Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 2.djvu/145

THROUGHOUT VOYAGE FIVE DAYS’ QUARANTINE. BOMBAY PROCLAIMED NEXT DAY INFECTED PORT. HEALTH OFFICER SUSPENDED. ANOTHER APPOINTED WHO ON 24 VISITED SHIPS ORDERED DISINFECTION AND BURNING OLD CLOTHES MATS ETC. IMPOSED 11 DAYS’ QUARANTINE. BURNING ETC. DONE ON 25. ON 28 POLICE OFFICER BOARDED REDISINFECTED AND BURNT BEDDINGS BAGS CLOTHING ETC. HEALTH OFFICER ON 29 VISITED SHIPS SHOWED SATISFACTION AGAIN IMPOSED 12 DAYS’ QUARANTINE. PRATIQUE DUE 10 JANUARY GIVEN ON 11. AFTER STEAMERS’ ARRIVAL MEETINGS CALLED BY VOLUNTEER OFFICERS AND OTHERS TO FORCIBLY PREVENT LANDING PASSENGERS. TOWN HALL USED FOR MEETINGS. SPEAKER DECLARED GOVERNMENT SYMPATHY AND THAT DEFENCE MINISTER SAID GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT OPPOSE MOB. STATED THAT 800 PASSENGERS FOR NATAL ON TWO STEAMERS MOSTLY ARTISANS AND LABOURERS. SCHEME TO SWAMP COLONY WITH INDIANS. PRINTING PLANT ON BOARD ETC. SUCH STATEMENTS PROMOTED AGITATION INFLAMED PEOPLE. TRUTH IS ONLY 600 PASSENGERS NOT MORE THAN 200 FOR NATAL BEING TRADERS THEIR ASSISTANTS RELATIVES WIVES CHILDREN OF OLD RESIDENTS. NO SCHEME TO SWAMP COLONY. NO PRINTING PLANT. ONE OF QUARANTINE COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY GOVERNMENT HEADED SIXTH DIVISION OF MOB. ULTIMATUM ASKING PASSENGERS TO RETURN INDIA UNLESS THEY WOULD FACE OPPOSITION FROM THOUSANDS OF DURBAN PEOPLE. GANDHI ON “COURLAND” THREATENED WITH TARRING FEATHERING LYNCHING. STEAMERS’ AGENTS SHOWING ILLEGALITY IN IMPOSING QUARANTINE URGED RELIEF AND PROTECTION FOR PASSENGERS FROM GOVERNMENT. AGENTS’ LETTER IGNORED TILL AFTER DEMONSTRATION ON THIRTEENTH. THOUSANDS INCLUDING GOVERNMENT RAILWAYMEN VOLUNTEERS 300 KAFFIRS WITH STICKS MASSED AT WHARF “TO PREVENT LANDING OF PASSENGERS BY FORCE IF NECESSARY”. DEFENCE MINISTER BROUGHT SHIPS IN ADDRESSED MOB AND IT DISPERSED. PASSENGERS’ SAFETY ASSURED. SOME LANDED AFTERNOON OTHERS NEXT DAY. GOVERNMENT OFFERED GANDHI TO LAND QUIETLY AT NIGHT. HE LANDED LATE AFTERNOON ACCOMPANIED BY ADVOCATE LAUGHTON. ROUGHLY HANDLED. ASSAULTED BY CROWD. POLICE RESCUED. PAPERS CONDEMN DEMONSTRATION AND AGREE AGITATORS PROCEEDED ON FALSE STATEMENTS, JUSTIFY GANDHI. SOME JOURNALS SUSPECT COLLUSION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND AGITATORS. PASSENGERS SUFFERED IMMENSELY. GOVERNMENT NOT HEEDING. INDIANS’