Folios 1-2: Copy of sick list of Her Majesty's Hulk Success (employed at Spithead)...

Folios 1-2: Copy of sick list of Her Majesty's Hulk Success (employed at Spithead) between 9 June 1840 and 28 October 1840 - continued:

Folio 2: Mr Jones, aged 50, Sergeant Major; disease or hurt, gastritis. Put on sick list, 18 September 1840. Discharged, 22 September 1840. Folio 2: William Marshall, aged 54, Pensioner; disease or hurt, epigastritis. Put on sick list, 18 September 1840. Discharged, 20 September 1840. Folio 2: Jonathan Skelton, aged 27, Diver; disease or hurt, rheumatism. Put on sick list, 24 September 1840. Discharged, 28 September 1840. Folio 2: Thomas Richards, aged 56, Pensioner; disease or hurt, cynanche tonsillaris. Put on sick list, 28 September 1840. Discharged, 6 October 1840. Folio 2: Andrew Duncan, aged 22, Sapper; disease or hurt, catarrhus. Put on sick list, 3 October 1840. Discharged, 4 October 1840. Folio 2: George Pringle, aged 28, Sapper; disease or hurt, warts. Put on sick list, 4 October 1840. Discharged, 6 October 1840. Folio 2: Walter Cairns, aged 25, Sapper; disease or hurt, catarrhus. Put on sick list, 4 October 1840. Discharged, 6 October 1840. Folio 2: William Barrage, aged 20, Sapper; disease or hurt, colica. Put on sick list, 8 October 1840. Discharged, 10 October 1840. Folio 2: George Hillbank, aged 55, Pensioner; disease or hurt, subluxatio. Put on sick list, 16 October 1840. Discharged, 24 October 1840. Folio 2: Thomas Symonds, aged 19, Diver; disease or hurt, haemorrhois. Put on sick list, 20 October 1840. Discharged, 23 October 1840. Folio 2: Corporal Harris, aged 25, Diver; disease or hurt, rheumatism. Put on sick list, 20 October 1840. Discharged, 22 October 1840.

Folio 3: 'As none of the cases of sickness possessed sufficient interest to be inserted in this journal, I shall confine myself to such observations as the nature of the operations carried on by the men employed under Colonel Pasley, enable me to make on those matters likely to be interesting to science generally and connected with the recovery of the wreck of the Royal George.'

Folios 3-5: Recounts the sinking of the Royal George, 'of 108 guns and 1953 tons', on 29 August 1782, in about 13 fathoms of water at Spithead, and attempts to raise her. The ship had been heeled to larboard to enable repair of her water casks and her [open] lower gun ports were within inches of the water. Provisions were being loaded at the same time and their weight increased the list. A light breeze from the North West heeled her over so far that water entered the gun ports and she sank. The Lark lighter, having fouled her rigging, sank with her and may have contributed to righting the Royal George as she went down. On 11 July 1783, a Mr Tracey, raised the Lark, but was unsuccessful in raising the Royal George. By means of strong cables forming a cradle, with the ends being brought taught at low water on board the Royal William and the Diligence, he did manage to move the Royal George about 7 fathoms West of her original position, where she then remained. In 1834, the Messrs Deane recovered some guns and some 'curiosities'. Other attempts had been made by Messrs Braithwaite, Commissioner Hicks and Mr [S] Remnant, and in 1817 Mr Ancell, all without success. Colonel Pasley's plan was to destroy the wreck with powder charges placed using the Deane's diving apparatus. By October 1840 so much had been broken up and removed that large vessels 'might perhaps safely anchor over the spot'. Some portion, however, remained buried in the mud and it was intended to resume operations the following year. Folio 4: Inserted paper with the text: 'To be raffled for a green parrot at one shilling a member consisting of thirty members - The owner to spend five shillings and the [winner] ....'.

Folio 6: Marginal illustrations showing a diver on the wreck preparing to raise a cannon, with two crabs and a human skull at his feet, and four illustrations showing the three types of helmet referred to in the journal.

Folios 6-7: Description of 'the diving apparatus invented by the Messrs Deane'. This is a helmet of 'block tin', which expands at the base to rest on the diver's shoulders. The helmet either has a stout Macintosh cape attached, which hangs over the rest of the diving dress, or the neck of the diving dress is attached to the helmet between a double ring of brass. In the latter case there is an escape valve on the side of the helmet. The front of the helmet has either a single pane of glass, or three small ones, protected by bars of iron or copper. If the helmet is attached to the dress, the glass unscrews or the helmet can be unscrewed from the collar part, to admit air when the diver returns to the surface. The air tube attaches to the back of the helmet and passes under one arm and is secured to the waist, to prevent slipping or carrying away the helmet. The diver wears 'a thick woollen frock and drawers', worsted hose and a belt of basket work covered with baize or flannel to which weights are attached, and over all a one piece suit of Macintosh. The neck of the suit is either attached to the helmet or tied round the diver's neck with a handkerchief. If the helmet is not attached, weights around the cape and 'a strap or two' are 'the only security against its falling off'. A broad tape around the wrist prevents water from entering there. The diver's boots are weighted with lead and weigh about 40lbs, in addition he has two weights of from 28 to 35lbs each on his chest and back. The diver descends a 'Jacob's ladder', from which he takes a guide rope so that he can find his way back, and carries a signal rope to communicate with the surface.

Folio 7: Two marginal illustrations, one showing a diver putting on his diving dress, without the helmet but showing the belt, and the other a plan view of the air pump used.

Folios 7-8: A short description of the air pump used to supply the divers. Three cylinders are worked by a crank to keep the supply constant but 'the want of a regularity in its action' is seen by the surgeon as the cause of the symptoms suffered by the divers. The Messrs Deane invented a pressure gauge but it only shows that pressure increases with depth. The surgeon will have some improvements to suggest to remove the symptoms and perform the functions of the gauge.

Folio 8: Marginal illustration showing the galvanic cells used to fire the gunpowder charges.

Folios 8-9: Description of the batteries of Galvanic cells and electric detonators used to fire the charges used in destroying the wreck. At first Colonel Pasley had used fuses to detonate the charges but this proved too dangerous. The batteries were made up of copper cases, zinc rods and a solution of sulphate of copper in sulphuric acid. The conducting wires were from 100 to 140 fathoms long. They were covered with tape and 'a coating of waterproof composition', secured to ropes and the whole again covered with the waterproof composition. These wires were connected to two priming wires connected by two fine platina threads and kept apart by a piece of wood, attached to a waterproofed canvas bag containing half a pound of powder and enclosed in an airtight tin case, which was then introduced into the cylinders of gunpowder. The 'lumps' or lighters in which the air pumps, batteries and 'purchases' are worked, are moved to a short distance and the charges detonated by connecting the opposing poles of the batteries and making the platina threads red hot.