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ensure the men getting forward at all. There is no reason, apart from a
mercenary one, why crew's quarters should not be provided in the after-part
of the ship, where the men could enjoy light, air, warmth, and reasonable
space and accommodation.
On the 3rd June, 1907, the s.s. "Spray," of Leith, 99,229, was inspected,
when it was found that the crew's quarters in the forecastle were verminous,
dirty, leaky, and the space under the flooring was filled with an accumulation
of filth.
There being no cooking galley on the vessel, the cooking was carried out in
the forecastle, which was also used for the stowage of ropes, paints and other
ship's gear and stores.
This combination, as may easily be imagined, constituted a very obvious
nuisance, of which formal intimation was at once forwarded to the owner of
the vessel, who at once carried out the necessary work.
On the 5th June, 1907, the schooner "Dairymaid," of Fleetwood, 56,698,
was inspected, when it was found that the deck over the lower forecastle was
leaking badly, and required to be made tight, the lower forecastle was also found
to be damp, dirty and verminous, and in what appeared to be a disused
butter keg, which was very filthy, were 15 lbs. of corned meat in a putrid
condition. This was destroyed, and arrangements were made to fumigate the
forecastle with sulphur for the destruction of vermin. It was afterwards
thoroughly cleaned out, and as a result of some correspondence with the
owner, the other insanitary conditions were remedied before the vessel left the
Port
On July 2nd, one of your Inspectors on visiting the schooner "Betty
Russell," of Lancaster, 47,796, found stowed away in a paint and rope locker
which was in a filthy condition and adjoining a privy, about 30 lbs. of dry
salted meat, which was unsound and unfit for human food. The meat was
kept in what appeared to be a butter keg with a rough wooden top.
The matter was brought to the notice of the master of the vessel, with the
result that the meat, which formed part of the crew's provisions, was saturated
in a disinfecting solution and afterwards destroyed by burning.
The s.s. "Parisian," of Glasgow, was inspected on the 2Gth August last.
The "greasers'" quarters, certified for six men, were found occupied by eight.
The available floor area was 46.5 feet, or less than six square feet per man.
There was no daylight in the place at all; artificial light had to be used at
all times. The only ventilator was 7 inches in diameter, and had a bend in
its course.