'A voyage from England to India, in the year 1754, and an historical narrative of the operations of the squadron and army in India, under the command of Vice-Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, in the years 1755, 1756, 1757 ... Also a journey from Persia to England by an unusual route. With an appendix, containing an account of the diseases prevalent in Admiral Watson's squadron, etc.' [‎454] (507/562)

[ 454 ]
Having given the beft directions in my power, for the better management
of the wounded in a day of battle, with a few hints to the captains of our
men of war; I could wifh to afcend to the Lords Commiftioners of the Ad
miralty, and other gentlemen to whom the condudt of our naval affairs
is committed, and pray them to take into confideration the prefent difcou-
raging fituation of the furgeons of the royal navy.
It is univerfally allowed, that many of thefe gentlemen, are men of the
greateft abilities in thei r profeffion ; and the importance of their ftation, to a
kingdom whole very exiltence depends on the welfare of its feainen, ap
pears at firft fight, without the trouble of entering into a long chain of rea-
ibning. It is alio as true, that the fcanty provifion at prefent made
for the furgeons of this * fervice, when they are out of commiflion, gives
but little encouragement, either for retaining thofe who are now on the lift,
or for the acquiring other able ones, fiiould there be occafion by the
breaking out of a new war; for only fifty of the feniors out of three hun
dred and upwards whole names are mentioned on the naval lift, have any
claim to half pay ; while the others are put to the moft wretched fhifts to
earn even a precarious fubfiftence. And what adds greatly to the hardfhip
of their cafe, is, that a great majority of them are gentlemen, who have
had the advantages of a good education, and been regularly brought up
in their profefllon ; who embarked in the fervice in their youth, or prime
of life, have done their duty for feveral years with great credit, and at laft
after the war was ended, were left to the mercy of a wide world, as much,
or more at a lofs to get their daily bread, than they were the firft day after
their apprenticefhip expired.
It mufl: be confeflfed, that a few of them out of fo large a number,
by their own merit and afliduity, or by the deaths of old praftitioners
in the feveral places where they fixed themfelves after the peace was made,
have at this time the happinefs to acquire a comfortable fubfiftence. But
can it be imagined, that thefe men will ever engage in the navy again (tho'
their inclinations may poflibly lead them to do it) unlefs they could de
pend on a more certain provifion being made for them after another war
was ended ? It cannot, it muft not be expelled from them. And
how much the public fervice will fuffer in the want of fuch experienced
lurgeons, I need not mention. For though, upon the breaking out of a
new war, there is no doubt but that many young men bred up to this
profeflion, would offer themfelves as candidates for a naval employ, yet
being new to the fea, and quite unacquainted with pra(5lice, they cannot
pofTibly be put in competition with thofe older furgeons, who have been
long inured to the fervice, even on the fuppofition that their refpedive edu
cations were exactly the fame.
* Every furgeon of the army is intitled to half pay.
5 I i";