CHAP. IV.
Account of the Health of the Fleet while it lay at Jamaica during May, June, and Part of July, 1782.——French Prizes Causes of Sickness—Their Difference from the English in point of Cleanliness and Discipline—Bad Effects of Land Wind and Watering Duty—Situation of Port Royal—Season uncommonly dry and windy—Fluxes more prevalent at Sea than in Harbour—Comparison of the Sickness at this Time with that of the Army and with that of the Squadron under Admiral Vernon forty-one Years before—Effects of Contagion and foul Air—Officers more affected than the common Men.
All the squadron that was left to windward of Jamaica, consisting of twenty-four ships of the line, kept the sea during great part of May, the last division of it not having come to Port Royal till the 25th of that month.
The whole fleet remained in harbour during the remainder of the month, and the whole of the next, except the Warrior, Prothée, and Russell; the two former were sent on a cruise, in which the Warrior continued quite healthy, as she had been ever since her arrival from England; and in the Prothée a great check was given to the fevers and fluxes which had begun to prevail at Port Royal. The Russell was sent to England with a convoy.