Star. — London, England, 1809-01-05 00:00:00

' THE ARMY. CANTERIVIY, JAN. 5.-I.The embarkation of the lar d s was completed at Ramsgate on Saturday u, and the transports immediately sailed from the under repeated cheers, to join the others in Downs, from whence, on Sunday evening, the proceeded down Channel under convoy of the ALLevoza sloop, with a fine wind, for Portsmouth. 6 t h regiment of infantry has arrived at Chatham, taken the duty of the Dock-yard and Lines.— ":ast Suffolk Militia has also moved from Ash. to Chatham Barracks. OIATFIA Si, JAN. 3.—A further supply of horses the artillery service proceeds from this place, to. f or Spain. A detachment of the Gunner.Driv. c onsisting of 40 men, and about 80 horses of the establishment, are to take with them 300 of the active and serviceable horses, which have been }plied for the contract work, on the fortifications j o g on at this place ; from having lived hard, being in the habit of constant and hard work, they su pposed to be peculiarly suited to the kind of which they will be employed, when they at the present seat of war. Mfrs - the m ode c( conducting the Medical Dudes of the DAM A rm y, and on the Constitution of a Board for the direction 1 4, mo t; sitlt some Remarks on the cotnparative utility aa4 4 &wAges of General and Regimental Hospitals, &c. mihi nullo discrintine agetur. (reread:el from Ow SzA; of ytiterday.) The duties and responsibilities of a Regimental . have been lately rendered great and multi lolls. In addition to his medical duties, he is answerable for the general expenditure of T-Ti,o;• 1 ; and is obliged to transmit to the. General very minute detailed accounts article of expenditure, with a counterpart, icing the sums of money deducted from the of each sick soldier for his maintenance while in Hospital, stating also whether there be a balance deficiency of cash. These Returns contain about columns, and must be filled up by the Surgeon ,elf, and transmitted weekly. To prevent fraud the part of the Surgeon, in the charges for meat and bread, the Commanding Officer is directed to ascertain and certify the prices of these articles. The names, companies, diseases, diets, &c. of all the pa tients in the hospitals must be detailed at full length, with the sums deducted from each, and the length of time they have each been ill. Besides these weekly returns, the Surgeon must msmit regular monthly returns of the sick of the whether present or absent, stating the rani. of sick and diseases that have been admitted, dis. and the men who died dui ing the month ; names and stations of the Assistapt-Surgeonc, • of the detachments, the effective strength cf the - • is, and the number and rank or the servants cm iyed in the Hospital. Independently of these, he directed to send Returns to the District Inspectors,- :ding to the inclination of these gentlemen. The Neon is, moreover, responsible that every man, lan, and child, belonging to the regiment, has been xinated, if not marked with the small-pox. - rom a review of these duties, it will not, we pre 'e, appear probable, that if they be all duly per the Surgeon can have much leisure to fol- any calls of amusement or recreation ; particu ty when, besides the above labours, he is directed Army Medical Lawgiver-24. to make frequent 'ions into the state of the Barracks, and of their tror,s, to see that all cleanliness be preserved wit/iin, that no nuisances exist without ; that the ventila or air-barrels be not shut or obstructed, and that mess -rooms be not made use of for washing or linen."—lle is likewise told, that when the iment is billetted, 1. it is his duty to see that the ~ ts are free from damp, that the bedding is aad the air pure," and that these health itu 'w are of much consequence to the welfare of the ,ent. Farther, that when men are cured of the ~ by four frictions of sulphur ointment, "they must be well washed with warm water, and put on linen and clothes." The above statement of some of the tasks - and du- Imposed on the Regimental Surgeon, will she*, his whole occupation is a tissue of labours, ya ms and complicated, connected with the Command- Officer, the Inspector-Gentral of Regimental 'itals, and the District Inspectors of Hospi- ; and that by far the greatest portion of his which might be usefully devoted to the calls of profession, must be consumed in punctilious corn :e with his Insfructiorm, which oblige him to write Returns with his own hand, " and to be very cir in the detail ; for if, on inspection, any . ges appear" that are not satisfactory, " the ex ' will inevitably fall on himself." great labour necessary to frame, calculate, and up these weekly Returns, is a great objection to Many remarks might be made on the • which the expenditure is detailed, and on the qicity of columns, the object of which