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Even at the present time cesspits are largely relied upon in certain of the
Docks as a means of sewage disposal, but improvement in this direction is
gradual, and drainage into local sewers, wherever practicable, is now insisted on.
This development adds materially to the work of your Officers.
Special reference was made to this in my last Annual Report, where it is
shown that some difficulty is experienced in dealing with sanitary defects in
shore premises owing to the lack of adequate powers, and that application was
then about to be made to the Local Government Board to extend certain
further sections of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, to the Fort
Sanitary Authority.
This application was accordingly made in February of the year now under
review, and there the matter at present stands.
The several Dock Companies cannot understand why they should be under
the jurisdiction of two Sanitary Authorities, and this renders it difficult to get
certain necessary sanitary works carried out.
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
Gravesend.—Table I.
The number of vessels arriving in the Port of London from "foreign"
ports was less during 1906 than the previous year, and slightly below the
average for the previous five years.
Owing to the continued presence of Plague in various ports, stringent
medical inspection of arrivals from those ports has been necessary, with the
result that more vessels were medically inspected during 1906 than in any
previous year.
Sheerness.—Table II.
The figures for Sheerness show a considerable advance in the number of
vessels arriving from "foreign" ports during the year, the total being
above the average for the previous five years.
The number of vessels medically inspected was 320; and this duty has
been satisfactorily carried out by Dr. Legge, who is in charge of the station
there.