The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-01
a SEA CAPTAINS COMPLAINT.

Absurdity of the Maritime Sanitation
Regulations of the State Board of
Health OF Florida.
BRITISH STEAMER B. T. ROBINSON.
IUNTA GoRDA, CHARLOTTE HARBOR,
May %, 1892.
Editor Savannah Morning Ne,0s: Under
the above heading can ! claim your kind
indulgence for the following Insertion in
your valuable paper, my ship aud owners
being the victims, facts of which disclose:
April Is. 1892, sailed from Cardiff Eng
land, with cargo of Goals bound to st. Vim
cent Island, Cape Verbs. After dischargin9
cargo at Cape Verbs l had instructions
from my owners to load cargo Of phos-
phate at Charlotte Harbor, but to proceed
TO Key West first to clear the vessel. May
D sailed from Cape Verbs with
clean bill of health from American
consul, and on the 10th inst. arrived
at Key West. The sanitary doctor
boarded my vessel; duly observing
my clean bill Of health, he summoned the
complement OF crew and fading they
were In perfect good health, and as [ told
MIN they had been from first joining the
vessel, he gave me free prariqus. I went
on shore 10 SEQ my agent, who is British
consul, but being late In the evening | did
no business. The following morning agent
and entered and cleared our ship at the
custom house, obtaining an American bill
OF health, and by noon l sailed for Char
lotte Harbor, having had no intlmation from
agent or state board Of health inspector
that should have to perform any quarau-
Tine. AT o'clock a. M, May u, Ireceived
a sea pilot on board; 10 O'Clock a. III. we
entered Boca Grande, and the sanitary in
spect1r came on board. | informed him
where we were from; that l had been to
Key West, filled out the blank sanitary
form as desired, and after exchanging
pilots, who came off in the same boat with
MN, ne allowed me to proceed on to Punta
Gorda AT l o'clock p. IN. | arrived
at Punta Gorda, aud upon proceed
Ing on shore in small boat with my
pllot we meet DR.. Porter, the chief sanitary
inspector, on board his launch. He, to my
disnay and distress, ordered me to proceed
to Mullet Key, Tampa bay, sixty miles
eIoEg the coast to perform five days quar-
antine and fumigation. NY absolutely
true account Of no sickness at Cape Verbs,
my crew all in the best Of health from leav-
Ing England, my expostulaton in every
way, had no effect with the chief sanitary
Inspector. proceeded to Mullet Key and
performed this prepOsterous quarantine and
Immigration. The consequences are, the
snip has lost six days, and there are 5000
attendant expenses. In fact, l estimate the
NOhAOAneu oApSu56 10 sup Will amount TO
near $l,700. Now. a few questions: l
should like 70 ask, sir. firstly, why should
my vessel be compelled to perform this
quarantine, as we were not from a sickly
port or country? In reading over the rules
and regulations Of the state board Of health
of Florida, the nearest approach to my case
IS In section 4. 1t states ships arriving from
foreign ports between May and Dec. Is,
where sickness may prevail, shall perform
quarantine. think l am right in
saying no contagious diseases have
ever been known al st. Vincent Island
Cape Verbs Secondly, Why did the sani-
tary board Of health inspector give me free
pratique at Key West2 | was on shore five
hours, mixing with the people aud the diff
ferent tradesmen on board the ship. Also
II he had directed me to Mullet Key on
leaving Key West. should have saved two
days and the pilotage. Thirdly, Why did
not the sanitary board inspector at Boca
Grande order me to Mullet Key9 l should
have saved the same two DAYS and pilotage.
This treatment to me appears most unjusti-
fable, and l, as an Englishman in an En-
glish speaking country, expected different
usage by the state board Of health of
Florida's chief inspector and his officials.
The commerce of Florida aud Charlotte
Harbor will suffer and be crippled by this
iniquitous state law Hoping that you will
ventilate thic matter In your extensively
read paper to the maritime community and
citizens Of Savannah generally and earn the
regards of yours.
ROBERT H. TINDALE,
Master British Steamer B. T. Robinson of
Whitbv