is not ; but, as this is at present foreign to our pur we shall only observe, that the present medical a Regimental Surgeon are overwhelmed in Irs imposed on him, which are foreign to the aon, and cannot but obstruct the improvement of Before quitting this subject, we cannot omit ig the inadequacy of the pay of Staff Surgeons, I Hospital Mates, and Regimental Medical oScers. It seemed lately to have been the intention of Go vernment to place Staff and Regimental Surgeons of ten years standing and upwards on a footing with Majors, in point of pay and choice of quarters. The pay of the Majors has been since, however, increased;' and Regimental Surgeons of twenty years standing in the service, in common with the youngest Ensign, and Quarter. Master, still continue to be pent up in a single barrack-room, " Which serves him for parlour, and bed-room, and all?' Besides the unfitness of quarters for Staff wad Regi mental Surgeons, there is an unaccountable omission in apportioning their widows' pensions, which is a miserable pittance, and greatly inferior to that of the, other ranks of the service. When we consider the mul t ifa ri ou s duties and labour: of the Regime n t a l an d A ss i stant S urgeons, and the re lation in which they are placed to their Commanding Officers, to the Inspector-General, and to the District Inspectors ; when we consider the small rate of their ul and half-pay, the nature Of the rank and privi lages they hold in their regiments, and that they may be commanded by the youngest subaltern ; when we consider the inadequacy of the quarters, and the pit. ranee granted to their widows, we cannot be surprised ar the Medical Board often complaining, and par. titularly in March 1806, that they had " met with unexpected difficulties in raising Medkal Recruits for the Army ; and that, if the Continental war had proceeded, they should have found themselves un equal to the necessary supply ; that th'e more extended pay and allowance lately held out to Navy Surgeons, had been a great check on their expectations of a more abundant offer of army candidates."—Vide their Letter to the Secretary at War.—And we know that this scarcity of fit Surgeons still exists, to such a degree, thlt there is a grievous deficiency of them in all our foreign expeditions, which is really alarm_ ing. Even in this country, many vacancies exist in regiments which cannot be filled up, on account of the operation of the above causes; and, unless come remedy be soon applied, no man of feeling or ability, who is possessed of the means of daily subsistence, will be willing to enter a service winch holds out so many disadvantages, and so few real indufements. We come, lastly, to say a few words on the duties and appointments of Inspectors and Deputy Inspec tors of Hospitals, as they are styled : The duties of this class of Officers, in the code of " Instructions to Regimental Surgeons," apper.rs to be thus defined They are to see that every part of the Hospital Regulations have been observed—to assist with their advice the Attending Surgeon—to correct errors, and to the Officers command. ing brigades or regiments, such further improvements as they may deem necessary for the benefit of the sick, and of the service." Wren it is recollected that a Regimental Surgeon, before he is permitted to assume his de; iei, is sabiected to a examination which may be supposNl competent to p ove his abilities ; that he is d:r.:.c.t..:clto send certi fied weekly returns, and a detailed register of his medical prictice, to the Inspector-General ; that he is under the immediate eye :and direction of his Com manding Officer, and of the General commanding the Distric , , it might seem preposterous that the official conduct of the Surgeon should be exposed to the ad ditional controul of a Deputy Inspector. It may be admitted that occasional instances of remissness have occurred, on the part of Regimental Medical Officers, as in every department of the community, yet it does not appear very evident, that the interposition 'of Officers of this description is the best adapted to correct any errors that may be supposed to exist. The station and duties of a Regimental Surgeon render him an object of great notice to the whole regiment ; and any instances of his neglect or inattention are not likely to be often, or long overlooked : indeed it is difficult to conceive that, situated as a surgeon is, he can require the aid of a foreign stimulus to incite 'him to do that, the neglect of which must be evident to every private in the regiment. If professional ability and length of service were the sole recommendation for the office of Inspector of Hospitals, we might think some just grounds existed for the appointment, since their experience might be beneficial to the service. That some of these Officers