Medical journal of HMS Plover (and Sitka, Russian prize), from 1 July 1854 to 25...

ADM 101/113/3C

1854-1855

Medical journal of HMS Plover (and Sitka, Russian prize), from 1 July 1854 to 25 April 1855 by John Simpson (b), surgeon, during which time the ship was employed in the Arctic searching expedition at Point Barrow, and homeward from Behring’s Straits; also Sitka prize San Francisco to England.

[Note: ADM 101/113/3, 3A-3C are produced as a single document: order as ADM 101/113/3].

Folios 1-2: Copy of sick list.

Folios 3-4: case no. 1, James Faithful, aged 41, Gun Room Steward; sick or hurt, rheumatism; put on sick list 13 April 1854, invalided 4 August 1854.

Folio 4: case no. 2, Samuel Gould, aged 36, Captain’s Cook; taken ill at sea; sick or hurt, pemphigus; put on sick list 22 October 1854, discharged 30 October 1854 to duty.

Folio 4: Nosological return of cases mentioned in the journal.

Folios 5-7: Tables of medical statistics.

Folios 7-8: Surgeon’s general remarks. The Plover was released from the ice on 21 July 1854 seventeen days earlier than in the last year. Then the ship proceeded to Port Clarence for further orders, once the ship received the order she returned to Point Barrow arriving there on 28 August with the intention of passing a third winter there, but soon received intelligence of the release of the Enterprize. She then returned to Port Clarence on the 9 September and left that Port on the 16 September and arrived at San Francisco on 27 October 1854. According to the Surgeon the Plover needed repairs at San Francisco in order to make a further voyage, but it was considered too great an expense therefore the ship was sold, all of her officers and crews were ordered to take passage to England by a Russian prize the “Sitka”, then in the Port. He stated that having embarked sixteen invalids from the President, Prague and Virago steam vessel, the Sitka sailed from San Francisco on 26 November and arrived at St Helena on 16 February 1855 after taking on board a quantity of ordinance stores and detachment of the Royal Artillery. She left that Island on 25 February arrived in the Downs on 8 April, disembarked the invalids and artillery men at Woolwich on the 13 April, and sailed for Cherbourg on the 18 April and delivered into the hands of the French authorities there on 23 April and the following day the crew of the Plover arrived in the Sprightly steam vessel at Portsmouth where they were paid off on 25 April 1855.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

Army

Travel and tourism

Polar

Navy

Medicine

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Africa