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Albert Docks, This does, not take place without giving rise to a certain
amount of nuisance which is more or less serious according to the condition of
the dung when loaded and the state of the weather.
In many instances these barges are detained a fortnight, and a month has
been known to elapse between the loading of a dung barge and her clearance
from dock by the custom officers.
The detention of the barges is said to be caused by the delay in receiving
from the Veterinary Inspector at Deptford the certificate setting forth that the
cattle were found free from contagious disease.
It has been recently stated that the certificate is not forwarded until the
last ox by the steamer concerned has been killed and subsequently examined
for disease. Whatever the cause may be, there is no doubt that these
documents take much longer to arrive at the docks than was formerly the
case.
As an example, one steamer from New York, reported at the Custom House
in London on April 6th, and one may assume the cattle were landed on that
day, but the certificate was not received until the 20th.
The nuisance caused at the time of discharging cattle dung is not likely to
be so protracted in the future with improved cattle fittings.
The recurrence of the nuisance caused by turning over from barge to barge,
unless under exceptional circumstances, will be stopped.
The cleansing of the cattle spaces will be very much simplified if owners of
cattle steamers adopt improved arrangements for stalls and flooring.
It is not apparent that any steps can be taken in the direction of cleaning
steamers before their arrival in Dock, but it would be an immense advantage
if regulations could be made and enforced for the time to be occupied in
cleaning the vessel and removing the dung from Dock.
The thorough cleansing of the cattle spaces should be dealt with and
certified to by the Medical Officer of Health's Department for the Port of
London, inasmuch as the officers of H.M. Customs cannot be expected to take
much interest in a subject such as cleansing of cattle spaces, nor, indeed, have
they sufficient time to devote to this most important duty.
CANVEY ISLAND.
With the exception of a few cases of measles reported elsewhere (tne
remains of an outbreak traceable to importation from London), the health of
the island has been good, and no infectious disease has been reported.
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