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36
were forwarded to your Medical Officer each day. Thus it was found practicable
to keep these immigrants under observation on their arrival in London.
Your Officers have therefore had much experience in dealing with such
immigrants, the machinery exists, and can be put in action immediately if
required.
I therefore recommend that, should an Alien Immigration Bill be
introduced into Parliament, steps be taken to ensure that this Authority
should be responsible for the medical examination of immigrants, and for this
purpose, that powers to enter vessels on arrival at Gravesend,and also to detain
vessels for such reasonable time as may be required for the medical examination,
should be obtained.
The Immigration Officer of the Board of Trade, who enquires into the
immigrant's social and financial position, can at the same time carry out his
duties.
Statutory powers should be obtained for regulating the accommodation
upon, and condition of, various immigrant passenger ships. Notwithstanding
the fact that the present statutory powers are very insufficient for dealing
with this question, yet your Committee have made strong representations to
the Consuls-General of Denmark and Russia, with the result that many of
these vessels have undergone structural alterations in the way of lighting,
ventilation, and improved bunks ; but the fact remains that these vessels were
never constructed for the purpose of carrying immigrants, and although, as
the result of your Committee's representations, considerable improvement has
been made, these vessels are still kept under close observation with a view to
the improvement being maintained.
The obligations under the Merchant Shipping Act only apply to vessels
under the British Flag. Foreign vessels trading to ports in this country
should conform to the requirements of this Act, and not be treated preferentially,
to the prejudice of British Shipping.
CONDITION OF THE WATER IN THE RIVER AND DOCKS.
The condition of the water of the River and of the Docks has remained
satisfactory throughout the year. Low temperatures and abundant rainfall
have no doubt been largely responsible for this. On this subject I cannot do
better than quote from the Report of the Royal Commission on Sewage
Disposal relative to the biological composition of the water of the river as
investigated for the purposes of their Inquiry:—
"As a result of these investigations, we find that, as judged by the
"bacillus coli test, the River Thames at Mucking, about 20 miles below
"the Barking and Crossness Outfall Works, is at times as pure as the
"River Thames in the region of Sunbury and Hampton, above the intakes
"of some of the London waterworks companies.