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Boats Act might be cancelled. It appeared, by Section 14 of the Canal Boats
Act, 1877, that ships duly registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,
and the Acts amending the same, were exempt from the operation of the
Canal Boats Act, but there was a doubt in my mind as to whether, in the case
of vessels, which were entirely within the definition of "canal boat" as defined
in the Section here referred to, should be registered under the Merchant
Shipping Act, and the responsibility of the owners of such boats under the
Canal Boats Act, thereby evaded.
This question affected twenty-five canal boats which had been on the
register for many years.
As the power of the Registration Authority to continue to regard these
vessels as canal boats after registration under the Merchant Shipping Act
appeared very doubtful, they were accordingly struck off the Register. This,
to my mind, is to be regretted, inasmuch as I have pointed out in previous
Reports with regard to this class of vessel, which is employed solely in the
River and inland waters, and cannot be "ships," that closer control is very
desirable from a sanitary, physical, and moral point of view.
I dealt with this question at length in my Annual Report for the year 1902.
(9.) The number of boats registered during the year 1905 was nine, of
which one only was a new boat.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
HERBERT WILLIAMS.
Medical Officer of Health,
Port of London.