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Your Medical Officer presumes that the sanitary control foreshadowed in this
letter applies to transport ships chartered to the Admiralty but not flying the
white ensign.
During the War there were numbers of these and other ships even carrying
Naval ratings, and they were dealt with by the Port Sanitary Authority as ordinary
merchant vessels. The position was one of some doubt, which doubt occas:onally
found expression on boarding the ships. Irregularities further occurred in that Naval
ratings suffering from infectious disease were actually taken from these vessels to
Denton Hospital and dealt with there, e.g., Bubonic Plague, ex ss. "Hector."
Section 327 of the Public Health Act, 1875, safeguards the Crown privileges, and
any interference with such must be in every case with the consent of " such
Lord High Admiral or Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral,
Secretary of State, Commissioners, body of persons or person as are hereinbefore in
that behalf respectively mentioned, such consent to be expressed in writing in the case
of a corporation under their common seal, and in the case of any body of persons not
being a corporation under the hand of their clerk or other duly authorised officer or
agent."
Your Medical Officer recommended that the position should be regularised in
accordance with the request of the Ministry of Health by informing the Minister that
the Port Sanitary Authority is prepared to undertake the responsibilities proposed, and,
in accordance with the Resolution of your Worshipful Committee dated 1st February,
the following correspondence ensued:—
8th February, 1927.
The Secretary,
Ministry of Health,
Whitehall, S.W.I.
Sir,
I am directed by the Committee of the Port of London Sanitary Authority to reply to your
letter IIIc. 1504/4901, of the 18th January. The Port of London Sanitary Authority is prepared
to assume the control of cases of Infectious Disease occurring on certain classes of His Majesty's
vessels, namely, all vessels belonging to or chartered to the Admiralty, with the exception of
His Majesty's vessels in commission.
Application is being made to the Admiralty for their consent under Section 327 of the Public
Health Act, 1875.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
W. M. WILLOUGHBY,
Medical Officer of Health, Port of London.
8th February, 1927.
The Permanent Secretary,
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
Admiralty, Whitehall, S.W.I.
Sir,
I am directed by the Committee of the Port of London Sanitary Authority to apply under
Section 327 of the Public Health Act, 1875, for the consent of the Admiralty to the control of
cases of Infectious Disease occurring in vessels belonging to or chartered to the Admiralty, with
the exception of His Majesty's vessels in commission, in all respects as if they were ordinary
merchant ships.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
W. M. WILLOUGHBY,
Medical Officer of Health, Port of London.
Any further communication should be addressed to—
The Secretary of the Admiralty, Admiralty, S.W. 1,
London, S.W. 1, 16th February, 1927.
quoting " M.490/27."
Sir,
With reference to your letter of the 8th instant, I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty to convey herewith Their Lordships' consent to the proposed arrangement
whereby officers of the Port of London Sanitary Authority shall, within their jurisdiction, visit
and deal with all cases of infectious disease occurring in vessels belonging to the Admiralty, or
chartered to the Admiralty (with the exception of H.M. ships in commission), in all respects
as if they were ordinary merchant vessels.
I am, Sir,
The Medical Officer of Health, Your obedient Servant,
Port of London Sanitary Authority, CHARLES WALKER.
5, Church Passage,
Guildhall, E.C. 2.
H/C.