1063NOTES FROM INDIA.-MANCHESTER.

NOTES FROM INDIA.(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

The Plague Epidemic.-The Improvement Trusts of the Cities ;of Bombay and Calezatta.-Retirement of Colonel T. H.Hendley, C.LE.THE figures of last week-viz., 28,860-have been passed and

I now have to record 29,647 deaths from plague throughoutIndia for the week ending March 7th. In the correspondingweek in 1902 there were 23,715 deaths. The total number ofdeaths recorded since the autumn of 1896 exceeds 1,500,000,and another 500,000 might well be added for concealedand unrecorded deaths, so that plague has probably claimed2,000,000 victims. There seems a tendency in the mortalityto reach its highest point later in the season with everyrecurring annual development, and we may expect 30,000deaths a week for the next two months. The details ofthe week’s figures are : Bombay city, 1323 deaths ; BombayPresidency, 9878 ; Karachi city, 57 ; Madras Presidency,529 ; Calcutta, 679 ; Bengal Presidency, 2909 ; United Pro-vinces, 3437 ; Punjab. 6814 ; Central Provinces, 1704 ;Mysore State, 304 ; Hyderabad State, 863 ; Berar, 641 ; andCentral India, 440. The outbreak at Poona is subsiding butin Bombay city and Calcutta the recrudescences are develop-ing rapidly. At Benares the disease is again making head-way and the health officer has fallen a victim to it. In

Bengal the chief districts affected are-Saran 1273 deaths,Patna 748, Durbhanga 320, Monghyr 278, and Muzaffurpur223. The curious case of superstition in a plague goddessin Bombay, which I recorded last week, has ended in theacquittal of the accused, the magistrate holding that thewoman did not commit a. public nuisance and that beingan ignorant person she was not presumed to have reason tobelieve that her acts would spread infection.The Improvement Trust in Bombay has several schemes

in hand. One is a great thoroughfare from Queen’s-roadthrough Dhobi Talao to Carnac Bridge. Another is thereclamation of the foreshore at Colaba. This will providesites for about 45 bungalows and the reclaimed area will beone of the coolest sites in Bombay.

Calcutta is now to have its Improvement Trust. The schemejust announced provides for nine and a half miles of 60-footroads running north and south and six and a half miles of40-foot roads running east and west. The purchase of landand buildings and the making of the roads are estimated atRs. 478,00,000 (over three millions sterling) and the grossexpenditure on the scheme at Rs. 718,00,000. After

allowing for recoupment the net cost is estimated at187 lakhs. The financial arrangements will extend over

20 years. The Government grant is 50 lakhs, the corpora-tion will find 144 lakhs, there will be special loans of233 lakhs, and recoupment by sale of land will bring inabout 291 lakhs. Those who know the northern half ofCalcutta will realise the vastness of this undertaking. Thevalue of land in the business quarters is very high and issaid to rival that of the City of London. Part of thefinancial scheme consists in a tax on petroleum which isestimated to produce Rs. 1,50,000 annually. The Calcutta

Corporation may be considered a wealthy body from the factthat it has in reserve large borrowing powers. In thefirst year it will only contribute one lakh but there willbe gradually increasing contributions up to 12 lakhs in thetenth year, then for four years it will find 10 lakhs, andthe amounts will gradually fall to about the twentiettyear. All this is over and above the numerous schemes ancexpenditure which were referred to in the recent Budget. 11is, therefore, evident that there is a healthy rivalry betweelthe two municipalities in improving and beautifying theirespective charges and in making up in each case for lonyears of indifference and neglect.

After many years’ service in India Colonel T. H. HendleyC.I.E., the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Bengalwill retire at the end of the present month. He is to bsucceeded by Lieutenant-Colonel S. Haslett Browne, I.M.S.March 14th.

