FORECASTLE PEST-HOUSES. 121 



still many of the old class, generally found lying between Blackwall and Woolwich. Our 

 authority describes them as follows : They "are of small size (varying from 150 to 600 tons), 

 and are built as sloops, schooners, or brigs. The majority are brigs; a visit to two or three 

 presents a view of a state of things which is common to all. A collier brig is generally 

 worked by a captain and a mate, who live in a small dirty cabin, and by four men and a 

 boy, who live and sleep in the most miserable of forecastles. This forecastle is very small, 

 and so low that no person of ordinary stature can stand upright in it. It is dark, and 

 the only approach is by a very small hatchway. It generally contains a quantity of old 

 ropes, some rusty chains, a large tub of grease, and some damp canvas. These things, 

 together with three or four dirty hammocks, take up the whole space, and it is only from 

 sickness and the most urgent necessity that the sailor remains there for any length of 

 time. So old and ill-constructed are some of these colliers, that in rouffh weather the 



J O 



forecastle is deluged with water. This condition of things is made much worse by the 

 negligence of the sailor himself, for it seems to be a rule that the cook, instead of 

 throwing over the side of the ship the refuse of material used for food, as dirty water, 

 potato parings, &c., deposits these with great care in some corner of the forecastle. No 

 attention is paid by the captain to the sanitary state of the ship ; during the voyage, 

 which is often a rough one, he is engaged in working the vessel, and while she is in 

 harbour he is on shore waiting upon the owners of the vessel, or transacting their business 

 in the Coal Exchange. I was informed the other day by a friend, who was engaged during 

 the recent cholera epidemic as a sanitary inspector, that a patient afflicted with cholera 

 was taken to the Belleisle in the month of September, who had been lying in his 

 hammock for two days prostrate, and with much vomiting and purging, and during this 

 time the captain, although on board, was not aware of the man's absence from deck. The 

 provisions supplied in this class of ships vary both in quality and quantity; the supply, 

 though, is very deficient, and there is an almost universal complaint among the men and 

 boys that they have not sufficient to eat. Although coasting voyages last not longer than 

 three or four days, and the ship is very seldom far away from land, the men scarcely 

 ever get fresh meat; the supply always consists of salt beef the coarsest parts of the 

 animal. To this I may add that the biscuits are of the worst description, very hard, and 

 are masticated with the greatest difficulty. The quality of provisions depends entirely 

 upon the liberality of the captain, who not unfrequently has a share in the ship, and 

 whose interest is consequently concerned in keeping down all expenses; the comfort of 

 the men seems to be made subservient to pecuniary advantages." 



And now for a change to good owners. There are many, and the present writer 

 believes fully that the average ship-owner not merely wishes to preserve his ship, but all 

 on board crew, passengers, and cargo. The proprietor of a grand vessel feels, as he should, 

 that her loss is a very great deal more than his loss. Dr. Stone, some years ago made 

 an inspection of the docks, and his remarks, published in our leading journal,* deserve to 

 be recorded. He says: 



"From conversations I had with many of the officers and crews engaged in Green's, 

 Wigram's, Smith's, the Black Ball, and other services, and from what I saw, I judged 



* The Times, January 14th, 186". 



56 



