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10
There is no reason why forecastles at the present day should be constructed
i n such a manner as to be dark and ill-ventilated.
Owners are always ready to see defects when pointed out, and to do their
best to remedy them, but it would seem much more reasonable to construct
vessels with good, light and well-ventilated forecastles than to be obliged to
pull them to pieces afterwards.
No question of economy of space nor of money is concerned, it is simply a
matter of utilising material to the best advantage.
The easiest way would be for all plans of vessels to be submitted to the
Sanitary Authorities of the Ports where built, in order that their Medical
Officers of Health might be able to advise as to the best arrangements.
There should be no bye-laws, and no hard and fast rules, but the most
would then be made of the space reserved for the crew's quarters, which is
certainly not the case at the present time.
Of the 204 alterations ordered during the half-year 65 related to improvement
of ventilation, 38 to storage of water (mainly the substitution of iron
tanks for wooden casks), and 101 to lighting and heating.
Two very important Acts have been passed during the last Session which
have an important bearing upon the work of your Worshipful Committee in
common with that of all other Sanitary Authorities. By the Poor Law Act,
1889, Section 3 (1), it is enacted "that the Managers of the Metropolitan
"Asylums District, subject to such regulations and restrictions as the Local
"Government Board from time to time make, may admit any person who is
"not a pauper, and who is reasonably believed to be suffering from a fever or
"small-pox or diphtheria into an asylum provided by the Managers and
"(2) The expenses incurred by the Asylum Managers for the maintenance of
"any such person shall be paid by the Guardians of the Union from which
"he is received, and those Guardians may recover the amount of those
"expenses as a simple contract debt from the said person or from any person
"liable by law to maintain him;'' and "(3) The said expenses so far as the
"same are not so recovered by the Guardians shall be repaid to them out of
"the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund."
The following section legalises the admission ot cases of diphtheria into
the Managers' Fever Hospital.
The 1st Section legalises the admission of all cases into the Asylums
Board's Hospital who are suitable on account of their illness without regard
to their station in life. The Managers therefore will receive any cases arising
in the port within the limits of their jurisdiction, and will charge the
authority for maintenance. This arrangement, which has been carried out for
several years, becomes now a legal one.