Star.
London, England, 1809-11-15 00:00:00

TRANSPORT' SERE.

4" !: !s ilicriTllcisable what difficulties the meanest of our Sailor's
tv.d Soldiers enduri: without murmuring; or regret?'
G•LDSMITH.
I MARKS ON TRANSPORTS, AND ON SOME OF THE USAGES
AND REGULATIONS FOLLOWED IN THAT DEPARTMENT
OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE, INTERSPERSED WITH HINTS
POE PROMOTING THE. COMFORT, AND BETTERING THE
CONDITION OF THE TROOPS EMBARKED.

The success of an Expedition greatly depends on
the due and prompt execution of the duties of every
d .partment at all connected with it, whether previous,
or subsequent to its leaving our shores : hence it is
that in every instance of failure or disappointment of
our military enterprises we very usually, and often
justly, attach blame to some department or other, for
mprovidence, want of foresight, inexertion, igno-
rance, er some other cause winch we imagine may
have unexpectedly produced or contributed to the un-
fortunate result. In this view it must be acknow-
ledged that the equipments, economy, and regulations
of transports very nearly concern the health, comfort,
and physical strength of the army embarked, and in
a certain degree, affect its ultimate success. It is
therefore proposed in the following Remarks to bring
certain parts of this subject under consideration, with
a view to suggest such hints as appear necessary,
founded on the broad and unerring basis of Expert-
' ence.
The number of transports employed in the British
service for the conveyance of troops, military stores,
provisions, horses, &c. during the present war, would
seem to some almost incredible ; and the regulation
and economy of such an extensive and impoi tant de-
partment must be obviouily arduous, difficult, and
responsible. •
The.direction of this branch of the service has been,
therefore, vested, with much propriety, in a Board of
experienced persons, commissioned for the eurpOse, in
preference to an individual. Immediaiely subs)! di-
nate to this Board are resident Agents, principally
Captains of the Navy, who are stationed at various
sea-ports, for die purpose of conveying or enforcing
the orders of the Beard and the regulations of the de-
partment, or for issuing, from their own authority,
such other immediate directions which circumstances
may call for, to the inferior Agents, or Lasters of
Transports, as may seem necessary for the good of his
Majesty's service. The next and the last class of agents
of Transports are the Agents qfical, as they are called,
composed chiefly of Half-pay Lieutenants of the Nis
vy. These Officers hoist their pendants on bo. t 'he
better description of transports, and acccmpaoy our
expeditions, having a certain controul over the Masters ;
of Transports, more particularly touching the regulas
•tions of the department in regard to the issue and ex-1
penditure cf provisions, returns whereof are occasio-
nally made to them by the Masters.
In providing for the health and comfort of troops
on board ship, one of the most important points to
be considered, is the space appropriated for the
accommcdatien of the men, •as well as for the
Officers, embarked. This appears to be settled
by a kind of general rule, which allots the ad-
measurement of jwo tons in each transport for the
accommodation of one man, so that a transport of
200 toes measurement is presumed to have suilistent
room for WO officers and soldiers, for a lin voyage;
and so in proportion for any number of men.
But this rule !s founded on a principle whose ap-
plication to practice is not always safe. This is par-
ticularly the case in regard to ships that are not only
of a narrow, incommodious build, but also low, and
otherwise ill-adapted below, for the comfort of troops
—nor is the unfavourable constriction of the ship al-
ways the only inconvenience to which troops are lia-
ble in this respect, for in some ve;sels there is a defect
of room for the men, not at all dependent on that
cause, and occasi med by encroachments made on the
soldier's legal premises, or space, by the Master, &c.
for the good or convenience of himself, his owners, or
of his ship's company.
Thus the apace allotted for the seamen's births is
various in various ships. Sometimes they have barely
sufficient space allotted them, sometimes they are in-
dulged with extra room at the espence of the soldiers,
according to the position of the parting bulkhead.—
Sail, and lumber room-, have also occasionally been
taken in from the soldiers' deck—and we have heard,
in like manner, (f a large portion of their room having
been partitioned off fOr a cabin or cabins, for the con-.
venience of the agent, master, or mates, die seamen
being pushed as far in proportion forward on the sol-
diers, as the extent of the encroachment made on
their own accommodation by this invasion of riglos.
The unavoidable consequence of such cruel privas
don of space, added to the natural difficulties of the
ship's bad construction, is,that the soldiers have scarcely
room to stand below, much less to seep : and so inade-
quate is the usual number ut sleeping births for the
comfort of the men embarked ; gigs so intolerable is
the heat and vapour generated by such a crowd of
human beings confined to so small a apace, particu-
larly in hot climates, that it is found impracticable
fir more than two thirds cf the complement of men
to find room to sleep below at once. Hence has ori-
' ginated the now long-established custom of forming
one third of them into a watch on deck, during the
night, a practice sanctioned only by necessity, and
! productive of more injury tolhe health of the men
' than is usually supposed; Under such circumstances
hew dangerous must it be to turn up the watches at
night ; the men emerging feom an atmosphere, leaded
with human exhalation, and heated to a degree al-
most incredible; their reeking, half-covered bodies
• suddenly exposed ao the chilling-night breeze at sea,
or to the destructive dews which prevail near the
land ! In this state the utmost exertion on the part cf
the officer to keep them alert, wi I scarcely pi event
such powerful causes of disease from taking effect.
Titus in the space of eight hours, that is from eight at
' night till the turning out of the morning watch at
four, the whole of the men are alternately exposed in
this manner to the extremes of heat and cold suddenly
applied, and vice verea.
The allotment of space in the proportion of two
tons of the ship's admeasurement for each person, as
; above-mentioned, without the disadvantages pointed
out, may be considered as a fair average in general;
or, in other words, a roomy transport, if properVited
':up, may 'be considered as capable of affording ordi-
nary accommodation to any number of persons not
! exceeding the above proportion.
But it is to be understood that, for short voyages,

