The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-01-21
OUR london Gable letter.
SPREAD OF BUBONIC PLAGUE Is
LOOKED ON WITH ALARM
IN ENGLAND.
MAY:REACH THE FAMINE DISTRICTS
European Powers Adopting Precauuon
airy Measures-London Papers Twit
Mckinley on His American
Made Inaugural Suit.

| tlat lnulu is luce W luCe Will tue H'S''
appalling calamity since the British oc-
J cupation. The spread of the bu',:nic
plague came almost with dramatic sud
denness on the heels of the famine and
created throughout Europe feeling OF
the greatest alarm. Up to the present
time visitations have been condned 20
separate areas, but it is extremely prob
able that the plague will ere long reach
the famine districts, owing to sin. i'm
possibility of preventing the migration OF
the panic-stricken natives, and should
thus turn out to be the case, competent
authorities look forward to terrible NOR
tally, as the plague germs viii lind
fruitful soil in the natives. The Indian
government appears hardly to nave fore
seen such gigantic undertaking us that
of relieving the necessities of over
100000 people and it's ready acgui-
essence in the proposition to appeal -
private charity indicates that it HON rec
ognizes the insuticiency of its arrange
ments. The sympathy of Great britain
is now thoroughly aroused and relief
funds have been started in all the chief
towns. The Mansion House fund is ap-
preaching 10000 pounds, and it rs hoped
that the total of the fund will reach ~
least 100000 pounds, which was the
amount subscribed for the relies OF tho
sufferers by the last famine. Inc news
papers, however, urged that some more
drastic measures be adopted, and one of
the weekly papers suggests that parla-
4 ment vote a big grant or lend lniia
100000 pounds.
A representation of the Associated
bn vi
Faudel- Phillips, after the meeting at the
Mansion House today. At this mcerills
a resolution, moved by the Duke of Con
naught, recognizing it to be public duty
to assist in the work of extending tic
relief measures. and motion Of Henry
Hobhouse. Nj. p, which invited the
county officials and clergy to cooperate
in the relief work, were adopted.
The lord mayor said he was hopeful
that the officials would co-operat,, and
he wrote the following statement, which
he asked the Associated Press to publish
in the United States:
"The lord mayor of London will re
ceive with profound gratitude any dona
tons from the people of America for the
India famine relief funds. He invites
the junior branch of the United States
family to emphasize their noble feeling
towards the mother country which the
/ | llOtllcT country CueTlSUcS IOT lneIIl.
GEORGE FAUDEL-PHILLIpS
Lord Mayor.
From European point of view. how,
ever, the plague is matter Of gralci
concern than the famine. All The cont,-
mental governments are adopting prpcaG-
tionary measures at the ports, and thu
| importation from India OF rags, linen and
other articles capable of conveying germs
is prohibited, and it is announced t,rll Il
, European conference will be held ri
. Rome to consider the adoption IF COM
bined measures to prevent the plague
from invading Europe The Russian
government has sent doctors TO Persia
to watch the progress of the disease, and
, if it appears in Persia, Afghani,tan ~
, Khargasgar, the country will be 'immc-
diately closed.
The government has dispatched he
, director general of the Mediterranean
service to study the plague ut Bombay
: and the chief officials of the Egyptian
sanitary staff have also gone there to ar
range for measures to minimize tl
. chances of the spread of the plague to
: Mecca, which, if it occurred. woull
probably mean the invasion of Egypt
The Egyptian government has decided
that if the plague should appear it,
Arabia. no Egyptian pilgrim will be al
lowed to return until the disease there
shall have become extinct. Moreover.
| no pilgrim would in that case be allowed
to leave Egypt unless he could prove that
he had the means of subsistence for q
six months stay.
The Mecca pilgrimage is now n source
of greatest anxiety to European govern
ments, and 1t is urged on many sides that
the pilgrimage ought to be stopped 1t
appears that Mt the international sanitary
council at Constantinople the Austrian
delegation proposed that the pilgrimage
from India should be prohibited; but the
Turkish delegates opposed this on the
ground that it would entrench on an es-
sential part of Mohammedan faith.
The Daily News publishes a long ar
tlcle advocating prohibition of the pill
grimage and suggests that the European
ministers at Teheran and st. Peters
burg induce the shah and the car ia, pro-
claim the closing the channels of the
pilgrimage, while the Turkish authorities
close the port of Jeddah. and Great Brit
am. under treaty arrangements, can pro-
hi9it Afghan pilgrims from traversing
Indla. and can also stop the cfflux from
beloochlstan. The Austrian government
has decided to prevent as far as possible
the pilgrimage from Herzegovina.
The British Medical Journal mentions
"rport that six plague cases have reach
ed MarselileS, but adds that it believes
the. disease will not spread as the town
Is IN good sanitary condition.
The British government has not lost
any time in making arrangements to
avenge Consul Phillips and his party.
massacred by the inhabitants of Benin
CITY. west coast of Africa. About if-
teen officers and officials sailed from Liv-
erpool today for the Guinea coast. and
war stores will follow next week. The
BRUSH war vessel on that station will
furnish party of 800 blue jackets who.
with 300 Hausa troops, will form an ex-
petition which will ascend the river in
steam launches to Sapelo Thence this
force will march about twenty-five miles
to Benin City, whose most formidable
defense is rampant of malarial swamps.
The expedition is provided with machine
guns and war rockets which are intend
ed to wipe out the king of Benin.
1t Is expected that the operations will
ne finished by the end of February, be-
fore the rainy season commences. The
march from Sapelo is expected to be a
ticklish task. There is merely Jungle
path opened, and ambuscades may be
| expected.
President-eIect Mckinley has come in
for great deal of chaff over the Ameri-
can made suit which he is to wear at
his inauguration. One paper carcatures
| him in Urnfocoua Jo cr,, .,,.x.a.4.