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11
I referred last year to the gradual diminution in the number of vessels
arriving in London from foreign ports. This still continues, and during the
past year the number is lower than in any preceding year during the last
decade.
The figures illustrating this will be found in the comparative Table attached
to Table I.
As regards vessels arriving "coastwise" and those engaged in "inland
navigation," there is an increase over the preceding year in the number of
inspections, and the number shown is still above the average for the past ten
years. These figures will be found in Table III., which also gives the general
summary of sanitary inspection throughout the Port.
Important developments have taken place in the work of Food Inspection,
and these are dealt with at length under that heading.
The presence of Cholera in Russia necessitated special precautions, which
are fully dealt with in the section of the Report dealing with Infectious
Disease.
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
The number of vessels arriving from foreign ports is, as pointed out
in my introductory remarks, somewhat smaller than the preceding year,
and this diminution has been going on for some time.
The number of vessels medically inspected is, however, larger than in
any year during the past decade.
This has been brought about largely by the necessity for inspecting
closely vessels arriving from Russian ports, by reason of the epidemic
of Cholera, which has raged throughout Russia during the past year.
Many vessels arriving from Russian ports, as is well known, bring large
numbers of alien immigrants, and the necessity for careful examination
of these, as a precautionary measure against the introduction of Cholera,
has imposed a considerable amount of work on the medical staff.
I have dealt with this question further under the heading of " Cholera."
The medical inspection at Sheerness shows also a reduction in the
number of vessels arriving from foreign ports.
Similar precautions with regard to arrivals from Cholera-infected
ports have, of course, been taken at this Boarding Station also.
Vessels entering the Med way are not, however, with one or two
exceptions, of the passenger-carrying class.