DEPTFORD

deptford, a south-eastern metropolitan borough of london, england, bounded n. by bermondsey, e. by the river thames and greenwich, s. by lewisham and w. by camberwell. pop. (1901) 110,398. the name is connected with a ford over the ravensbourne, a stream entering the thames through deptford creek. the borough comprises only the parish of deptford st paul, that of deptford st nicholas being included in the borough of greenwich. deptford is a district of poor streets, inhabited by a large industrial population, employed in engineering and other riverside works. on the river front, extending into the borough of greenwich, are the royal victualling yard and the site of the old deptford dockyard. the first supplies the navy with provisions, medicines, furniture, &c., manufactured or stored in the large warehouses here. the dockyard ceased to be used in 1869, and was filled up and converted into a foreign cattle market by the city corporation. of public buildings the most noteworthy are st paul's church (1730), of classic design; the municipal buildings; and the hospital for master mariners, maintained by the corporation of the trinity house, which was founded at deptford, the old hall being pulled down in 1787. other institutions are the goldsmiths' polytechnic institute, new cross; and the south-eastern fever hospital. a mansion known as sayes court, taken down in 1729, was the residence of the duke of sussex in the reign of elizabeth; it was occupied in the following century by john evelyn, author of _sylva_, and by peter the great during his residence in england in 1698. the site of its gardens is occupied by deptford park of 11 acres. another open space is telegraph hill (91⁄2 acres). the parliamentary borough of deptford returns one member. the borough council consists of a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 36 councillors. area, 1562.7 acres. deputy (through the fr. from a late lat. use of _deputare_, to cut off, allot; _putare_ having the original sense of to trim, prune), one appointed to act or govern instead of another; one who exercises an office in another man's right, a substitute; in representative government a member of an elected chamber. in general, the powers and duties of a deputy are those of his principal (see also representation), but the extent to which he may exercise them is dependent upon the power delegated to him. he may be authorized to exercise the whole of his principal's office, in which case he is a general deputy, or to act only in some particular matter or service, when he is termed a special deputy. in the united kingdom various officials are specifically empowered by statute to appoint deputies to act for them under certain circumstances. thus a clerk of the peace, in case of illness, incapacity or absence, may appoint a fit person to act as his deputy. while judges of the supreme court cannot act by deputy, county court judges and recorders can, in cases of illness or unavoidable absence, appoint deputies. so can registrars of county courts and returning officers at elections.