ARRIVAL OF THE MONGOL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 43, 21 February 1874, Page 8

ARRIVAL OF THE MONGOL.

The s.B. Mongol arrived at Port Chalmers, from Plymouth, after splendid passage of 51 days 18 hours, on Thursday the 12th inst. On arrival there was made known the unwelcome intelligence of sicknesi on board in, the form of scariet fever, measles, and bronchitis. This, of course, left but one course to be pursued, viz., to quarantine the steamer. The Board of Health met in the afternoon and decided :—: — "That the ship Mongol remain in quarantine in the meantime, and. that she be thoroughly fumigated. That the fourteen emigrants for Otago be placed on Quarantine Island, and all usual and necessary steps be taken to fumigate and cleanse their baggage, bedding, and personal effects. That the cargo for the port be placed in lighters, and fumigated prior to being landed. That in the event of the Colonial Government so desiring it, the whole of tlie passengers on board the Mongol be landed on Quarantine Island, and their effects be thoroughly cleansed and fumigated." It appears faafc the emigrant* were shipped at Plymouth, and were taken from the Depot there, and that they were unhealthy at the time, scarlet fever an'l measles having previously appeared amongst them. Two of the families had been removed from the Depot inconsequence, and several of the intenling emigrants had to be left behind. On the morning of the day that the steamer sailed from Plymouth a family waa Fent on shore because its members had only lately recovered from soarlot fever, and were in a very weak state therefrom. Moreover, as Dr Davidson rem irked, the infection of fever must have been about thurn. Professor M'Gregor who interrogated the doctor, asked Dr Davidson whether he considered it prudent to undertake the voyage with emigrants iv such a, very unsatisfactory condition ? To which the doctor replied that he certainly did not, and expressed surprise that the Emigration authorities at home had not detained her. He furthermore remarked that if one case of fever had been apparent on the day she sailed, he would have taken the responsibility of detaining the steamer. The emigrants, however, were, to all appearance, well on the day she sailed, but on the following day fe?er and measles appeared amongst them, and remained throughout the passage. According to the Doctor's report, 67 cases of measles, 21 cases of scarlet fever, and eight cases of bronchitis had been treated during the passage, and out of that number 12 resulted fatally, viz., 4 cases of measles, 5 of scarlet fever, 3 of bronchitis. Besides these there was 1 fatal case of diarrhoea, 1 of ulcer, 1 of death from inanition, and a death from sunstroke. The deaths were confined, to children often years of age and under ; exceplingin one case. With regard to tho present condition of the immigrants, there are under treatment 4 cases of scarlet fever, 2 of abcess, 1 of diarrhoea, 1 of bronchitis. The precaution was taken to destroy all the clothes and bedding used by infected persons during the voyage, whilst the infected persons were carefully isolated When the Mongol left Plymouth, she had 245 statute adult immigrants on board, besides a number of paying passengers, and her crew of 5& men and boys. The immigrants came out through the New Zealand Shipping Company, and are for distribution through the colony as follows :— lo^ statute adults for Otago, 71 for Cante'bury, 91 for Wellington, 724 for Auckland. The Mongol is one of the steamers engaged to run in the new Australian and American Mail Line, and has demonstrated her ability to undertake the running of the mail service by making the quickest direct passage from England to New Zealand on record. Her time from land to land was 50 days 8 hours, and 5L days 18 hours from Plymouth to Port Chalmers. She is a handsome boat of 2265 tons register and 1463 tons carrying capacity. Her length is 300 feet, beam 35 feet, and depth, of hold 31 feet 6 inches. She is fitted with a compound engine of 400 horse-power nominal, and 1600 horse power indicated. Her accommodation is good ; there is a magnificent saloon, with ladies' cabin and retiring room, bath-rooms, ice-liouje, &.e. She is built with three decks. The owners of. the

Mongol are the New York, London, and China Steam Company. She wbb speciullj built to carry tea between China and New York, and is the sister-ship to the Tiirtar, lately arrived on a similar mission at Melbourne, and belongs to the same owners.