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7
PORT OF LONDON SANITARY OFFICES,
51, KING WILLIAM STREET,
GREENWICH, S.E.
TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE PORT OF LONDON
SANITARY COMMITTEE.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present herewith my Annual Report for the year
1914, being the thirteenth of the series.
The total number of vessels arriving in the Port of London, from "foreign"
during the year, was 7,985 at Gravesend, and 265 at Sheerness, the average for the
past ten years being 9,474.7 at Gravesend, and 324 at Sheerness.
Of the total arrivals, 1,976 were medically inspected at Gravesend, and 186 at
Sheerness.
The details of these figures are given in Tables I and II.
Infectious Disease is dealt with in Tables V. to XXYL, with details of cases
exhibiting points of public interest.
Food Inspection is specially dealt with; full particulars will be found in Tables
XXVII. to XXXII.
Sanitary Inspection is summarised in Tables XXXIII. to XXXVII., and this
section of the work has been well and efficiently maintained.
The working of the Canal Boats Acts is dealt with in the usual Special Annual
Report on this subject, which is appended to this Report.
There was a falling off in the number of vessels arriving from "foreign" at
Gravesend after the 3rd August. This is partly explained by the fact that no ships
arrived from German, Austrian or Baltic ports, and the subsequent closing of the
Dardanelles prevented arrivals from the Black Sea. Many of the vessels arriving from
these ports are of the smaller size, but it will probably be found when the figures are
obtainable that there has been a serious diminution in the amount of tonnage arriving,
as owing to the congestion at the docks many of these larger regular traders have had
to remain in the Port for days awaiting discharge, and so have made fewer voyages.