-

IConcessions to Oflicers of the Poyal Army Medical Corps in 1

India.-The Plague E pidentic a Fresh Pecord in Mor-tality.The Government of India has now sanctioned an increase

of pay and other concessions to lieutenants and captains onthe Indian establishment of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

The concession takes effect from Nov. 24th last. Theques-tion of improving the pay of senior officers will be consideredlater. The new arrangements sanction for lieutenants,Rs. 420 per mensem ; captains, Rs. 475, or if over seven years’service Rs. 530, or if over ten years’ service Rs. 650. A

charge allowance will be paid to the senior medical officerin charge of a hospital, the rates being, in the case of 300 ormore beds Rs. 240, of 200 or more beds Rs. 180, of 100 or morebeds Rs. 120, and of 50 or more beds Rs. 60 monthly.Specialists’ pay at the rate of Rs. 60 monthly will also begranted to officers below the rank of lieutenant-colonel whomay be appointed to posts entitling them to this pay.The mortality from plague throughout India continues to-

increase weekly. A further record was reached last week bythe return of 29,997 deaths. In the previous seven daysthe deaths were 29,647 and for the corresponding week lastyear 25,655. Hitherto the Bombay Presidency has headedthe list but this week the Punjab returns the larger number-viz., 8177 deaths compared with 7764 in Bombay. Inview of the very large mortality recorded from th&

Punjab last year we may expect still higher figures. TheUnited Provinces returned 4177 deaths ; Bengal, 3839 ;Madras Presidency, 330 ; Central Provinces, 1527 ; MysoreState, 817 ; Hyderabad State, 845 ; Berar, 501 ; CentralIndia, 276 ; and Rajputana, 132. Bombay city returns 1107deaths for the past week-a slight and probably tem-porary decrease. Calcutta returns 895 deaths, a veryconsiderable rise on the previous seven days. Karachicity is once again recording high figures, the return of105 deaths showing that the disease is as active there asin Calcutta. The German East Africa line steamer -5"ask/’arrived in Bombay harbour from Zanzibar, viii Marmugoa,having had eight deaths during the voyage from plague-onepassenger and seven of the crew.March 19th.

___________________

MANCHESTER.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Rdmo’Val of the Infirmary.AT length, after controversy and discussion, carried on at

intervals for many weary years, sometimes waning for a,

time, then waxing stronger and more heated, it has beendecided that the Manchester Royal Infirmary shall beremoved from Piccadilly. The corporation had agreed togive .S.400,000, the price asked by the infirmary board forthe whole site, and it therefore only remained for thetrustees to sanction the sale and to decide where the future

infirmary was to be placed. A special meeting of thetrustees took place on April 3rd, when the following motionswere proposed en bloc by Mr. John Thomson, chairman ofthe infirmary board, seconded by the vice-chairman, Mr.Neville Clegg, and carried unanimously.

1. That the offer of the Manchester corporation to purchase theinfirmary site for E400,000 be accepted, and the board of managementbe authorised to carry out the sale.

2. That the new infirmary be built on the Stanley-grove site and thatthe board of management be authorised to acquire the same, and anyother adjoining property that may be expedient, including the site ofthe proposed Southern Hospital, on such terms and conditions as theymay think desirable in the interests of the charity.

3. That the board of management be authorised to obtain plans forthe erection of the new infirmary and to submit the same, togetherwith an estimate of cost, to a future meeting of trustees.

-

4. That the board of management be authorised to take, and concurwith other persons in taking, all such measures as may be requisite togive effect to the foregoing resolutions, including any application toParliament or to any other authorities.

The Stanley-grove site, offered as a gift by the OwensCollege, supplemented by the acquisition of some of theadjacent properties-namely, that belonging to the SouthernHospital but not yet occupied and to be bought by theinfirmary, together with some houses and gardens frontingNelson-street, which runs at right angles to Oxford-road-will give an ample area of over 60,000 square yards,with possibilities of extension. It also, as the reporton sites remarks, satisfies other essentials, as "reasonable

r-roximity" to the centre of the town, ready accessi-

bility by tramway routes, a frontage of nearly 200 yardsto Oxford-road, open surroundings, especially to thesouth-west-Whitworth Park, containing 21 acres, being justacross the road-proximity to the Owens College Medical

! School and to the Eye Hospital, which is next door, andL moderate cost. The additions to the original site will cost

about 40, COO. Numerous other sites were investigated, but