the proportion ofmen embarked is often Inteh grcattr,
there being sometimes not much more than the pro.
portion of one ton to each person. This, ho .ever,
rarely the case ; yet in almost every instance ot short
voyages, the usual ratio is exceeded, and tliis F.,)urcc
of disease and inconvenience has been knomn to exi,t
for several weeks together, occasioned by unforetec*
delays in port, or by unfavourable winds or accident.
at sea. -

To prevent the ill effects of over crowding sr,idie!..s
in transports, some positive standing order appc.irs:,,
be necessary to restrain Commanding Oilicrs of
gades or Regiments from embarking more men in tl.e
vessels appointed for the transportation of their re.
spective corps than, on minute examination, the:•
fOund capable of accommodating without
and no deviation from such a salutary r,:.,;-tilatin
should be admitted, unless under the most prc.sirz
exigencies of the scrvico, the nature of which s!loti,d
be required to be fully arid specifically repot:el
the Commanding General on the spot ; in o:.de:•
if any practicable means can be adopted, the
veniences arising from such a deviation may Le,
much as possible, prevented, with the least deiay
the service.—(To be continued.)

BLRTH.
At Rankeillor, Fife.hirc, tue Right Hon. Lady. Here, of %;

DIED.
At Wigan, on Tuesday, the 7th inst. in the prime of life, Mrs
Andrew, wile of Mr..% ocirews, Post \ .aster of that
Saturday se'urright, at Fifield House, Derki, in the 4.5-11 year of
hit age, Ow Rev. William Musgray.., LL.D.
On the Tith ult. at Wickham, liant., in the Stiris year oF
age, Mrs. Jain! \Varton, sister of the btu Joseph \Varian, D
head master of Winchester College, and of the late Th.gnas
ton, poet-laureat.
Ac Fulmer-place, in the County of lineu.s, li'llliam Frngatt.
F.q. Deputy Steward of the City an: I. ; et .7 r Wei: niust r.
Mrs. liolinwnocl, the Lady of Capr. 11,112....,0u, • t Anmerir

Mf)l2.ltOW.
Sun rises, I Sun sets, Moon stos,
37 rniatites of &r 7 I 23 minutes after 4 I 1?. minutes alit:: 1

HIGH WATER Al' LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROVZ
Mornint... ...... _G minutes alter 9
Afternoon ........•...... minutes after 9

(I.IAI.I.I::YjE.

