New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-24
CAN CALCUTTA EXCLUDE THE PESTi
WILL REFUGEES FROM BOMBAY CARRY IT
THITHER7-CLOSEI.Y PACKED PoPuIA-
TON AND AWEIL TILTH
From The London Times.


From The London Times.
We have now to face the fact that the plague
has laid hold OF Bombay with a grip not 10 be
shaken of by hysienic measures. All thai science
seems able to do is reduce the victims from
thousands TO hftics. Another serious aspec, OF the
nfo nh ,ne d OF e OF
with them the seeds of infection. As might be eX-
has been the FIRST suffer: the telegraph an
nounces that the plague has now fastened on thai
city. The panic arising in BOMBAY itself. although
pretty well kept in hama so far. might at any
moment develop int potent prcdsposing cause
to the spread Of the disease. The mass pray ~
meeting held by the Mussuma" population on the
Esplanade is an indication OF the rising tide OF
terror. iindoosm. too with iis benefcent aspec:s
n charity organization intervenes to substitute
hopes OF divine aid fc- self-reliant effort the I'M
seen powers and the nearness OF the supernatural
form practical faetor in lindoc thought and ac-
world TO realize one lesson apparently taught by
the outbreak is that the best chance OF staying It's
rules drawn up for this purpose could not he en-
forced owing 10 the nperious demands o. caste.
one indignant journalist was prepared to over
como it by placing the city under military rule. 49,
Friday that half the population had according TO
unofficial estimate. fed TIE city II the caicula.
Of them OVERWHELMINGLY are arsahy on the drift
\ deep and special interest attaches. therefore. TO
the efforts being mad" to keep the plague on; OF
Calcutta. Two of the three great Indian ports,
problem which the Bengal Government ana the
Calcutta Muncprty are LYING 10 soye IS now 10
lions Of Calcutta would render the plague more
BILE i'm that city than In either karachi or
Bombay. The Calcutta population Is crowded To-
cethe- in masses of whose density we can scarcely
form an idea. While the population OF London,
within the REGISTRAR Generals tables of mortality.
amounts TO $500 TO the square mile. there Is
scarcely one of the eighteen Calcutta wards. out
side the European quarter and the garden suburbs.
IN which the density is under 5000 per square mile:
in many II approaches TO or exceeds $4,000 per
square mile: while in one ward human beings are
huddled together with pressure ina, gives a rat.
of ia $40 to the square mile The overcrowding OF
individual houses described in the report lately
issued hv the Medical Committee OF Inspection. Is
even more terrible \ building which could at the
utmost accommodate fifty persons is made TO hold
% In smaller huts. without windows. the inmates
are damned together until the breathing space Is
reduced 10 one thirteenth Of the numbe- OF cubic
feet necessary for hcath even when aided with APP
planes of ventilation.
The deaic alluviunn, at spots almc st approaching
IN oOze on whose surface these packed masses or
humanitr live adds to their dangers. Much OF CAT
c,ltta is built on sponge saturated with the NTH
Of generations. Some OF the densest quarters are
below the level Of the river; the sewage OF the
whole city has TO be pumped into a stagnant rem
which al certain seasons comes close to the
suburbs on the outbreak Of the plague In Bonn
bay the magnificent water supply which Calcutta
on wi;E n lavish hanI Ali that could I've done by
flushing ana cleansing accomplished. But. as
the lieutenant Governor pointed out. there Is "a
fostering area" which no amount OF water can
wash clean The subso is so completely pene-
traed with the slow pollutions Of masses OF human
beings and animals. during two centuries, as 10
defy notification