to
flourish in northern ATTITUDES If infection
should be introduced here, but no evil
dence is forthcoming yet. 1t is argued by
medical men, however, that if the plague
was dangerous in Hong Kong it will find
an equally prolific field in London and
Paris so far as the climate is concerned.
1t is generally admitted that the plague is
a filth disease, but there are certain pecu-
liarities connected with its spread. DR..
Hanl1in, a well-known bacteriologist who
is Investigating the subject in Bombay,
fastens the responsibility for carrying the
infection upon rats, ants and other in
sects. Rats in houses have the plague;
they die and are eaten by ants, which car
ry the germs into the crevices of the
buildings, to water taps and sinks. Thus
the poison is diffused and cannot be eradi-
| Gated, except by fire. This explains tho
efficacy of the old method of cleansing
by confiagration, and, at the same time.
the futility of isolating the sick as in
| other infectious diseases. The only thing
to do is to remove the healthy
It is stated in the Daily Nails dis
| patches, which are the only ones worth
reading in the London papers, that large
business houses in Bombay which are in
| tested by rats, have been rendered un.
| tenable by the ravages of the plague
among those vermin. They die by hum
dreds in the walls and the human occu-
pants have been compelled to vacate the
buildings. 1t is not observed that any
larger animals are subject to the infec-
| ton.
The French, Austrian and Italian gov
| ernments have already taken stringent
precautions against the importation of che
plague but it can hardly be possible to
escape a series of alarms from this cause
during the next few weeks.
| The ravages of the famine in the inter-
Tor of India are still far more deadly than
the more horrible plague at Bombay. The
| victims of the plague are perishing by
| hundreds daily but the victims of hunger
succumb by thousands daily. 1t would
be easy to harrow the hearts of everyone
| possessing human sympathy by accounts
of the typical sights experienced in the
vast famine district, but surely the ap-
petite for horror in all its forms has
been satiated throughout Christendom
during the past few months. 1t is suffi-
cient to say that the quaint, starving mil
lions of India are perishing at more
rapid rate than any army ever suffered
before the most deadly engines of destruc-
ton devised by man. The relief move
ment is now apparently in full operation.
The public conscience and sympathy in
this country have both been fully aroused.
The response to the appeal is liberal, but
utterly inadequate. The proportion OF
givers to the sufferers is scarcely more
than one in a thousand. 1t will require
the generosity of the whole world to OPP
pose a real check to the ravages Of hun
ger in India.
such popular interest as was
aroused early in the week by
the publication Of the terms OF
the proposed arbitration treaty between
Great Britain and the United States seems
to have entirely disappeared. 1t is by no
means regarded in Euroupe as an epoch
making event, which one or two newspa-
pers seemed to class 1t. The double ca
amity in India and the massacre of half
a dozen Engiishmen in Benin have aroused
far deeper public concern. 1t is in dip
lomatic circles only that the subject is
still alive and is bearing upon European
politics. The opinion prevails that there
is small chance of the treaty being ratified
by the Senate, and 1t would not be sur
prising If Russia, and perhaps other powers
should make overtures to the new admin
istration which would enable President
!
the Senate for joint consideration, II ac-
ton is delayed on the present one.
The diplomatic world takes more inter-
est in the appointment of Count Mura-
vieff as Russian foreign minister than in
any other subject. The cars selection
came as a great surprise, but 1t is every
where interpreted as meaning a steady and
unAinchlng pursuit of the policy followed
by the late Prince Lobanoff. There is
difference Of opinion thus far whether
Prince Muravief will be greater than his
office, as Prince Lebanon was, or merely
| an executive officer of the emperor His
| Office Is undoubtedly the most important
| In Europe at the present moment and his
character and antecedents are therefore
being carefully studied In ali quarters. His
appointment Is popular In France, but not
upon the whole In Germany English
opinion of his Is Uniformed, but is suspic-
| ious. His youth Is a first and obvious Of
| Tense to English conservatism.
1t is a pleasure to be able to record the
| fact that the Royal Academy election last
night has met the hearty approval OF both
the artists and wider social circles. The
result was a surprise to most persons but
| the selection Of two Americans and a
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