53

D.—l

The surgeon-superintendent reported seven deaths during the voyage, six being young children and one adult; and three births. The ship left Gravesend on the 15th November, 1872, with 496 souls on board, composed of Government immigrants") .. „ Brogden's people j ...... Saloon passengers ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 Second-cabin passengers ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 Intermediate passengers ... ... ... .... ... ... 23 Crew ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 i Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 496 On Monday, the 3rd March, 1873, soon after 9 o'clock a.m., the Commissioners were on board. Before beginning the inspection they asked the surgeon-superintendent for his medical journal, &c, and were surprised to find that he had only kept it up to the 19th November, 1872, up to which date it appears that no sickness of importance had occurred. The inspection began with the single women, who were mustered on the poop ; they all appeared to be in good health, cheerful, and contented, and spoke in high terms of the treatment they had received both from the captain and the surgeon-superintendent. The single men were then mustered on the forecastle, and with the exception of two or three who looked rather delicate, and whom the surgeon said were only lately out of hospital, were all in good health and spirits, and quite satisfied with the treatment they had received while on board the ship. While on the forecastle, the attention of the Commissioners was drawn to a powerful-looking man who was manacled by one hand to the winch or capstan. The surgeon reported him as being one of Brogden's men who had become insane during the voyage. This unfortunate was very restless, and at times very noisy; and the Commissioners fearing that some accident might happen to him, sent on shore for a strait-jacket, and obtained the assistance of the police in order to remove him at once to a more quiet retreat. No complaints were made by the single men. The Commissioners then proceeded to muster the married people and children on the main deck. The adults appeared to be in good health and spirits, but the children generally were pale, badly nourished, and dirty, many of them showing symptoms of want of ventilation and water, some of them having nasty scrofulous-looking abscesses, <fee, &c. Here again the people appeared satisfied with the treatment received, and many spoke in high terms both of the captain and surgeon-superintendent. But when all had passed in review, several came forward with a very serious complaint of the scarcity of water throughout the voyage; and from statements made by them, the Commissioners came to the conclusion that only about two-thirds of the legal allowance had been issued, and that great inconvenience and some suffering had resulted. While making this complaint, these poor people also stated that there had been a great scarcity of soap, as of water, which accounted for their unwashed and untidy appearance. Upon making inquiry, the captain stated that, in consequence of defective tanks, he had lost about three weeks' supply of water by leakage; also that the condensing apparatus was defective, having several tubes in the boiler burst, and that actually, on arrival in port, he had only two days' supply of water on their limited scale, and not more than one ton of coal on board. The Commissioners do not think it necessary to dilate upon this state of affairs in a ship carrying such a cargo, and at the termination of an average passage. In explanation of the scarcity of soap, the captain said that only about 25 per cent, of the proper allowance had been put on board ; through some neglect the soap had not been shipped. The Commissioners then proceeded to inspect the vessel. They found the poop partitioned off into three compartments, which were occupied by private passengers. This arrangement is very inconvenient, and injurious to the interests of the Government immigrants; the poop deck being the only place allowed to the single women for exercise, they are at once and' constantly thrown into the company of the young men who are private passengers. The Commissioners strongly urge the discontinuance of the practice of passengers being allowed in emigrant ships, and the propriety of utilizing the poop accommodation for hospitals, baths, and other conveniences, at present most improperly placed below. On proceeding to the single women's compartment, it was found to be clean, but perceptibly stuffy and close to the senses, evidently in want of ventilation. There were six side-lights or scuttles measuring 5 in. by 3 in., which were permanently closed, and stopped all round with white lead, thus preventing the through current of air for which they were placed there. In this compartment there were two openings or hatches which were covered in wet weather, and thus rendered useless as ventilators when most required. There was a bath and a water-closet. The matron said the latter was only open during the night, the single women being required to use the females' latrine on deck during the day. There were G3tV adults in this compartment, the measurement being—length, 42 ft. 3 in.; breadth, 26 ft. 3 in. j height,"? ft. 2 in. In the married people's space, the stuffy close atmosphere almost amounted to stench, although the decks were apparently clean, being well scraped and swept. In this compartment there were ten side-scuttles, 5 in. by 3 in., but closed and stopped with white lead. Nearly all the children looked out of health. There was no bath or closet convenience, and the women, whether during the night or in dirty weather, were obliged to resort to the latrine on deck. The single men's compartment was fairly clean, but close and stuffy as the others ; there were eight sidelights, 5 in. by 3 in., but closed and stopped with white lead, and two patent ventilators. The number of adults, 143, and the measurement being—length, 117 ft.; breadth, 32 ft.; height, 7tV ft. The hospitals were in the 'tween decks, and were both dark and close ; but as the Commissioners have already in former reports expressed their opinion as to the impropriety of this position, there is no necessity for further comment here. On deck the latrines for males and females were simply abominable, both in construction and capacity; the ingress and egress being in the most public part of the ship, making their necessity »