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59
as defined, and which is not a ship duly registered under the Merchant
Shipping Act, 1854, and the Acts amending the same. The definition "canal "
includes any river, inland navigation, lake or water within the body of a county,
whether it is or not within the ebb or flow of the tide. The vessel is of the
kind propelled by oars or towed, and is employed in the conveyance of goods
between the mills and docks, is not registered under the Merchant Shipping
Act, and at the time of inspection on the 16th June was in charge of one man.
In answer to the questions put to him by your Inspector, it would appear that
this man had been in charge of the vessel for 18 months past, and did nothing
else.
That the cabin was supplied with bedding and fitted with a stove, the
cupboards contained food.
There were cooking utensils about, and a receptacle for drinking water ; in fact
the whole arrangements indicated that the cabin was in regular occupation as
a dwelling, and was not used as an occasional shelter only. The vessel was
again inspected on the 17th, and found in the same place and in the same
occupation.
It will thus be seen that according to the definition of the Canal Boats Act
this barge is a canal boat, used as a dwelling and unregistered.
The owners of this vessel were summoned to appear at the Thames Police
Court on the 29th July.
After hearing evidence, the Magistrate remarked that the Canal Boats Acts
were never intended to apply to such craft as the one under consideration. It
was intended to apply to canal boats for the protection of women and children,
and that in this instance a man working in such a craft could very well take
care of himself, and it was expected that he should take some risk.
He thereupon dismissed the summons with costs against this Authority.
(5.) The remaining case was that of the canal boat "Mary Ann," of Towcester,
No. 140.
This boat was referred to in my last Annual Report, but at the time,
although legal proceedings were authorised, it was impossible to subsequently
trace the boat. Since then it appears that the Master, who was also the owner
of the boat, has died, and the boat was met with in this Port again on 26th and
27th October, when the cabin was found to be occupied by an adult daughter,
who formerly travelled with her father, and whose occupation of the cabin was
then the ground of complaint, and with her on the boat were a younger sister
and two adult brothers, all apparently occupying the one cabin.