are men of experience and abilities is unquestionablz ; but that they are all selected from the recommendation of merit alone is very doubtful. It is certain that not a few of them, by their zealous exertions, and their delicacy in performing certain parts of their instructions, stamp a value and impor tance on their rank, which would not perhaps other wise attach to it ; and that they are of real utility to the service. It must not be omitted, however, that some may manifest their zeal in the discharge of their duties by a minute cross-examination of butchers and bakers, in the vicinity of troops, about the lowest prices of meat sing bread furnished to. R egimental Hospitals, with a view perhaps to detect collusions of the Commanding Officer and Surgeon in the charges for these articles. Some, perhaps, confine their enquiries to the price of salt, or of po tatoes ; others to that of oatmeal, and to t(e quan- tity of this article necessary for a bason of 'gruel. Some may more particularly devote their attention to the transparency of the windows ; and others admire the qualifications of the cook in making good broth with the smallest proportion of ingredients. The ambition of some may be to see the postman wait .upon them groaning under. a toad of official letters and sick returns, which they had directed the Staff, ' Regimental, and Assistant Surgeons to transmit, in order to shew their own zeal and importance in the service, and the great extent of their deputed autho rity ; others Might derive a peculiar gratification in being officially informed whether a soldier has a sore upon his right, or, on his left arm or leg; and, if one of his eyes has been blackened and inflamed in the course of the festivities at she end of the month -might, perhaps, burn with anxiety to learn which Of these organs is graced with the sable distinction. . - We might enlate on the duties, &c. of Inspector and Deputy -Inspectors of Hospitals, but think that what we hav e e already said' on this subject will be suf ficient to shew that, in order to render this class of Officers Rrofitably useful to the service, it is necessary that they be all men of military and professional knowledge, of long services, of an easy gracious de portment, of strict integrity, and pure independency of spirit ,and principles. Their duties ought to be circumscribed, and confined to objects that are strictly important and professional ; namely, to the actual in .spection of the state of the sick, and into the condition .of the troops, in point of health ; and, in cases of unu sisal sickness their duty should be, in conjunction with the medical officer, or officers on the spot, to consult and fully investigate the probable causes thereof, to the end that an effectual remedy may be applied , as speedily as possible. If the duties and jurisdiction pf these officers be thus bounded, their inspections need not be frequent, therefore a very small and select proportion of their number will be perfectly adequate to assist with their advice the attending Surgeons, and to propose to the Officers commanding Brigades or Regiments', such measures as the existing circum stances of the troops may demand. Moreover, if, as is supposed, the ,Regimental Surgeons are properly qualified, they will not, On ordinary occasions, often require the assistance of advice' ; and it can only be' in times of - unusual unhealthiness that Command, ing Officers of Brigades or Regiments v ill everrequire proposals sf further improvements' ,for the benefit of the service. We shall finish the article of the Inspectors and Deputy-Inspectors, by observing, that if this class of officers should be deemed necessary, their duties should be abridged, and their numbers reduced—and it is absolutely proper that they should not h^ dependent on the choice or will of any individual, but that they should be directly accountable to the Medical Board conjunctly, for their conduct. RETROSPECTIVE CONCLUSION. The Remarks we have above offered on the Pre sent State of the Army Medical Department, in its different Branches, would seem to justify the Conclu sion, That a certain, sperdy, and essential Reform; is, in many respects, necessary ; particularly in the instances, the most prominent features of which we have endeavoured to lay Wore the Public in their natural colours. We shall,. lastly, collect the points .at one view, from the foregoing observations, which appear to be necessary to constitute a reform, and that may be re duced to the following : I. The Constitution of a New Medical Board, governed by n President, conjunct and independent. 2. A Reformation in the System and Discipline of General Hospitals. S. A more judicious Selection, than heretofore, of Army Phi sicians. 