Star.
London, England, 1809-12-22 00:00:00

TR4NSPORT SERPICB.

It• 'LI ,
" It h inconceivable what. dtiftcuities the meanest of onr Sailors
and Soldiers endure without inuraursim !wet."
'GOLDSMITH.
(Cattittsted from the STAR of de,lsth ult.)
It .was formerly ohseryed that the height ov breadth
of a transport, between decks, was not taken into ac-
ccnatin the estimation of her capacity for troops ; that
appeared to be regulated entirely by her measured
tonnage. This being a point of great importance
comes next in order to be considered.
No transport should be employed for the convey-
ance of troops whose clear height below is less than
five feet nine inches under the beams : and it would •
be very desirable that all vessels which are low be-
tween-decks should have but one tier of births along
the sides, instead of two which they invariably have •
at present, in total defiance of comfort and conve-
nience.

The soldiers should be accommodated in that part
of the ship which extends from the bow, or head-part
of the ship between decks, aft at far as the mainmast,
or a little beyond it ;, .and this entire space should be
fixed as their exclusive right.
In providing accommodation for troops in trans
arts, the space necessary for the wives and childten
of soldiers seems not to be taken into the estimate,
although in all our foreign expeditions, and in trans-
porting regiments from this country to distant stations,
the soldiers are necessarily accompanied by their
families, the nutnber of which last, however, is in'
some cases limited by the nature of the service on
which the force is to be employed. In every in-
stance where women and children are embarked,
they are, together with their husbands, much embar-
rassed to preserve an appearance of delicacy in so
trying a situation as being in the middle of a trans-
port tilled with men of peculiar habits and manners.
It is perhaps from exposure to frequent scenes of this
nature, always at sea, and often on shore, that the
wives and offspring of soldiers acquire that dis-
soluteness and profligacy of life for which some
are remarkable ; and which, in a moral and political
view, appears to be a fruitful and extensive source of
National evil. For may it not be supposed that the
Seek of virtue and decorum will prove unproductive
:in & soil so favourable to vice and immorality, and ca-
pable almost ut corrupting the purity of a Lucretia ?
The intercourse of the sexes on b•)ard transports,
though in a great degree unavoidable, is yet capable
of some restraint. Separate births for the married
parties, in the proportion of four couple in every 100
men, might be allowed them at the after end, parted
from the other births by means of a screen of painted
sail cloth, so contrived as to he rolled up or removed
for the purposes of ventilation, in the same manner as
will be recommended hereafter for the separation of
the sick.

Before we quit this part of the subject, it is proper
to say something concerning the space and accom-
modation necessary for the officers. The proportion
which officers usually bear to the soldiers is about as
one to twenty, or as five officers to 100 men. In every
transport therefore thenumber of officers' births should
be fully proportionate to the complement of soldiers ;
and it would be very desirable if Government would
allow them certain articles of furniture for their cabin,
the supplying of which subjects the officers at present
to expence on every embarkation. These articles
might be confined to tables and forms, with the addi-
tion of one or two hanging lamps.
A sufficient number of good sized 'scuttle-ports
should be cut in the ship's sides as near to the upper
deck as possible, without weakening the ship, for the
admission of pure air ; not omitting a scuttle in each
bow which affords the singular advantage of a supply
of fresh air when the ship is sailing close upon a wind.
These scuttles are generally cut too near the water's
edge, which prevents them from being opened except
when the sea is very smooth.

11n ships, which have ports, a smaller number of
scuttles is sufficient ; and when there are port scut-
tles, they might perhaps be entirely dispensed with,
in large ships. The number and dimensions of the
scuttles mtiA be determined by the size of the vessel,
but they should be not farther than fifteen feet dis-
tant from each other, and every one of them should
be finished in such a manner as to be perfectly water-
tight, when shut in. These, with the seconding as-
sistance of large funnel-top'd wind sails, would be
found adequate to afford a sufficient degree of venti-
lation, even in a warm climate.

