ABSTRACT
While the Board of Trade were engaged in policy, pondering the admissibility of foul bills of health, their parent body enjoyed no respite from the daily attention to detail which quarantine demanded. As well as orders for ships to be discharged, there were the usual instructions to Customs about vessels in distress while en route to elsewhere in Europe. As a rule the anxiety of the master to be on his way was matched only by the eagerness of the Privy Council to see him depart, especially if he had sick crewmen. But when a ship was stranded or wrecked, it might be necessary for salvaged goods, except wine and oil, to be aired at Stangate Creek. If the cargo were cotton wool, then the need for airing would be automatic unless the bales had been soaked in the incident. And the Council continually fussed and grumbled when ships had omitted, allegedly, to fly the yellow flag.1