4. A liberal ImproOment in the System and EstabEshment of Regimental Hospitals, and an Abridgement of the•Labour of Regimental Medical Officers. S. An Imprbrement in the Pay and Situation of Staff, Regi• mental, and . Assistant-Surfeons, and of Haspital Mates. 6. An Abridgement of the Labours, &c. of the Inspectors and Deputy Inspectors of Hospitals, and a consequent Reduc tion of their Numbers. The following instance of the base treachery of a .French Dragoon, after having been vanquished by a Serjeant c;f the 7th Light Dragoons, may be relied on as fact, it being stated by a gentleman, who arrived at Falmouth, with Mr. MATES, the Messenger, who brought the dispatches from Toro, and who was an eye-witness of the merited punishment of the French. man, at the hands of the Spaniards :—Captain - DUKMNFIELD commanded a small detachment on a scouring party, at Palacios, when they fell in with a party of French Dragoons, whom they engaged, tvhen a Serjeant got one of them completely in his ' power, who, throwing down his sword, held his hand as a token of amity to his adversary. The serjeant; with the true characteristic of an Englislunan, took him by the hand, when the wretch drew a pistol from his holster, and discharged it at his conqueror, which blew his hand to atoms, and killed his horse. The assassin was instantly butchered by' the Spaniards, and his body consumed to ashes in a fire made for that purpose. Such was the disgust of the Spaniards, that in their vengeance they killed the assassin's horse. The gentleman who has favoure,d us with this fact describes the enthusiasm of the British army as won- Several frauds have been recently committed bya Swindler, who is about five feet four in height, with black whiskers, of very gentlemanly appearance and good address. He is about in the day with an elderly woman, also of good appearance, and an elderly man servant. Mr. Sames, a jeweller in Mary-la-bonne street, sent home an order worth 701. to apartments in Nottingham -street, and a chequevas returned for the money, which was presented in vain, and on going to Nottingham-street, it was ascertained that the swindler had only taken the apartments in the morning, and had not since been seen. He goes by the names of Major Soult, Mr. Hedges, and the Rev. Mr. Gaff; he was originally a waiter at Bath. He has also obtained a sum of money of a Captain's Lady, by representing himself as the intimate friend of her husband, whom he lately left in Spain. - ,umialcx,..AccEaDEß 22. _ The Special Commission for the county of Limerick is fixed for next Monday fortnight. The Right Hon. Lord Chief Baton, and the Hon. Baron GEORG r., will be the Judges. Monday, the 23d January next, is fixed for holding a Special Commission, at Tralee, fore the • county of Kerry. CLONMEL. DECEMBER 28. Monday list, fast, - as styOung lad, son to a most repec: - . able Gentleman of this town, was amusing himself fowling, near fairy pill, almost in the town, he was accosted by two men, one of whom suddenly na forcibly deprived him of his gun, with which they immediately made off. Monday night, Jowl Howlett., Esq. Deputy Mayor, apprehended 4 number of per sons (nearly th:rty) who were riotous and diSorderly in the streets, and in public-houses in. different parts bf the town, and committed them to jail until they should find bail for the peace and good behaviour for seven .yeart.l ( n Sunday se'nnight, in the evening, a man was tliOt in an affray in the vicinity of this town. On rriday last, as two Gentlemen were fowl ing, not far from the same place; they were accosted by two countrymen, who offered to beat the bushes for them—the offer was accepted, and the artful cri minals attended patiently till the Gentlemen had fired their. pieces, and then disarmed both of them. It is also stated, that two other Gentlemen were served in the same manner a short time ago. Monday sennight, the troop of Scotch Greys, for some time quartet* in Londonderry, marched for Dundalk. . An eminent aceouelseur, having given his testimony in a cause of great weight, tried lately in Dublin; the Judge was pleased to ccmpliment him, by saying— "'pon my word, Doctor, you have delivered yourself remarkably well !" Mrs. BECK, a lady who resides at Piddinghoe, in Sussex, and is in her 9 6 6th year, has now actually living, within a short space round her house—of chil dren, grand, great, and great great children, no fevier than one hundred and ten ! Interesting account of the destruction of a Royal 'Tiger, by cue of the Officers of the 2d Battalion of the 7th Regiment N. I. stationed at Kaira :—On the 16th of June some of the Officers of the corps formed a party to visit the celebrated ruins of Mahmooda bad. On approaching them, they were alarmed by a sound like the roar of a Royal Tiger. They did not, however, immediately see the animal, and pro. ceeded towards the ruins ; but, on