File 3142/1903 'Hedjaz Railway' [‎19r] (44/488)

1
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government,]
EASTERN. SANITARY REEORMS.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[February 2.]
[4377]
Section
No. 1.
-{Received February 2.)
Consul Gould to Sir Edward Grey.
(No. 1.)
gj r Alexandria, January 23, 1909.
I HAVE the honour to transmit a Report hy Dr. Morrison of the proceedings at
the January meeting of the Quarantine Board here.
At this meeting the 1909 pilgrimage was declared infected in consequence of cases
of plague in the Hedjaz, and the usual quarantine measures will be taken. A proposal
for the modification of the rules made by the Turkish Delegate found no support.
The Turkish Delegate, Dr. Mizzi, also proposed to change the decision come to
last year, by which pilgrims returning to Egypt by the Hedjaz Railway and the Mediter
ranean ports were to be sent through the Canal to Tor for disinfection and observation
there, and to substitute for these arrangements provisions for observation at Alexandria
or Port Said.
Dr. Mizzi supported his proposal by representing that the Turkish Government had
established at Tebouk on the Hedjaz Railway an entirely reliable and up-to-date
quarantine station, and that therefore it was quite unnecessary from a sanitary point of
view to oblige Egyptian pilgrims to go to Tor. Dr. Mizzi concluded by dwelling on
the undesirability, from a Mussulman standpoint, of putting difficulties in the way of the
use by pilgrims of the new railway, > . .
Dr. Morrison states at length the arguments against any immediate change m the
existing arrangements. The Board, influenced by these considerations, decided to make
no alteration. # ....
The only other matter of interest dealt with was the water supply to ships in
harbour.
As reported in my despatch of the 18th December last, the fact that some of the
tanks supplying ships were dangerously foul had been brought to the notice of the
Board, and the question had arisen as to the powers of the Board to compel foreign
subject tank-owners to comply with the Regulations of the Boaid. The Iiench
Delegate at the last meeting had maintained that the Board had the necessary powers.
The President before taking action, had preferred to take the opinion of the Egyptian
Law Officers, and the question was adjourned until this meeting, when it was reopened.
The President reported that ne was advised by the Egyptian Law Officers that the
Board would require the sanction of the Mixed Tribunals before taking penal action
ao-ainst recalcitrant tank-owners. The President, however, proposed to deal with the
matter in another wav, viz., by indorsing the Bill of Health of a vessel, in such cases as
required it, with the Remark that the water taken by the vessel was not approved by the
quarantine authorities. The effect of this would obviously be to oblige tank-owners in
their own interest to put their tanks in order. # i r i
This practical solution of the matter met with the unanimous approval ol the Board,
and no doubt meets the case admirably. . „ ,, ^
The French Delegate still desired to affirm the principle of the power ot the Board,
and proposed a Resolution to this effect. This platonic Resolution was carried, nine
Delegates voting for it and eight abstaining from voting at all.
° I have, &c.
(Signed) E. B. GOULD.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Dr. Morrison to Consul Gould.
Alexandria, January 12, 1909.
1 HAVE the honour to present the following Keport oi pruceeumgs at tnc uauax
monthly meeting of the Quarantine Board to-day :
[2170 6 — 1 ]
1