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10
Two thousand and fifteen sanitary defects were reported in 1,914 vessels and
1,060 in shore premises (vide Appendices XXYI and XXVII.).
Fifteen Statutory Notices were served on the Masters of ships in respect of smoke
nuisance.
The number of vessels fumigated for rat-destruction under the supervision of
your Inspectors was 156: 81 by hydrogen cyanide and 75 by sulphur dioxide. By
the former method 1,425 rats and 866 mice, and by the latter 1,611 rats and 264 mice
were destroyed. No less than 1,521 of this total of 3,036 rats killed in the fumigation
of 156 ships were obtained from 10 Greek vessels engaged in the South American
grain trade.
The average number of rats killed per fumigation was 19.5. If mice are taken
into consideration also, the average number of rodents destroyed per fumigation
was 26.7.
In addition, 2,244 rats were trapped in ships and 4,856 on shore in the Port.
The total number of rats destroyed in ships during the year was 1,373 more than in
the previous year. This is probably due to the increase in the number of ships
entering the Port. The total number of rats caught ashore again shows a slight
decrease (55), demonstrating that the rat-repressive measures applied by the Port
of London Authority are year by year reducing the rat-population of the Docks.
Intimation Notices were served in respect of 20 cases of infringement of Bye-laws
relating to offensive cargoes. In each instance the offender took such steps as to
render further action unnecessary, but there is much scope for improvement in the
manner in which London's refuse is loaded and transported down the Biver to the
dumps.
The arrangements made with the Port of London Authority whereby the annual
re-registration of water barges is made conditional upon the satisfactory report of
your Officers as to the fitness of the barges for the carriage of drinking Avater, worked
smoothly during the year. No additions were made and no barges were put out of
commission, leaving 12 barges in commission at the end of the year.
The Boarding Launch "Howard Deighton" has given satisfactory service during
the year. In addition to conveying the Boarding Medical Officers to vessels requiring
medical inspection on arrival, transporting cases of infectious sickness to your Isolation
Hospital, collecting from ships bedding, &c., for disinfection and carrying the Sanitary
Inspector on his visits to ships lying in the Lower Biver district, this launch has on
several occasions enabled your Officers to render assistance in cases of sudden illness
or injury occurring in ships in Gravesend Beach. First aid has been rendered in
these cases and the patients have been landed and taken by motor ambulance to
the nearest General Hospital.
The Motor Launch "Joseph White" was sold early in the year. This necessitated
new arrangements for your Committee's visits of inspection. The Port of London
Authority very generously placed their Steam Launch "St. Katharine" at your
disposal for your down-river inspections and a suitable Launch was hired for up-river
visits. The courtesy of the Port of London Authority has enabled your Committee
to visit the lower Biver and the Docks much more comfortably and conveniently than
has ever been possible before.
During the year your Committee, taking into consideration that your district
comprised nearly 70 miles of Biver and over 45 miles of Dock quays, came to the
conclusion that your Staff of 12 Inspectors should be increased by 2, 1 additional
Inspector to be employed on the Docks and 1 on the Biver. To enable the latter to
carry out his duties efficiently and expeditiously you decided to build a small motor
launch. This launch was delivered from the builder's yard on 17th November, and
on 24th November was named "Frederick Whittingham," the ceremony being
graciously performed by Mrs. Whittingham. Up to the time of writing, the new
launch has given excellent service and has proved to be admirably suited to the
work for which she was designed, and very economical in fuel consumption.