[23] Brandy was recommended by the Surgeon in preference to rum, of which
spirit also there was plenty on board. This circumstance is here noticed,
because a very general but erroneous opinion was found to prevail on the
Victory's arrival in England, that rum preserves the dead body from decay
much longer and more perfectly than any other spirit, and ought therefore
to have been used: but the fact is quite the reverse, for there are several
kinds of spirit much better for that purpose than rum; and as their
appropriateness in this respect arises from their degree of strength, on
which alone their antiseptic quality depends, brandy is superior. Spirit of
wine, however, is certainly by far the best, when it can be procured.

[24] Of the Victory's wounded, three died before she reached Gibraltar, one
on the day of her arrival there, and another at the naval hospital at that
place a few days afterwards: all the rest got well on board except the five
left at Gibraltar, and five others not perfectly recovered from their
wounds in January following; when the Victory being put out of commission
at Chatham, they were sent to the Sussex hospital-ship at Sheerness.

[25] The ball was _not_ fired from a rifle piece.

[26] It was not deemed necessary to insert in this Report the precise time
which HIS LORDSHIP survived his wound. This, as before stated, was in
reality two hours and three quarters.

[27] FIG. 1. in the annexed Plate represents the Ball in the exact state in
which it was extracted. Drawn by Mr. W.E. DEVIS, who was then on board the
Victory.

FIG. 2. (drawn also by Mr. DEVIS) shews the Ball in its present state; as