The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-25
A GATE TO THE FAR EAST
ELEMENTS LIKELY To MAKE HONG
KONG A GREAT METROPOLIS.
United states Consul Not Equal to
siturtfOn-Hobson Well Liked
curious Oriental Ways.
- of ne IndIanapolIs journal.

AAz N~AA o1Ar3
senger list of the Oriente was very inter-
esting. On the list were three naval Of
hcers transferred to other stations, a Lon
don newspaper correspondent, a member OF
the Royal Geographical Society who had
been making explorations in Borneo and
had been able TO render efficient service to
General Otis in the Philippines, a British
coffee planter from Central America, on
his way TO Shanghai. and a Filipino widow
going into voluntary exile. They frater-
nized ami~cably-rather more perfectly, in
fact. than the same number of Americans
from different and differing sections of the
United States.
As we went out OF the harbor at dusk the
bright tropical stars came out overhead,
and the ~afterglow of a gorgeous sunset
slowly faded in the west. We could sec the
light at the mouth of the Pasig river for
h~ours-frst a small white light, then a
white fash, followed by a less and a
greater fash Of red. This lighthouse, like
the quay and other improvements, were
mementoes of Spanish occupation. The
captain Of the Oriente complained bitterly
that a light near the entrance TO the bay,
removed or destroyed during the war, had
never been replaced. He said that it was a
light which hey sighted about IL o'clock
at night, and its absence made navigation
at that point very difficult In thick wealth
er. He said also that attention had been
called to the matter repeatedly, but moth
ing had been done. He supposed it would
not be replaced until another serious wreck
occurred, land then, the horse having been
stolen, the stable door would be locked"
"Maskee'' is the shiboleth of the far
East, lit doesn't matter; by and by; let
1t 60" and enterprising Americans fall
under the spell, in time, as readily as do
other people. 1t seemed delightful to re-
turn to Hong-Kong. after the enervating
heat and mugginess of Manila. The sun
was shining. birds were singing in the
gardens-there are few or nc singing birds
In or about Mainland the doves, cooling
I'm the palms, recalled memories OF Homo
lulu. There are several hotels in Hong
Kong-none of which would be accounted
hrst-rate in the United States; big bare
rooms, the tiniest OF CRATES, in which a
fire is fifty cents (Mexican) a day extra
for fire is necessary in the winter: beds
that discount Portland cement pavement
In their stoniness, and other things to
correspond. Notwithstanding this draw
back, at this season Of the year they are
W with globe t~rotters, or men on
their way to their posts in remote quar-
ters OF the world. For Hong-Kong is IT.
orally the gate to the Far East-the point
where the traveller transships for Aus
tralias the Philippines, the Straits, Borneo.
Siam and India.
OUR CONSUL CRITICISED.
All this makes the office of the limited
States consul at this particular post of the
utmost Importance. For this reason the
best possible incumbent should represent Ms
here; and it is putting it mildly to saw that
the regime OF the present leaves
much TO be desired. It is nm
derstood throughout the East that he owes
MS position to political influence and that
he holds it. regardless of what he may or
may not do-and that means a good deal
10 the same potent cause. He is a man of
literary tastes. and, I'm less degree, of lit
erary pursuits; he has written a book
which is lavishly advertised by the means
OF large posters hung on the walls and in
the windows of the consulate, these posters
headed by the stirring legend. ~Read,
Read! Read!" and. whether they read If or
not, seafaring men who have official busi-
ness at the consulate usually leave behind
them the price of the volume, which thew
give away or add to the ships library II
seems rather an unidentified method. bar-
tering ones own wares, for the represen-
tative of a great epublic. In other re-
spects the entire management of the con-
sulate Is susceptible of needed improve
ment.
"A man died of plague during my return
visit, the first fatal case that had occurred
ior some I'm What the mortality was
though 1t was less prevalent and less fatal
IMAM IN India-may be inferred from the
iact mat in over one thousand cases which
occurred 81 per cent. was fatal. 1t is diff
cult to understand how such a scouree
could have inflicted a city like Hong
Kong, where the drainage is exceptionallv
good, the streets in fine condition and The
general sanitation looked after by a palms,
taking and competent municipal hoard 7.
was confined almost wholly to the west
end or the city, where the Chinese arc
crowded together like rabbits i'm a war
rem and where they live in the midst of
Nth that even the painstaking English
euthor1ties cannot abolish. The disease IS
que 10 this cause, to insufficient food, a low
SeANS VI fitdHt9, anu, as a rule, rarely at
tackled foreigners who were not broupb,
Immediately and frequently i'm contact with
IT. The foreign residents were not much
frightened; very few left the city. excent
those who usually seek To escape tho in
tense heat aggravated by dampness. in
which everything is thickly covered with
mold-those who spend their summers in
the mountains of Japan. Among those
Who died was an English lady who had two
attacks, recovering easily from the first
and an English nurse, over whose grave
a monument has been placed by the people
OF Hong-hong. 1t is thought that she
would not have contracted the disease but
That a patient in his delirium spat in her
face. Within a few hours she sickened and
died in great agony.
A YOUNG HERO.
Amcng the foreigners who had a narrow
escape was a young official in the health
department. named Reidie. a sturdy young
scotchman. His business had been TO re-
port cases. attend to their isolation and the
fumigation OF infected premises. In the
performance of his duty he had frequently
70 handle the sick. of whom, however. he
manifested not the slightest fear. Finally
ne discovered in one house a japanese boy