advancing a little farther, he suddenly burst 'upon their view in all his terrors, and sprang at them with indescribable fero city. A precipitate retreat was the natural conse quence, and one of the Gentlemen, who was but in differently mounted,, perceiving that he could not depend on his horse, with the promptitude of a vi gerous and decisive mind, directed his course to a tree, which he immediately ascended with his fowl ing-piece in his hand. His victim thus singled, the Tiger gave over the pursuit of the others, and bounded on the horse, who stood paralysed with fear at the foot of the tree. At this crisis, the Gentleman hi the tree took a cool and steady aim at the savage, and wounded him, though not mortally. The Tiger feeling his wound, retreated to some distance, but almost immediately returned s ish increased fury. In the mean time, the Officer had reloaded, and taking aim at him again, while venting his rage on the mi serable horse, , wounded him mortally. On the first attack of the Tiger, the retreat of the party was too precipitate and general to admit of individual atten tions. Each person trusted to the speed of his horse, and our hero was undesignedly left behind. But when, in rallying hi a neighbouring village, 'his comrades perceived' that he vas missing, they in stantly armed themselves, and returned with a large concourse of the natives to the spot. They came in sight of the tree, just as the Tiger h a d rece i ve d hi s mortal wound., He again retreated, and was traced into a jungle, where they found him writhing in agony. On their approach, he collected his remain ing strength into one final effort, and prepared to spring, but the spear of a native prevented him, and put an end to his struggles. On measuring him, he was found to extend ten feet eight inches from the nose to the tip of the tail. The poor horse was so mangled, that he was immediately put to death.— ( Bombay Gazette.) A few days since we expressed our intention to examine the executive part of a new work, the Pros pectus of Which had excited a great degree of expec tation. The first Number - nf - 44'The Repository of Arts," itc‘' Published by ACICHRMANN, has made its appeararia. The novelties attached to this work are real patternsicirtheinannfactures described under the article of fashion's, and so far the plan unites useful ness with novelty. The female figures are beauti ful, and there is a chasteness in the t ou t enrem bl e o f the full dresi figure which we have never seen in any other 'publication. We do not think the Ar tists have done complete justice to Mr. A.' s s h o p, which is certainly superior in itself to the repre sentation. We think the plate should have admit- • ted a larger margin, and we recommend this to Mr. A.'s consideration hi . future Numbers.— The Game Vignette, by HOWET 3 is really charming. • The Literary departments appear to be well filled ; and the communications, which are chiefly scientific, are treated in a popularway, and with greatpropriety. The Literary notices are of the first merit. J. BAXTER and Co. Confectioners, in Edinburgh and Glasgow, respectfully inform the Nobility and Gentry, that at this season they have for years been in the custom of sending to London, Bath, a n d all over England, - SCOTS BUNS, SHORT BREAD, and other CAKES, which for rich and delicious flavour, have long had a preference at the tables of fashion in every part of the united Empire. This year they can warrant them of the very best kind having been particularly fortunate in meeting with a quantity of nice Dutch Butter, which gives such a delicate and peculiar richness to the taste of the Buns, a , to make them in the highest degree delicious. and exquisite.— Boxes from one Guinea to five, containing a variety of Cake , conveyed to any distance with perfect safety. Great variety of Scots Comfits, from Is. bd. 46 4s. per pound. 1' CANTER Guards V 4 ight, and arbout u t h e Down whole prof CtrALLE-'q The 6th ri and taken The East ord to Ch CHATIfiI . or the art y for SF rs, consist m e estate ost actii , u nolied f arrYing , being suppc r vice on arrive at I , D tbemol Intl , an genet i 1 411Valtagel The dui u rgeon h a6e ans 1,, Fr topector every a' xhibiting pay of eac he Hospil or deficitn .f:y cob= himself, al on the pa giment, .er of sick arged, a ; the na nd of the orps; and 'Toyed in t directed cording I argon is Oman, ani accinated, *rom a apps ed, th, any ca tly when , y the Ant Tections wiror s, tc id that it( •rs or air.l •e mess•rc . ing line I:]rnent i partment! lean, and 1 1.1 are of giment. chi by foc 'ten be w lean linen The abc ies impose ' hat his v Otis and c g Office .ospital s , s; and whic professi ce wit Return aspect rg es ap .ce will Th e gte up thes r 1.11 it: e in w iiplicit nt ; , we si .es of a labour 'fission, art.