Star.
London, England, 1825-05-21 00:00:00

fever which lately proved so fatal in the Bann, and
amongst the marines at Ascension. It also appears,
from the abstract above mentioned, that out of one
hundred and thirty-two cases of disease, which are re-
corded in these journals, twelve died and nineteen were
invalided; and, though perhaps all the fatal cases are
inserted in the inrnals, it•is well known that those do-
cuments seldom contain above a third of the cases
which actually occur.
- With respect to the period immediately preceding the
fever in question, Mr. Thompson, the medical officer,
who had charge, informs met ." thspt though they were
on the whole very healthy, yet they were by no means
exempt from disease." At the time of the Bann's arri-
val, in 1823, the marines were in good health, and the
garrison consisted-of thirty-five officers and men, inde-
pendent of the women and children.
The report of Mr. Thompson, the medical officer of
the garrison, states, that the appearance ot the fever
amongst them is dated eighteen days after the arrival
of the Bann, viz. on the 11th of May; but.he adds,
however, that one of the people was attacked as early
as the 28th of April with symptoms of fever, which he
then thought might be it mild cue of the Bann's, which
was scarcely above two days after the landing of the
'sick. The man thus attacked was a, convalescent on
the 7th of May. Oa the 11th of May, a boy (son of
one of the serjeants) was violently attacked, and ulti-
mately died ; but it is neither known nor believed that
he had any nearer communication with the sick of the.
Bann than passing daily at no great distance from the
tents to feed his father's poultry, and he was never on
board that ship. Up to this time the restricions on
the intercourse between the ship herself and the garri-
son had not been much attended to, and certainly not
at all as regards the communication of the garrison
with each other ; several things, such as sideboards,
&c. hail been landed- from- the Bann, which had been
brought by -her from Sierra Leone, and some of the
officers and men had gone on board that ship (after the
sick were landed. to the sale ot the effects of some de-
ceased person. From this time, however, every proper
precaution was taken for preventing the extension of
disease to the outposts ; notwithstanding which, six
men, two women, and seven children, were taken ill
at Springs, but fortunately none at the Green Mom.,
tain, though one of the men belonging to that post had
been on board the Bann, at the sale before mentioned.
Some days after the arrival of the Bann, Captain Phil.
lips took up his residence at Springs ; but, though he was
much indisposed with a low fever, both the surgeon of
the Bairn and the assistant of the garrison are of opi•
nion that he did not suffer from the preiailing fever.
About this time, the fever in the Bann bad nearly
ceased; but it went on, daily attacking some of the
garrison ; and it appears by the official report,- that
I twenty•eight were taken ill, of which number fifteen
died, and thirteen recovered. Independently of the
officers and marines above stated, tvco boys were at
tacked, both of whom died; and of six women four
died ; seven children likewise suffered attacks of this
fever, all of whom recovered ; but unfortunately, three
youner children, the eldest being only four months
old, died from want of their usual sustenance, after
the demise of their mothers.
While the Bann remained at the Island of Ascen-
sion, his Majesty's sloop Driver arrived at the same
place, from the African station, in perfect health ; the
latter vessel bad previously been in the river of Sierra
Leone, subject to the same causes as the Bann, so far
as Captain Phillips knows; but he is not acquainted
whether she had communication with the Caroline
timber ship. Soon after her arrival at Ascension, two
clerks were sent on board the Bann, one of them to act
as purser, and the other to make up the accounts of
Captain Phillips ; one died with fever, the other was
seized with a bilious attack, of which he recovered;
while Lieutenant King and Mr. Sinclair, who visited
the Balm at the same time, both escaped. It appears,
by the official returns from the Driver, however, that
three in the whole were taken ill with the prevailing
fever, two of whom were sent on shore, and one died
lon board; and the Captain very properly put to see,
and used every precaution ; and with these three cases
the disease ceased.
Whoever reads the preceding history of the progressi
of this diseauson board the Bann, and her tender the
Safi Raphael, and also in the Island of Ascension, will I
have no difficulty in coming to the conclusion, that it
was, without any doubt, a contagious fever ; but with
respect to its having originated from the alleged corn:
munieation with the Caroline, I am decidedly of,
opinion that it did not, for reasons which will hereafter
be adduced.
Before, however, proceeding farther, I wish it to be
distinctly understood, that I have always considered
the yellow fever, in COMM with fevers of other
countries, may, and does, under particular circum-
stances, such as a great many sick being confined in a
small ill-ventilated place, where due attention cannot
be paid to cleanliness, &c. acquire the prof erty of com-
municating itself to others; but my firm belief is, that
the yellow fever is seldom or never ab origine a conta-
gious disease; and this opinion, I am convinced, is con-
formable to reason and truth, as I think it will be in
my power distinctly to sliew in this Report.
Regarding the Caroline, I have to state, that this.
ship sailed from Malta on the 26th September, and ar-
rived at Siesta Leone on the 3d of Noirember, in per-
fect health s she proceeded up the river on the 12th
and 13th, and loaded her cargo of wood, chiefly at the
factory of Tomboo Island, about thirty miles above
Free Town, lying the whole of the time in a very low
swampy situation, surrounded by mangroves. About a
month after she had been at Tomboo Island, she be-
came sickly, and, according to the report of the Me-
dical Officer of the Army, eight men were admitted
into the general hospital, with the-usual remittent.fever
of the country in the course of a fortnight. of which
eight men, tour died. On the 28th of January, she
drove from her anchors, and got on shore, but was hove
off in about six hours, by the assistance of other vessels.
(TO be continued).

The apartment; in the vicinity of St. James's, occu-
pied by his Royal Highness the Duke of CIIMBISLAIIIN are fitting up
for the reception of the Duke and Duchess, who are shortly ex-
pected in England, to grace the approaching splendid Drawlug-
room with their presence.
The late Dr. PARR bequeathed mourning rings to no
le,s than thiee hundred individuals ; among which there
is one for his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussmc, di-
rected to be of the value of five guineas. The rest are
to be one guinea each, and Mr. BROUGIIAM and Mr.'
DENMAN are among thche for whom they are intended.
The new Canal for rendering Brussels a sea port,
has been commenced, and is carried on with great

activity.