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PORT OF LONDON SANITARY OFFICES,
GREENWICH, S.E.
March, 1905.
TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE PORT OF LONDON
SANITARY COMMITTEE.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present herewith my Annual Report for the
year ending 31st December, 1904, with Tables indicating the work as carried
out in its different branches, and its bearing upon the public health in the
Port of London.
It has been necessary to maintain a careful medical supervision of vessels
entering the Port, firstly, with a view to the protection of the community from
the danger due to the introduction of cases of dangerous infectious disorders ;
secondly, in the interest of the commerce of London, for certain foreign countries
are not unwilling to impose restrictions with regard to vessels arriving from
English ports, and they would readily do so if Port Sanitary Authorities
showed any laxness in respect of carrying out the international conventions.
The total number of vessels medically inspected during the year 1904 at
Gravesend was 2,559, the mean annual number for the past five years being
1,560.4.
At Sheerness the total number medically inspected was 308, which, though
slightly lower than the number inspected last year, is still considerably above
the mean for the preceding five years. Details of these figures will be found
in Tables I. and II.
With regard to the inspection of vessels by the Sanitary Inspectors (see
Table III.) it will be seen that the total number of inspections made of all kinds
was 35,385, a figure which is substantially above the mean for the previous
five years. A reduction will be noticed in the number of inspections made
on foreign arrivals, this being the lowest since the year 1900 (see
also Table I.). The class of vessels known as "Coastwise," barges, &c.,
shows a considerable increase on any previous year. Of the total number of
inspections, 151,685 were made on vessels from foreign ports, 4,293 on those
from ports in the United Kingdom, 13,515 on barges, canal boats, lighters,
and other vessels not engaged in sea trade, and 1,892 of buildings and other
premises on shore within the area of the docks, &c. The cleansing of crews'
quarters was ordered and carried out in 3,514 instances, or 12.75 per cent. of
the total number of vessels inspected.
With regard to nationalities of the vessels inspected, 83.99 per cent. were
under the British flag, Scandinavia coming next with 4.99 per cent., and
Germany with 3.53 per cent., followed in order of importance by the Dutch,
Danish, French, Belgian, Russian, Spanish, Finnish, Austrian, Italian, Greek,
American, Japanese and Argentine Republic.