to have ten shillings a Day Pay, and the latter when in the Field to draw Captain's Batta.
"The Surgeons Mates at Calcutta to have 7/6 per Day each, those of Army and Seapoys 5/- a Day, and Lieutenants Batta when in the Field.
"Agreed that we write to the Court of Directors to send Us out some Surgeons Mates to compleat this Establishment."
The constitution of the Medical Service was reported to the Court of Directors at home in paras. 83 and 84 of a Letter from Fort William, dated 19th Dec, 1763.[1]
"Para. 83. Surgions, to encourage capable men to engage in the Service, they have fix'd the following rule of Preferment, wch they desire may be confirmed.
"1st. Four head Surgeons to be at the Presidency, to be allowed l0s a day each, and the two Senior of them to have the Hospital Contract.
"2nd. Four, with the same Allowance, to be stationed at Patna, Cossr, Dacca, and Chittigong, These to Rank next & Succeed ye head Surgeons in rotation.
"3rd, Four, with the like allowance, to attend the Army, who are to succeed in like manner at the Subordinates and the Presidency.
"4th. Twelve Surgeons Mates, the 4 Senior to attend the Hospitals, with an Allce of 7/6 a day, & the other 8 to attend the Army, with 5/- a day & the whole to succeed in turn to be Surgeons."
"Para. 84. Surgeons Mates it is recommended to appoint one to each Battlion of Seapoys who are sometimes Lost for want of Assistance. A Number of Young Men instructed in the rudiments of this profession, are desired."
It will be observed that, while the order of 20th Oct., 1763, provides for twenty-eight Surgeons' Mates, the report of 19th Dec. mentions only twelve. Presumably it was not found possible at first to appoint a sufficient number of Mates to allow one to each battalion of sepoys. The Court were therefore asked, in para. 84, to sanction such appointments, and to send out men to fill them.
The Madras and Bombay Medical Services appear to have come into existence at about the same time as the Bengal Service, But no orders regarding the formal constitution of these services appear in the Cons., Military or Civil, or in the Letters to the Court of Directors, of either Madras or Bombay, in the years 1763 and 1764.
- ↑ Abstracts, Letters from Bengal, Vol. I, 1760-70, p. 120.
