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doubted that the maintenance of the Ships in constant readiness
for an outbreak is justifiable on the ground of economy. For
not only has it been shewn that little saving in expenses would
be effected by closure of the Ships—a saving, moreover, that would
probably be out-balanced by the expenses incident to the opening of
wards in the Town Hospitals—but it must be obvious, to all who
have considered the question, that the first outlay in keeping the
Ships in readiness, and sending the sick out of London, is insig.
nificant compared with the cost of even a slight epidemic which
might otherwise ensue. A somewhat extraordinary proposal was
submitted to the Managers to close the Atlas and Castalia (the
latter ship was closed at the time), and to treat sporadic cases on
board the administrative ship Kndymion, in two wards, one for
males, and one for females. The Hospital Ships' Committee, to
which the proposal was referred, reported adversely to it, pointing
out that " the saving that would be effected by its adoption
is insignificant, whilst to give effect to it would involve the
breaking up of the existing accommodation provided for the Staff
on the Kndymion, only to be restored immediately upon an outbreak
of small-pox; unless, indeed, additional nurses should be
engaged to attend upon patients in separate cubicles, as severe
cases cannot be left without constant supervision." Either plan,
the Committee stated, would lead to increased expenditure, while
the conversion of an administrative ship, whereon the staff sleep,
the meals are cooked, and the Committee meetings are held, into
an infectious Hospital, would be a violation of the principle
hitherto rigidly insisted on of keeping the staff quarters distinct
from the patients. The Committee, regarding the proposition as
only a modification of the idea to close the Hospital Ships altogether
in non-epidemic times, refer to previous resolutions ot the
Managers not to take this step, which they considered would
involve the retention of a staff of officers for the reception and
treatment in the London Hospitals of comparatively few cases
of small-pox, cases that could be treated more satisfactorily and
more economically under one administration in the Hospital Ships.
Moreover, to treat patients, however few in number, in the London