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9
Wherever water-barges are in use their regular and systematic inspection
is carried out, and a return made periodically as to their condition and state
of repair.
A large proportion of the water supplied to ships in London is delivered on
board in a quick and cleanly manner by hose direct from the mains on the
quays in the Dock, in some instances at the rate of a ton in four minutes,
but while lying in the river and in some of the docks, owing to the absence of
mains, the water has to be pumped on board from barges.
These barges are of an average capacity of 50 tons, being decked over and
provided with fly-wheel pumps.
Until the last few years these barges were entirely constructed of wood,
with or without a presumably water-tight skin, but owing to the increased
use of iron tanks for the storage of water on board the ships, it was deemed
advisable to discourage as much as possible the use of wood.
Obviously, however objectionable this material might be from a Sanitary
point of view, there was no legal power to order its discontinuance. Therefore
as the wooden barges became old and unsuited for the purpose of conveying
water, extensive repairs became necessary, and as these were always insisted
upon, iron barges becoming cheaper in the long run were gradually substituted
for them.
The great advantages of increased cleanliness, lessened liability to leakage,
and the absence of decaying organic matter, lead one to hope that before long
wooden water barges will be unknown in London.
Next in importance to the supply is the question of the receptacles in
which water is stored on board vessels, where iron tanks have almost
completely superseded the old wooden casks. The exceptions are a certain
proportion of our small coasters, and some foreign sailing vessels, but even in
these the iron tank is being gradually introduced.
The number of vessels in which this beneficial change has been brought
about through the action of your authority is very large.
The quantity of fresh water carried on a ship varies in proportion to the
length of voyage and the number of persons on board, where cattle are
carried a large additional supply being required. Whereas on a large mail
steamer carrying passengers to Australia we find storage room of 30,000
gallons of water, 3,000 gallons only would be supplied on a sailing ship with
a crew of 20 all told for the same voyage, in the latter case provision being
made for a period in excess of the anticipated duration of the passage.
No member of the crew of a steamer is ever confined to this very small
allowance, but in British sailing vessels making long voyages economy is
strictly enforced.
C