The fore, or bow, part of the ship, below, should
be appropriated to the sick, who should be separated
from the rest by means of a division of painted sail-
cloth. This screen would serve a double purpose ;
it not a little prevents the sick from being oppressed
by the hot and unwholesome vapour, so abundantly
exhaled by the otliza- men at night ; and, in the event
of any infectious disease breaking out in the ship, it
might be made to form a sort of barrier between the
diseased and the sound. This screen should be made
so as to allow of its being rolled up all round, to ad-
mit of a thorough ventilation during the day time.
A small bulkhead store-room should be built, on
either side of the hospital, if the space will admit of
it, for the security and stowage of the hospital stores,
medicines, wine, &c. as it is very desirable, for rea-
sons hereafter to be mentioned, that as few tangible
articles as possible be entrusted to the master, or
other persons belonging to the ship.
As spoliation of public, as well as private pro-
perty on board transports, is a complaint by no
nie.sns unfrequent, some secure part of the ship
should also be allottef.: for the regimental stores, as well
as for the baggage of the officers, the access to which
shouldbe open only to the Quarter-master, the officiating
Quarter-master, or others under his authority. A
bulk-head room made on the orlop deck, in large
ships, or a distinct lazaretto in smaller Vessels, sht uld
be appropriated to this purpose.
Ann-racks should be fixed amidships below, for
the safety of the arms, and for the convenience of the
men. In many transports, from the want of this
very necessary fixture, the arms arc obliged to be tied
to the beams and deck over head, by whatever means
are at hand, in continual risk of breaking down, and
this is liable to produce two evils, injury to the arms
which perhaps cannot be repaired at sea, and ren-
dering them therefore unfit for service ; and expose
those soldiers to hurt, who sleep or happen to be un-
derneath.
Eiery troop transport should be provided yrith
iron stanchcons and nettings, as well as tarpaulins or
haunock-clothh fur- the reception and security of

r

.- • • . .
the hamilsockS and bedding from wet, in the. same.
*zriqlffritisDat.actisql 41440 glue Witboatt
thts .eAseltsal provision- the,soldiers bedding .cannot
bfought up ;o be. alter *elk ia dr7- and -fine . wea,
ibex., . Thus the meir -witor.- are confined below„ are
deprived of the space occupied:by-the bedding, and
are obliged to breathe a confined air, rendered morel
so by the want of that cleanliness which thcpresence
of the bedding prevents them from effectually pie-
serving.
Hanging grates and stoves, should by alicAied to
troop-ships, for dispelling the damp .and tiowhole-
some air, which so frequently prevails betweel.decks,!
particularly in rainy weather. The general ani c,m-
stant use of stoves or hanging-grates, below, in cold
or damp weather, is strongly recommended as pro-
ductive of the most beneficial effects to the health and
comfort of the troops. The advantages derived (roof
th,employment of stoves in ships of war,. especially
In those of the line, have been universally acknow- .
ledged ; and nothing can be a greater proof of their I
salubrity than the circumstance of a fact well known
in the navy, which is, that frigates, of the old con-
struction, wherein the cooking was performed be-
tween decks, were, ceieris Itaribus, found more healthy
than those of the new class, where the cooking is per-
formed above. All transports, of 250 tons, or.up-
, wards, should have two stoves, the flues whereof
should open through the deck immediately above.
It is now found that fumigation is of less impor-
tance,
as a corrector of foul air in ships, than was
formerly supposed ed, it is thought that its good
effects depend mor upon the portion of heat which
is diffused by means of the smoke,
.than on the qua-
lities of the article, or ingredients, employed in the
process. Perhaps, the burning of wetted gunpowder
is as powerfirl a means as calf be employed for dis-
pelling bad air : but as a ready corrector, nothing of
this kind, hitherto tried, seems to answer better than
the disengagement of nitrous vapour, formed by throw-
ing powdered saltpetre into heated vitt i tlic aci.!. W th
the same intention, the lamps invented by Moser are
I conveniently suspended between decks, though they
are comparatively of little use.
But the most effectual mode of purifying a ship, /.
next to cleanliess and ventilation, is the frequ nt white-
washing, with quick lime, of the beams, sides, and
births below—a process which, it is to be lamented;
is too little attended to, though, in general, easily
practicable. Transports should be white-washed as
often as it may be deenied necessary from existing
circumstances ; for which purpose every vessel should I
be always kept supplied with a certain proportion of I.
quick lime, parti c u la rl y for fere ign service,asthis article
is not always to be readily Procured abroad.
Painting, though a more tedious and expensive I
operation, is, perhaps, not more iffiCacious in promot.
ing health, than the more ready 'process of white-
washing. It, however, possesses a material.advan-
tage over the latter, inasmuch as it admits of the parts
below being washed and scoured, which.occasionally
becomes necessary, and should be performed in dry
II
weather.

