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69
Entering the port side alleyway, first of all on the right is situated the
native galley or cook-house, and immediately opposite is a range of five
water closets for the use of 60 persons (Europeans).
Further on, on the right, is a berth occupied by bakers, and opposite to this
is a range of trough closets, with ten seats, for the use of 81 Asiatics.
With the exception of a side port, there is no ventilation of the whole of
these closets except into the alleyway giving communication to the native
cookhouse, the living quarters of the crew, and the lower forecastle.
At the end of this alleyway one enters that part of the top-gallant forecastle
occupied by the Lascar seamen, and the plan shows that accommodation
is afforded for 29 Lascars, but the bunks provided being insufficient for this
number, extra sleeping accommodation is afforded by slinging hammocks.
The ventilation of this space, which is about 40 feet long, and varying from
about 24 feet in width, for the accommodation of 29 men, is simply an 18-inch
ventilator in the fore part, and two 7-inch ventilators in the after part.
These last are close together and immediately over a bunk, with the natural
consequence that they were both promptly blocked up by the occupant, who
happened to be the serang, or headman.
The ventilator in the fore part would act generally as an "uptake''
Therefore, any renewal of air would take place through the door communicating
with the alleyway, in which is situated the range of water closets
and the galley.
A portion of this forecastle on the starboard side is partitioned off and
occupied by 16 European stewards.
The ventilation provided here consists of two bitt ventilators, as on the
port side, which, being situated over and in immediate proximity to bunks,
were treated as before described, with the result that there was no air supply
except through the door communicating with the alleyway.
This alleyway on the starboard side gives access to quarters occupied by
petty officers, and to those on the lower deck occupied by native servants.
These are reached by a stairway. That part of the lower forecastle now
entered (See plan B), accommodates 26 native servants, who occupy that
number of bunks.
The place is fitted with a 12-inch ventilator on the port side, immediately
over a bunk, and a 6-inch ventilator on the starboard side, also over a bunk.
Both of these were found blocked up, for the usual reason, leaving the
quarters devoid of any ventilation whatever, except that obtained by the
stairway, which in itself does not communicate with the open air.
The quarters forward of these, occupied by 36 native firemen, and 16 native
coal-trimmers, 52 persons in all, have a separate entrance by a stairway in
the alleyway on the port side.