MESSRS. CUR R l E and Co. Surgeons,late in his
M:jesty's St nice, challerge the whole world pr•iv, a
single instance wh,_re their Medicine atel method :,!"
failrAl of the desired t'ffict. The practice 4 many years i;1 t! is
partichler branch of their profession has not givuu to one
unsuccessful case.

•l'hey continue to direct their studies to the trectencnt and cure
of Venereal Complaints, and that derongcir.ent of iiic syit
which is the consequence of the pernicious and Wai!eiill tal.:ts 4,, a
habit long and most unhappily pursued by the youths uf 'ae:h
in the one it will be found to be the uneriling s )urce
;less ; the other have lta ravages fatally developed tr, tltrui by:.
tressing state of debility, which, it not timely reinetheet,rtni.,,Pes
in impotence. These are its reinot_ and ultimate ell..cts,
sumptions, loss of muscular power, and various nervous cz.
usually characterise the earliei stages of -.his soiitary vie'. (if var-
ious languishing under the disorders inciden& to s..e!: a h..bit,
treatment is simple and has never proved ....,orc'ess,A, ce
co:4rst_ of a i 044;;, lobo! inns, and much extended pr,ctitv.
most obstinate and complicated cases t f venereal infuctinti,
as 06:auctions in the urethra, spati;..l escrestanzes, hard :
mours,callou.s ulcers, ernptions, seminal weakness, 61tets, ..

_
S FRI CiU RES,
Whether recent or of lons C v ration, ana hlve balled e
skill of other Practitioner, ; are by their rrescnt impro7td oar of
treatment, effectually and permanently cnre.:, sea. .t the
sulfuring tltu excreciatin7 p Ain and alarming hemorrlu,i;! %Lich
often follows the application of the lunar caustic. lo the .:r
to years extensive practice in tlds .metropolis, nu ''' • ' tors
Stricture% have' been and are daily under thei. ea e, the
eradication of which are effected by a safe, certamp.suld
tious mode of 'practice, superior to ail other yet adopted. The
weakness, relaxation, and debility proceeding from thie compt:*•-•,
is speedily removed, and the patient re;tored to sound aid vi-
vrous health. But where the debility has for years existed, a
proper perseverance in their restorative remedies, after the fi
lure has been destroyed, is indispensably retinisire to r.-vive the
sientheringsparks of life, and to re/nil:nate tha Constittnicu.

SeveralN.ohlernen and Gentlemen, of the first re.pec
have bA•rt under the care of hiciors. Currie and Co. for the 1,--
moval of complaints of the Urethra, Strictures, &c. and.,
received a radical and permanent cure, recpeest that retcreina:s
may be made to them as su•istaetory evidences of the derided bu-
pertori y of Messrs. Cerise and Co.'s plan of treatm nt. Many
of these Gentlemen he .e iota Strictures from ten to twenty yeas,
and had been under the care of Messrs. Home and Heavisides,
and other surgeons of equal eminence, who attempted the ia.re
by the application of the lunar caustic, Widitillt success.
Messrs. Currie and Co. may be consulted by either sex with the
greatest delicacy, secrecy, and honour, at chair hutts..•, No. 107,
Hatton-Garden. Patients in the country are requested to sate
the particulars of the'r case, age, and general habit of living, &c.
inclosing a remittance for advice and medicines, when the sante
will be given or sent to any part of the kingdom.
To ensure that tecrecy so t,:sentill to their undertaliing, the
postage of Letters may be added to the account fur medicines.
June,l 54/9-107, Hutton Garden.