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the same, with the Registration Authority appointed by Law for the Port
or place to which they belong. I may add that were this done, the difficulty
experienced in dealing with barges carrying offensive cargoes would be
considerably diminished.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
HERBERT WILLIAMS, M.D.Lond., D.P.H.Cantab.
Medical Officer of Health, Port of London.
* Canal Boats Act, 1884, Sec. 10:—
"If it shall at any time appear to the Local Government Board, on the
"representation of any registration or sanitary authority, or of any inspector
"appointed under this Act, that the principal Act and this Act ought to apply
"to any vessel or class of vessels which would be within the definition of
"Canal Boat contained in Section 14 of the principal Act, if such vessel or
"class of vessels were not registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,
"and the Acts amending the same, the Local Government Board may declare
"that the principal Act and this Act shall apply to such vessel or class of vessels,
"although the same may be registered as aforesaid, and thereupon the same
"shall be deemed to be a Canal Boat or Canal Boats within the meaning of
"the principal Act, and this Act and the definition contained in Section 14 of
"the principal Act shall be amended accordingly."
Canal Boats Act, 1877, Sec. 14, states that:—
"The expression "Canal" includes any river, inland navigation, lake, or
"water, being within the body of a county, whether it is or not within the ebb
" and flow of the tide."
"The expression" Canal Boat" means any vessel, however propelled, which
"is used for the conveyance of goods along a canal as above defined, and
"which is not a ship duly registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,
" and the Acts amending the same."