The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-26

Later advices show the figures Of the
year up to June 8 to be 1882 cases and
1,0N deaths. The number Of cases for
last year in Hongkong were LOSE cases
and 1,0o4 deaths. so that the number Of
cases to June were already in excess
of that of 1900
The exchange states that the Hongkong
City Hall has been closed by the au-
thorities owing to the death Of it's Par
see caretaker, following the discovery of
number of dead rats in the building.
The Hongkong papers show that the
plague is general in its appearance there
and not confined to any particular dis
trict, though of course it is to be ex-
pected that the number is greater in the
more crowded Chinese districts One case
is mentioned where coolie dropped on
the wharf
The daily number of cases in Hongkong
has been 20 to 80, and this seems to de-
crease, according to the custom of
plague, during cool spells. 1t is well
known that the disease thrives better in
hot than cool weather and since Hong
kong is just entering the hot season, it
looks ominous for serious epidemic.
Manila, which has an approximate pop
ulation, is shown by the Board of Health
reports to score about 20 or 80 cases a
week CAST week there were q cases. and
this week 20) which is Hongkong's daily
average. However, in May there were
1877 cases and 124 deaths, the Chinese
cases being 81 with SO deaths. thus max
ing the biggest monthly total Manila has
yet had. But May in Manila is it's hot
test month, and in view of the fact that
We are on the verge of the rainy sea-
son, the outlook is more promising. Not
only is the weather always cooler dur
ing the wet period, but wet weather is
not favorable to plague. According to
medical authorities, the danger of the
visitation of plague epidemic is not
in the present year, but must be feared
and looked for in the succeeding one.
Already steps are. being taken by the
Board of Health to be in readiness should
such visitation occur, so that If by
any possibility the theory works out,
We will not be taken by surprise.
0coo0ooococ0cecccoecsccoas
heavy calibre guns; and as the Chinese
don't make and cannot under peace con-
ditions import heavy cannon, the Lega-
toners in future can consider themselves
safe if a good guard is kept and they
are well provisioned. The last siege was
successfully resisted because there be-
ing several large grain shops IN the
Legation area, provisioning the large
garrison of non-combatants as well as
the six hundred defenders was possible
In future, with all Chinese business
houses out of the district, only such pro-
visions are stored in the military bar
racks will be available. 1t behooves the
various governments therefore to see
that arms, ammunition, and abundant
provisions are kept In stock at Tientsin,
the world may be given a spectacle
of two thousand soldiers starved out
with plenty of time to prepare, where six
hundred held the fort and successfully
60
hours notice.
In addition to the wall around the
Legation City on three sides (the south
side being already protected by the wall
of the main city,, much other work on
private and public buildings has given
employment to hundreds of carpenters
and masons and thousands of coolies.