The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-03

CHARLESTOH, dpIu 1, looJ'
To Aessrs. Relch i Branaes, Rist.y j Cteigh-
ton, Il. Canats, Bart 5 Wirth, W. p.
Hall and J. 4. Enslov & Co.
GENTLEmEN-I have the honor to acknowl-
edge your letter OF 31sG ult., requesting TO be
informed ''as to what restrictions are imposed
by the recent quarantine law, upon vessels
trading between this port and the British and
Spanish West Indies during the summer sea-
son."
I beg leave 10 inform you that the act Of the
General Assembly, passed on the sixth day OF
September, 1868, establishing quarantine at
Georgetown, Charleston and hilton Head, will
be rigidly executed.
the second section of this act fixes the terms
of quarantine, viz: Vessels arriving at the
ports OF Georgetown, Charleston and Hilton
Head, shall be subject to quarantine as fol-
lows /. All vessels from any pla 20 where pes
tilential, contagious or infectious disease ex-
listed at the time Of their depart ure, or which
shall have arrived at such place and proceeded
thence to either Of said ports, or on board OF
| which, during the voyage, any case OF such
disease shall have occurred, arriving between
| the first day OF May and tho first Uf November,
| shall remain at quarantine for at least thirty
days atGer their arrival, and at least twenty
days after their cargo shall have been dis
charged, and shall perform such other quar-
| antiue Us the Health Officers shall pro cribe.
"2. All vessels from any place (includmg
| islands) in Asia, Africa or the Mediterranean,
or from any of the West Indies. Bahamas,
| Bermuda or Western Islands, or from any
| place IN America, in the ordinary passage from
| which they pass south of Hilton Head; and all
| vessels on board OF which, during the VOYAGE
or while at the port OF their departure, any
person shall have been sick, arriving between
| the first day OF May and the FIRST day Of No.
| vember, and all vessels from foreign port,
and not embraced in the first subdivision OF
| this section, shall, on arriving at the qnarln.
| tine ground, be subject to visitation by the
Health Officers, but shall not be detained be
yond the time requisite for due examination
and observation, unless they shall have had on
| board during the voyage some case Of lnfe,-
| tious, contagious or p, stileRtial disease. in
which case they shall BIZ subject to such quail
antine and regulations as the Health Officers
may prescribe.
provisions, which are navigated b. stotm, shall
be subject only to such leugth Of quarantine
and regulations aS the Health Ofh 'er shall en-
join, unless they shall have had on board
during the voyage sone case OF infectious,
contagious or pestiential disease, in which
| case they shall be sub ject to such quarantine
as the Health Officers shall prescrtDe." THIS
lsithe law.
Upon careful consideration Of this section
of law, am of opiulon that the first clause is
| imperative, and that all vessels from any port
where, at the time oftheir departure, q. n:cc-
tious, pestllential or contagious dsoase IS pre-
vailing, wbetner the crew and passengers have
been healthy or not, must Lo quarantlncd by
this act for at least thirty days after arrival,
and at least twenty days after the cargocs have
been discharged. Tho seco ID C! use. III my
Judgment, admits all from ports named III tue
section, and are detained only tur visitation
and examination by the Health Officer. unless
they shall have had on board during til, voy-
age some case OF disease in tia foregoing
clause. The third clause, ip regard to steam
vessels, is entirely discretionary, unless they
shall have had on board during the passage
any of the prescribed diseases.
Thus, gentlemen, you have my interprcta-
tion OF the quarantine laws, entrusted TO me for
the protection Of the community OF Oh 'rleston!
and the prevention by importation Of all eri.
deni;c or contagious diseases Whilst it would
eiyo me much pain to trammei ur embarrass
Your trade or commerce III any manner. have
a duty to perform, and That fearlessly and i'm
partially, to execute the law. tor which have
been selected by the Executive OF South Car
DINA. / am. gentlemen, very respectfully,
ROBERT LEeBy, NJ. D., Health OH 'er,
Port OF Charleston.