Reading Vol. 1 of the 'Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord De Saumarez', (1838) by Sir John Ross, and which is concerned with the Admiral's early career, I came across this reference to the Charon.
In June 1795, Saumarez in the 'Orion' was part of a squadron under Lord Bridport which managed to partially engage the rear of a French fleet off the Isle de Groix. The French managed to escape into L'Orient although some damage was done. One of the leading British ships that engaged was the Orion and she was badly damaged, with a loss of four killed, two dying subsequently, and eighteen wounded. She was ordered to Portsmouth for repairs, Saumarez writing to his beloved brother Richard from St Helens, in a letter dated 12th July, 1795:
'I take the earliest opportunity to acquaint you, that I parted from the fleet last Thursday, with the Charon, hospital ship, which I saw safe into Portland this morning...
A few days after the action we were alarmed by the appearance of an epidemic fever on board; but, by sending the men infected on board the hospital ship, and using timely precaution, I am happy to say it has entirely subsided, but it gave me a great degree of concern: added to this, we have had the small-pox on board; but it has been of so favourable a kind, that the men who have had it are doing well, two excepted, who died on board the hospital ship. Several are now under inoculation, and I hope will recover.' That sounds like a reasonable endorsement for the treatment received on board the hospital ship.
Saumarez was obviously not a stranger to smallpox, since two years before he had written in a letter to his brother, 'Lady S. writes to me that our dear little girl is better; I wish to hear that she is sufficiently well to be inoculated. I shall be happy to have it over.'
Saumarez was obviously an advocate of inoculation for smallpox, but when did this become common practice: a) ashore; b) in the navy? I imagine there might have been some opposition to it.
Kester
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