PHILIPPINES, letter, dated Manila, the 25th of Nove The following extract from a private made after his trip of inspection in the north, Speaking of Taipeh city and surroundings he says:—"Sewerage, with the exception of a few stagnant or nearly stagnant canals, does not exist, and the foreshore of theriveris in positively pestilential condition on account of the emptying of garbage upon it." And again regarding The plague still continues to claim oceasional victims. The sanitary commission isar work more vigorously than ever and it is almost safe to say there is scarcely a spot left untouched. To.such an extreme are precautions taken that I was amazed to see, a few days since, several sanitary her, throws some doubt on the recently reported successes of the Spanish troops. The movement referred to below was the general forward movement attempted by the Government troops "The situation has not improved. The movement I mentioned: in my last. utterly tobe:—Much of the usual foul matterisall over the town, This must be abolished and be prevented from accumulating again. The public latrines are without exception the most. foul and filthy I have ever seen, They must be reformed. The most part of the whole plain. is in a dreadful State, and of the Chinese town near the river upstream (Banka) reformation i Impossible, the place ought o be destroyed." The Japanese have under consideration the plans made by Professor Burton for sanitary innovations and the canal now under construction, as mentioned above, is a part of the designs for sewerage in Taipeh.
The outbreak of plague is unfortunate coming just at this period and will no doubt have much to do with discouraging the better class of Japanese from emigrating to the island.
That among the afflicted should be numbered so many government employees I think the government itself is somewhat to blame in not having provided proper living accommodation for those resident here. It would seem that the first and most essential work to have been done here in Formosa would have been the construction of proper quarters, built with a regard for health po comfort and placed at the disposal of all government employees. In For-mos, specially Taipehfu and suburbs, one's only pleasure is to be derived from the home. A step outside brings one in contact with the most filthy of Chinese life. It would seem particularly essential then, that the Japanese should have some comfortable accommodation, but a walk through the streets or a call' on affriend finds them installed in dirty, dark, ill-ventilated Chinese hovels with mud walls, set down in a typical ill-smelling disease-breeding Chinese street. Tt is not therefore strange that a pestilential disease has broken out among them, but rather it is snore strange that they have escaped so long. The foreigners of the city suburb live in comfortable quarters in the second storey of roomy well-ventilated structures,—Sic reas is a rarity with them. Work has now been commenced on several houses to be occupied by the higher officio's for whom it is first of course most necessary to provide, but it is only too evident that until all have been likewise accommodated disease may be expected to periodically Jessen their ranks.
Among the Japanese who have died of plague was Mr. Are who founded the commercial school for Japanese in Shanghai, an institution of considerable prominence, At the outbreak of the war the school was closed and the students who were well versed in Chinese were in great demand by the army and navy as interpreters. Some months ago he rived in Formosa and very philanthro-Lsblisking of friendly relations "between ically exerted himself towards the es-
Japanese snd Chinese, "With this end coolies spreading lime over every spot that appeared even the least damp, in a stone-paved street which could scarcely be called dirty. It is rather a disagreeable fact to! those who have always considered cleanliness a safeguard against the plague, to note that it is not in the dirty places that the disease breaks out. Here in Twatutia where the foreigners live, there is in the Chinese art of the town, most certainly, sufficient filth to support innumerable bacilli in ease and luxuriance, but the only cases that have appeared have been in houses not only clean in themselves, but on a paved street which for cleanliness will compare favourably with those at home. The Chinese, as was to be expected, are; complaining. They are not only uawilling to clean up themselves but equally unwilling to allow any one else to perform the task for them. The Japanese hospital to which during the first few days of the outbreak they were taken for treatment, appeared to them as a most dangerous insti tution, and no sacrifice was considered too at to make that their sick relatives should not fall into the clutches of the Japanese " medicine maker."
As an example of how atrocity-tales are made, the following blood-carding account was freely believed by the Chinese masses, When Chinese were found weakened by sickness, so that they could not escape, they were carried to the "medicine house," there stripped of all clothing and a big white cloth saturated with the most deadly poisons was wrapped about them causing slow death. The hearts of the dead were then cut out to make medicine for the Japanese, fifty being required to give the proper strength to be effective. Soon after the arrival of the Governor-General, at His Excellency's orders a special hospital for the Chinese was established and placed in charge ofa Japanese physician witha Chinese doctor as assistant and Chinese to act as fendants, but of course under orders of skilled Japanese. Since this institution was opened the Chinese have shown less opposition and several cases have been voluntarily brought forward by them for treatment. It has also had the effect of discrediting among them the tales regarding the murderous Japanese doctors.
'The Governor-General has also shown farther consideration for the plague-stricken, by visiting the hospital, and itis said he spoke word to all, which had a most cheering effect on the' patients there confined. That His Excellency Baron Nogi is obtaining the love and respect of all classes with whom he comes in contact is very evident, and it is to be hoy that. politics will not interfere with BLE. holding the office of Governor-General for a term of sufficient Jength to allow him to exercise the ability he undoubtedly possesses in placing Formosa a comparatively firm and prosperous failed, and the Government troops are now awaiting still further reinforcements. The reverse they have suffered has probably the effect of largely increasing the bel ranks, but I do not think the latter will venture to leave their strong positions at Cavite, but will await further attacks,"
'THE RAILWAY ATTACKED, Last week telegraphic information was received in Hongkong to the effect that several engagements had taken place in the provinees of Bataan and Bulacan in which the rebels were dispersed. and broken up, their: losses in two of the engagements being 200 and 300 killed. On the with November at San Rafael de Bulacan the troops again came up with the rebels, who were escaping to the mountains, routed them, and killed four hundred.
Manila papers received yesterday with dates to the 26th of November confirm this information and give some details of the engagements, The loss of four hundred, mentioned above, is said to have been understated. That was the number given in the first official reports, but later reports double the number, making it eight hundred In Cavite the bombardment of the rebel position is maintained and is said to be in-fioting great losses on them, The statements as to these losses are said not to rest on mere surmise, but to be derived from a sure source, from which it.would seem that the Government must have spies in the rebel ranks.
The papers contain reports of minor engagements and skirmishes, which are of daily occurrence, and in which the rebels are always defeated.
The most startling news contained in our files is that of an attack by the rebels on the railway. The mail train left Manila at sis o'clock on the morning of the 21st of November, and reached the town of Malolos without anything unusual having happened. Here there were rumours of groups of rebels hovering along the line between Malolos and Calumpit. The engine driver proceeded. with great caution and at a slow speed bat at San Marcos the train was derailed, the line having been broken for a distance of 20 metres, but s0 as.not to be observable from the engine, The engine was overturned and thrown down the embankment and -four carriages' followed it. and were completely broken up. The rebels, who appeared to consist of about a thousand unarmed men, made their appearance immediately after the accident, stole all the goods the train was carrying and the correspondence, and made prisoners of the engine driver, guard, and. various passengers. News of the affair was received at Malolos about eight o'clock and the detachment stationed there at once marched to the place. On their arrival they found the Tebels had left, Various persons injured
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.