Having finished the consideration of transports as
far as concerns their size and construction between
decks, and as this is connected with the health and I
comfort of the troops, we now proceed to the re-
maining parts of the subject intended to be discussed.
The Board of Commissioners for conducting the

Transport Service, by their. laudable and unceasing,
industry, have effected numerous improvements in
regard to the comfort and convenience of the troops
embarked, and have brought the department to a
degree of excellence unequalled before : there are
still, however, several important points intimately
connected therewith, some of which have been al-
ready pointed out, to which, when seriously consi-
dered, there is no doubt they will eventually turn
their attention with advantage.
In the hurry which generally accompanies the fit-
ting out of our Expeditions, it has been too often
found a matter of difficulty to engage a sit6ij+trit
number of ships properly adapted for the conveyance
of troops ; and vessels have been necessarily hired as
troop-ships, which could scarcely be considered as
adequate for that service in any one point of view.
But, although this is in a great degree unavoidable,
where many ships are wanted for a great armament,
when on such an emergency, vessels with ordinary
recommendations are employed in the service; yet, it
is to be feared, that often too little caution has been
observed in thcir selection. Hence it happens that
shapeless floating machines have been taken into the
service as transports, which might have been with more
propriety converted into coal-barges to be employed on
a river, being so very ill adapted for sailing. Such
vessels are not improperly termed tubs, by sea Men,
on account of the tardiness of their progress, and the
peculiarity of the course in which they always sail,
which is directly opposite to the point from whence
the wind blows, that is to say, to leeward. How
often do we find a whole convoy detained, and the
voyage protracted, from the bad sailing of one or
more transports ! Nor is this to be attributed to bad
trimming, or a foul bottom, but to the wretched ind
irremediable build of the ship. •To this cause it is
chiefly owing that so many transports drop to 'lee-
ward or astern, and part company, particularly in
the night, and in stormy weather ; and if they do
not fall a prey to an enemy, the officers and men em-
barked in the missing ships, are thus exposed to pri-
vations, sufferings, arid anxiety of mind, which they
ought not to undergo ; to which may be added, the
great risk they undergo of becoming afflicted with
the scurvy and other fatal maladies incidental to long
voyages. Indeed it is impossible for any one who
has not been similarly circumstanced, to form a cor-
rect judgment of the uncomfortableness of being se-
parated from a convoy at sea.
Before a transport is taken into the service, it,
should be regularly surveyed by a fit Board, of three
or more persons, of whom one should he conversant
with naval architecture; and from their observation,
her probable rate of sailing, as well as her sea-wor-
thiness, and other essential points, may be ascertain-
ed. Coppered vessels should always be preferred for
transports, particularly if they are intended for dis-
tant service, or for permanent employment. Every
transport should be provided with three good suits of
sails, with plenty of good cordage, spars, anchors,
cables, &e. If these points were well attended to
we should meet with fewer instances of ships being
left behind, or delaying the convoy, occasioned by
their being unable to replace, or repair the wreck,
sustained in their rigging, &c. from squalls, or other
accidents.
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The nest point to be considered is, perhaps, not less
k 4•181 Ant Om sury: Ismilitberto,.cliscussed, namely,
the soundness of 'the decks, and upper Works of the
To preserve the births dry and .comfortable
*tow,. it is absolutely necessary that
.every plank,
and seam above, be perfectly water-tight, and, in paT.,
ticular,:proof.against rain. A leaky and ti.imp,state
of the decks; is a fault common to many transports ;
and when this is the case, ships are generally uri-
be.althy. Ships often become leaky from straining,
10:itd opening their seams in bad weather ; but it is
more commonly owing to bad caulking, or unsound
timber. It is well known that the admission of rain
between decks, is, more danger ohs. than that of sea-
water : and too much care cannot I7c tilkento exclude
It also from the hatchways, by means of proper grat-
tarpaulins; &c. • -.
E . . * BOATS.
, There is nQ subject, perhaps, on which complaints

. - -
are more ii4ble to be, made; by Rfficers embarked on
loard tr4nsports, than on that.of boats ; and these
complaints ate not so often fotintJedtin the deficiency
of boats, belonging to transports, as on the v.-ant of a
proper regulatien on this point. On this account
officers, on first embarking, and when preparing for
sea, are often much inconvenienced from not having
a ready means of communicating with the shore, for
the supply of their immediate wants, as well as of
the requisites for a sea voyage. Whenever there. it
an agent of transports present, this officer frequently
assumes the disposal of one boat of each transport, at
least t in either case, the master feels little hesitation,
in employing whatever boat, or boats, may be at
hand, tpr his own individual convenience; or, per-
haps, which is more rarely the case, is is employed,
for the duty of the ship : so that it is not vety un-
usual to see military officers, in consequence of this
abuse, as effectually imprisoned for a time, on board
transports, while in harbour, as convicts are, on board
the- prison hulks in the River.

Besides the launch, or long-boat, every transport
should be required to have, at le:;s:, two boats kept.
always in complete repair, one of which should be
appropriated to the duties of the ship, exclusively:—
and the. other should be placed at the disposal of the
Senior Military (3sfeer on board,.who should, how.
ever, be held responsible that the beat so allowed, is
not employed for improper purposes, nor damaged
through wantonness, or neglect.— (To k Confituied.)