View report page

the ships they board, and accordingly supplies of the Declaration of Health
are sent, from time to time, to Trinity House. The Elder Brethren have,
however, stipulated that pilots should not be held responsible for any failure
on the part of the Masters to comply with the instructions of the Port Health
Authority. Pilots have, however, co-operated willingly and conscientiously
and consequently the arrangements are working very satisfactorily.
The Port Health Amendment Regulations, 1945, necessitated a slight alteration
to the Declaration of Health, page 4 of which (instructions) now
reads as follows : -
INSTRUCTIONS.
(applying only to the Port of London).
The Master of a foreign-going vessel approaching a Port an England or
Wales from a Foreign Port must ascertain the state of health of all persons
on board, and fill in and sign a Declaration of Health in the prescribed
form, which he must hand to the Customs Officer or to the Port Medical
Officer, whichever first boards the ship.
1. If the answer to any of the questions on page 1 is "YES", or if the ship,
EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF TANKERS, has called during the previous six weeks at any
of the following Ports:-
Ports in ASIA, including JAPAN, the EAST INDIES and CEYLON, AFRICA including
MADAGASCAR, the CANARY ISLANDS and CAPE VERDE ISLANDS, TURKEY, BLACK
SEA, .AZORES, SOUTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA, GULF OF MEXICO, WEST INDIES,
the Master must:-
(1) Send a wireless message to "PORTELTH LONDON", stating the name of his
vessel and the timex she is expected to arrive off Gravesend. This
message must be sent off not more than 12 hours and not less than 4 hours
before the arrival of the ship.
In the case of vessels bound for the Medway, the wireless message
must be addressed to "PORTELTH LONDON", but must be as followss:-
"(NAME OF VESSEL) (TIME OF ARRIVAL) SHEERNESS."
NOTE.- If wireless is not carried, the Port Health Authority must be notified
of the arrival of the ship as soon as possible.
(2) By day, when within the Port of London, hoist the flag signal LIM, meaning
"Port Medical Officer required";
By night, when approaching Gravesend, flash letter "Q" repeatedly from
the morse lamp,
(3) Have the crew mustered ready for inspection by the Port Medical Officer
as soon as he boards the vessel.
Free pratique will not be granted by His Majesty's Customs until the
vessel has been visited by the Port Medical Officer.
II. If the answers to all the questions on page 1 are "NO" and the vessel has
not called during the previous six weeks at any of the Ports mentioned above,
the Master need not communicate with the Port Health Authority in the manner
described above, unless directed to do so by a Customs Officer.
NOTE - (a) Where a foreign-going ship comes to a Port in the United Kingdom
from a Foreign Port and makes a Declaration of Health, and thereafter within
six weeks calls at another Port in England or Wales in completion of its voyage,
the Master shall report on arrival to the Customs Officer or Officer of
the Port Health Authority, whichever first boards the ship, every case of illness
(being a case which, if he were making a Declaration of Health, he would
be required to include in the Declaration) which has occurred on the ship since
the making of the Declaration and has not already been reported.
(b) Article 16(l) of the Regulations states:- Where a ship arrives
(7)