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During the year Britain has also had to face much trouble in India. Not only was there a frontier difficult renewed again and again, but the country was prostrate from the famine and afflicted by the plague, which no longer confined itself to Bombay. The fell disease in fact has made its appearance in other countries too, for it has been reported from Hong Kong and Madagascar, and it broke out in a Vienna hospital while experiments were being made with the germs.
The plague in Asia Minor, too, seemed to indicate that the westward march so characteristic of it in past ages had begun. In order to localise the disease and reduce its ravages to a minimum, the Indian authorities had to take measures which offended all the caste prejudices and racial and religious susceptibilities of the Natives; and much rioting and friction were thereby caused. But a new plan has been adopted, and more pleasant conditions should be the result. It has been declared that the plague is a permanent disease in Bombay, and it is now treated on the same lines as sporadic cholera and small-pox.
Happily, too, the marvelous recuperative power of Indian has enabled her to recover from the famine, and to yield once more abundant harvests. This has resulted in contentment, and prosperity will return in due course. A great deal is also hoped from the new Governor-General, Lord Curzon, lately Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
Politics at Home have been quiet, and the part in power is more firmly seated on the Treasury Benches than ever. The death of Gladstone has had a marked effect on the Liberals and Radicals, spreading dissension which had already been sown since the retirement from the leadership by Lord Rosebery. Sir Wm. Harcourt has also retired from the leadership because of the distractions in the party; but no one can sympathise with Sir William, for he has had meted out to him just the measure he gave Lord Rosebery.
Owing to the threatened foreign complications, all British statesmen have with common consent sunk party for the State, and the loyal support given to the Government by the Opposition during the crises was a help which is gratefully acknowledged. In view of the immediate past, Britain is very prepared for war. In spite of the engineers' strike at the beginning of the year, the Naval programme was carried out with fair progress; while during the dispute with France the naval and military activity was almost phenomenal. The naval expenditure for the current year sanctioned by the Parliament amounts to ¡ê15,000,000.
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World Disasters: Air, Sea and Space
Tragedy in Klondyke
World Disasters Report 2002
World Disasters
World Disasters timeline
