"Your Lordship's
"Friend and servant,
(Signed)
"MOHAMMED ABDALLAH ESLAWEE,
Governor of Larache, &c. &c. &c.
_To the Right Hon. Lord Collingwood,
Admiral and Commander in Chief, &c. &c. &c._
LETTER XXIII.
Embark for Gibraltar - Precautionary Hints.
Gibraltar.
In compliance with the request of the Governor of Larache, His
Majesty's hired armed ship the Lord Eldon was ordered by Lord
Collingwood to convey me to this place. She arrived at Larache about a
week after I wrote last. The bar unfortunately proved so bad, that she
was obliged to drop her anchor on the outside; and the Captain,
conceiving it an unsafe anchorage, pressed me to repair on board
without delay, which I did, after taking a long farewell of my noble
friend the Governor, who, with tears in his eyes, embraced me, and
otherwise evinced his infinite regret and true friendship.
We embarked all my horses, mules, &c. &c. without any accident, and
immediately after set sail for Tangiers. I cannot find words to
describe the interesting, curious, and romantic appearance of the
Barbary coast, from Larache to Tangiers, when viewed from the sea. I
took my station on the quarter-deck, and, as we sailed close in shore,
my curiosity was fully gratified. There are several small bays and
creeks along this coast, which unfortunately afford shelter to the
enemy's privateers, where, in perfect security, they remain concealed,
watching an opportunity to come out and seize any of our straggling
vessels that have either separated from, or are waiting for convoy to
enter the Straits.
It is a great pity that the number of our gun-boats at this port
(Gibraltar) is so limited, as a larger number of them, and a few other
small vessels kept in readiness here, and well appointed, would
protect our commerce, and prevent our suffering so much from the
Spanish boats, and several small French cruizers, which infest this
part of the world, and almost daily capture some of our merchantmen,
which they carry into Algesiras in sight of this garrison.
APPENDIX.
No. I.
Copy of a Letter from JOHN TURNBULL, Esquire, Chairman to the Board of
Trade, to E. COOKE, Esquire, Under Secretary of State, &c. &c. &c.
SIR,
In my capacity of General Chairman of the Merchants trading to the
Mediterranean, and in consequence of the commercial relations which I
have long maintained with Gibraltar, I think it my duty to submit,
with great deference, to the consideration of Lord Castlereagh certain
observations respecting the late dreadful calamity, which afflicted
that garrison. The great mortality which then prevailed, and which
carried off almost the whole of the civil inhabitants, was in a great
degree to be imputed to the want of medical assistance for the poorer
classes of the people, who are chiefly foreigners. The physicians and
surgeons attached to the army, had every moment of their time fully
occupied by the care of the troops immediately under their charge. If
even they could have spared a little attention to the miserable
objects just mentioned, it could probably have produced but a very
inadequate effect. As the medical gentlemen could not be supposed to
be acquainted with the various foreign dialects that these people
could only make use of, they were therefore obliged to be abandoned to
their fate; and by their numerous deaths, and the intercourse they had
with one another, necessarily occasioned a deplorable increase of
contagion. It is therefore respectfully suggested, that, as the return
of such a disorder ought at any rate to be guarded against, it would
be highly desirable, that a medical gentleman, conversant with the
languages of the southern parts of Europe, should be appointed as
physician to the civil inhabitants of Gibraltar, and for their express
and immediate care. There is now in London, a gentleman (Doctor
Buffa), Physician to His Majesty's Forces, who appears to be
peculiarly well qualified for such an appointment. He is possessed of
superior medical abilities, and particularly in the disorders of the
plague and yellow-fever, in the treatment of which he has had much
experience and success; and having been born in Piedmont, he is well
acquainted with the southern languages of Europe. If Lord Castlereagh
should be pleased to approve of Doctor Buffa being placed at
Gibraltar, in the situation which I have taken the liberty to suggest,
it would occasion no extraordinary expense to Government, Doctor Buffa
being now one of the Physicians to the Army, and might eventually be
productive of the most beneficial effects.
I have the honour to be, most respectfully,
SIR,
Your most obedient and
Most humble servant,
(Signed) JOHN TURNBULL.
Guilford Street, 5th August 1805.
E. Cooke, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.
No. II.
Letter from the Secretary of the Transport Board to Dr. BUFFA.
Transport Office, 16th October 1805.
SIR,
I am directed by the Board to acquaint you, that a passage to
Gibraltar has been provided for yourself, Mrs. Buffa, your family and
brother-in-law, on board the Active transport; and that you may embark
on board that ship at Deptford immediately.
I am further directed to add, that it will be necessary for you to
find your own provisions.
I am, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
A. WHITEHEAD, Secretary.
_To Dr. Buffa,
&c. &c. &c._
No. III.
Extract of a Letter from JOHN TURNBULL, Esq. Chairman of the
Committee of Merchants trading to the Levant, &c. to Dr. BUFFA.
MY DEAR SIR,
On your arrival at Gibraltar, I was favoured with two letters from
you; but have not since had the pleasure of hearing from you. Nor have
I written to you, as, notwithstanding the unremitting endeavours, and
the constant attention, on every occasion, of His Royal Highness and
myself, it has not been in our power to do any thing effectual to
serve you. The Medical Board _continue to give all the opposition that
they possibly can_, and made a very unfavourable report, in
consequence of a strong representation that I made in your favour to
Mr. Windham.
