Lastly, The preventing of filth, crowding, and the mixture of diseases in hospitals, by proper regulations, and by establishing hospital ships. I beg leave again to call to mind, that 1518 deaths from disease, besides 350 invalids, in 12,109 men, in the course of one year, is an alarming waste of British seamen, being a number that would man three of His Majesty’s ships of the line; and what I advance is from a real conviction that a due attention to the above-mentioned propositions would save more than two thirds of the seamen that would otherwise die in that climate. It was to set this in a proper light that I requested leave to quit my duty during the absence of the greater part of the squadron in the hurricane months; and should any thing I propose meet with public approbation, and be carried into effect, I should esteem it a recompence far above any other gratification I can derive from the service. LONDON, October 13, 1781. To the Right Hon. the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. * * * * * Next year the following Supplement to the preceding Memorial was sent to the Board of Admiralty: SUPPLEMENT to the MEMORIAL delivered last Year to the Board of Admiralty. Since my return to my duty on this station, additional experience has afforded me farther practical confirmation of the utility of the former proposals. The great squadron employed on this station has, by the attention of the Commissioners of Victualling, and also of the Commander in Chief, been supplied with most of the articles recommended, in such quantities as to prove their efficacy; and indeed the small degree of mortality in comparison of former times, is a sufficient demonstration of this. I beg leave to give an instance in the Formidable of the great and salutary effects of the proposed improvements. This ship left England, furnished not only with sour krout and melasses, in common with most others in the squadron, but what was peculiar to herself was, an entire supply of good wine in place of spirits; and an experiment has been made in this instance, under my own eye, to ascertain what degree of health it was possible to attain in a great ship in this climate. With the above advantages, together with good discipline and medical care, no man[88] died of disease from December, 1781, to May, 1782, and only thirteen were sent to hospitals, whose complaints were small pox and ulcers. In the months of May and June last, when at Jamaica, there died of disease in this ship, three men, and seventeen were sent to the hospital, most of whom had contracted their sickness on board of French prizes. In the rest of the fleet the health was in proportion to the wine and other refreshments, and the cleanliness, good order, and discipline observed.