QUEENSLAND'S GERMAN CONNECTIONS - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

The Maryborough Chronicle Saturday, July 19, 1873 SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE ARRIVALS The Reichstag, immigrant ship, from Hamburg, which had been signalled “in sight” on Wednesday, came to her anchorage in the Bay yesterday afternoon. She brings 334 immigrants of whom 10 are full paying, 5 remittance, 25½ assisted, and 281 free, the numbers counted as adult passengers. Classified according to sex and condition, they comprise 57 married couples, 101 single men, 63 single women, 87 children, and 16 infants. The mortality during the voyage has been unusually heavy, 36 deaths having occurred, chiefly from dysentery. It appears, however, from a telegram received last night by Messrs. R. Travis and Co. from the Health Officer that there is no contagious disease, nor, indeed, any serious sickness on board. Nevertheless, as a measure of precaution, the immigrants will not be allowed to come up the river until Wednesday next. The Maryborough Chronicle Saturday, July 26, 1873 ARRIVAL OF THE IMMIGRANT SHIP REICHSTAG This vessel, after a run of 90 days from Hamburg, arrived in Hervey’s Bay on the 18th instant. The Health Officer (R. B. Sheridan, Esq.), having spoken the vessel, and found that there had been disease of a contagious na ture on board during the voyage, considered as a matter of precaution —it would be advisable to detain the passengers for a few days before landing. On Wednesday last, the Medical Officer (Dr. Power), reported that no contagious disease then existed, and the Health Officer released the ship the following day. On Thursday, the Immigration Agent (Geo. Faircloth, Esq) visited the vessel, and the immigrants were yesterday brought to town by the A.S.N. Co’s. steamer Governor Blackall. The mortality during the passage has been very heavy, 36 deaths having occurred. From the list we publish below, and the Surgeon super-intendents report, it will be seen that the mortality was chiefly confined to the children, and the causes as explained by the Surgeon- superintendent seem to show that no contagious disease existed to any alarming extent at any time during the voyage. The Immigrants who have been admitted to the depot appear to be healthy and cheerful, and the boxes which accompanies each would demon strate that the new arrivals are not entirely destitute. We regret to state that eight immigrants had to be conveyed

to the Hosiptal [sic] immediately upon the arrival of the steamer; they consisted of six women and two men, all said to be suffering from the same kind of debelity [sic]. One of the number, a man, named Christian Hellstad, aged 45 years, died an hour after his admitsion [sic]. We called last night at the Hospital, but the wardsman, either would not, or could not, supply us with any information as to the state of the patients or their names, alleging as an excuse, that they were Germans, and could not speak English. We humbly call the attention of the Hospital Committee to the state of these unhappy invalids, and crave in the name of humanity, that the Benevolent fund may be again taxed to supply a suitable nurse, and interpreter. The Immigration Agent was most particular in enquiring from each passenger,whether, he or she had any complaints to make, and it is most satisfactory to find that the Captain and officers were general favorites, and the few complaints made against the Doctor, were very trivial. We may here mention that this is the third trip the Reichstag, has made to the colony with immigrants under the command of Captain Hauschildt. SURGEON- SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT In the passage of the Reichstag from Hamburg to this colony, two different periods are visible, showing human life to be entirely dependent upon the overwhelming influence of nature. From the start, on April 16th, up to the end of the month of May, while fine weather and a pleasant temperature were prevailing, but little sickness raged, not spreading much beyond the original limits of the cases which, apparently, were already infected on shore. A few babies died, some in consequence of the general imprudence and bad habits of the lower classes in all countries, com bined, in some instances, with neglect and carelessness, arising from sea sickness and the unwonted way of living. From the latter date the tran sition into the cold regions took place rapidly, the winds were growing stronger and unfriendly, turning at last into furious storms, with extremely frequent downpours of rain, alternating with mist and fogs, and an untoward state of the atmosphere. At once the leaven of sickness began its work, and to assume greater demeanour. During the most of the month of June, and the first part of July, while the passengers could hardly move on deck without getting wet through, and the women and children were kept down below for weeks, the majority of the pas sengers (over 200) got ill, of whom more than the half so seriously as to be confined to their beds. Children of the more tender ages to whom exer cise and liberty are as indispensable as food and air, fell victims to

the rapacity of death in the first instance, and furnished two-thirds of all the lamentable events which sub sequently happened during that time. Scarlet fever and disease of the bowels in its various forms of diarrhoea and dysentery made their appearance, and typhoid fever became prevalent among the adults. As soon as finer weather set in, when on the longitude of Cape Leeuwing, the state of health began to improve, as far as fresh cases are concerned; the list of patients began gradually to decrease, and the stronger recovered rapidly enough. The passengers would certainly have emerged from such calamity with less damage had they followed more strictly the medical advice tendered to them, and put less confidence in nonsensical family remedies of their own. The most essential conditions of health, as regards cleanliness and ventilation, were, however, fulfilled by them even during the roughest parts of the voyage most willingly, and as frequently as possible. No bad smells or foul air were ever allowed to add to the hardships which had befallen the vessel, and thus it happened that with the inclemency of the weather the virulence of the disease disappeared. That some ultimately fell vic tims to the great hardships they had endured is not surprising.The married people and single girls are half German and half Dan ish, with a few Scandinavians, and the majority of the single men are Danes. The Maryborough Chronicle Tuesday July 29, 1873 VESSELS IN HARBOUR Of the immigrants admitted to the Hospital one, a single man, named Johann Joergen Nielson, has died since our last issue from acute consumption, but there is a decided improvement in the others. An extra nurse, we notice, has been temporarily engaged at the institution to tend the new arrivals, and as she can speak both German and Danish she will prove an acquisition. But she is, unfortunately, quite ignorant of the English language, so that although the patients can convey their wants to her, she, in her turn, is unable to communicate with the matron. It is in no cavilling spirit that we feel compelled to express our regret that the very small amount of trouble in procuring a woman who was able to speak both English and German was not taken the more so as there are so many fully qualified in that respect. The Maryborough Chronicle Thursday, July 31, 1873 SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE DEPARTURES July 30. — Reichstag, ship, Captain Hauschildt, for Batavia. Saturday, August 2, 1873 The Reichstag left Woody Island yesterday morning for Batavia.

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