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Also that Drs. MacKenzie and Dumat, having been privately interviewed by Mr. Escombe on the question, were at his suggestion (as he informed the writer) called in by you to give their opinion as to refusing the pratique.

We are,

Sir,

Your obedient servants,

(Signed) GOODRICKE, LAUGHTON & COOKE

(APPENDIX Q)
Copy

DURBAN,

January 8, 1897

TO THE HONOURABLE THE COLONIAL SECRETARY MARITZBURG

SIR,

We have the honour to bring the following facts to your notice. We are the owners of the Courland s.s., and we represent the owners of the Naderi s.s., which steamers left Bombay for this port on the 30th November last, and arrived here, respectively, on the 18th ultimo at 5.30 p.m. and 2 p.m., having on board, respectively, 255 and 356 of Her Majesty’s Indian subjects. On the following morning, a Gazette Extraordinary was issued by the Government, containing a Proclamation of the Governor, proclaiming Bombay an infected port.

The above steamers had absolutely clean bills of health on arrival, and during the whole of their respective voyages, but they were refused pratique on grounds which the Acting Health Officer of the Port refused to give, but which, we presume, were given to us by telegram from the Principal Under-Secretary, dated the 24th ultimo, as follows: “That the Medical Committee has advised Government that the period of incubation of the bubonic plague being sometimes as much as twelve days, the quarantine should be of that period after all chances of disinfection [sic] have been destroyed, and Committee has also recommended the thorough disinfection of immigrants and their clothing, and the burning of all old rags and dirty clothing. Government has approved the Committee’s Report, and has instructed the Health Officer to act upon it, and not to grant pratique to the ships until he is satisfied that the conditions of the Report have been fulfilled.”

The steamers lay at anchor in the outer anchorage from the 18th ultimo, until the 28th ultimo, without any steps whatever being tak