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mixture—asphalt—is ladled out into casks which find their way to all
parts of the Empire; thousands of tons are sent annually to Calcutta.
Only three men are employed here constantly and one w.c. is provided
for their use. This is of approved pattern; the ventilation is satisfactory.
Distillers.
These stores have subterranean passages which burrow for some
distance beneath the ground. Wines and whisky are received in barrels
and are bottled in the premises and then sent out. Gin is made on the
premises through the double distillation of raw spirit. Juniper berry
juice and orris root are added during the process. The sanitary
accommodation consists of seven w.c.'s and one urinal for the 56 male
employees and five w.c.'s for the 30 females. The w.c.'s are of modern
pedestal type, each in a separate enclosure. Numerous lavatory basins
are provided for the employees. Bottles are washed by means of up-todate
plant, supplied with hot and cold water; the bottles are then
drained and placed in a warm chamber to dry thoroughly. The lower
floors are divided into stores; on the upper floors, bottling, labelling and
packing takes place. The lighting, ventilation and heating—this latter
is affected by steam—are all satisfactory. Some 30,000 to 40,000
gallons of Colonial wine, mostly Burgundy, are received and bottled;
the demand for this wine is growing—whisky, etc., being so expensive.
Births.
Births. Birth rate per 1,000.
1,908 16.8
The total number of births registered in the Borough was 1,703,
and of these 90 were transferred to other districts, as the permanent
addresses of the parents were outside this Borough. Similarly, 295
births occurring outside of the Borough, in maternity hospitals, &c., were
transferred to Deptford, making a total of 1,908 births in all belonging
to Deptford. Of these, 937 were males and 971 were females.
This figure gives a birth-rate of 16.8 per 1,000 of the estimated population,
as compared with 18.2 for the year 1926.
The birth-rate for England and Wales for 1927 was 16.7.
„ „ the 107 County Boroughs and Great Towns was 17.1
„ „ the 155 Smaller Towns was 16.4
„ „ the County of London was 16.1
The rate for Deptford was therefore very slightly higher than the
average for the country as a whole. Table I shows the number of
births and birth-rates for the past ten years.