works, for the purpose of receiving the corrections of the club previous to publication. This club was limited to twelve members; and Sir William's associates in it were the late Sir Gilbert Blane, Sir Astley Cooper, Dr. Baillie, Dr. Cook, Sir Patrick M'Gregor, Sir James M'Grigor, Sir Benjamin Brodie, Dr. Holland, Sir Walter Farquhar, Mr. Mayo, Mr. Leigh Thomas, and his colleague Dr. Somerville, all names eminent in the medical world, both military and civil.

Sir William, among other marks of his domestic life, was a great proficient in the game of whist, belonging to a medical club, of which he was the chief support. During the lifetime of Sir Walter Farquhar he constantly made one of those chosen friends who were admitted to the select whist parties of that eminent physician.

One of Sir William's favourite maxims was never to make an enemy; and though from time to time, upon his examination of wounds for the purpose of granting certificates for pensions, some few officers might murmur at his decisions, yet nevertheless few men have passed through the public situations which it was his fortune to hold with less of that ill will which generally attaches more or less to those who are at the head of their profession. He was married during his residence at Sicily to an Italian lady who died some years previous to himself. He left behind him six children, only one of whom, a daughter (married to the Rev. W. J. E. Bennett), was beyond the age of twenty-one.

No laboured panegyric on the character of this amiable man, and distinguished officer, need be drawn up, when the fact is known of several hundred pounds being subscribed by the medical officers of the army, in conjunction with private friends, for the purpose of erecting a monument to his memory. We may also mention that in a work on Morbid Anatomy published by the medical officers of the army, the first fasciculus of which was inscribed to the memory of the late Duke of York, the second fasciculus, which appeared shortly

after Sir William's death, was inscribed to his memory, with

the following high testimony of esteem and regret: —

THIS SECOND FASCICULUS OF ANATOMICAL DRAWINGS, SELECTED FROM THE COLLECTION OF MORBID ANATOMY IN THE ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AT CHATHAM,

IS INSCRIBED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE

SIR WILLIAM FRANKLIN, M.D. K.C.H. F.R.S.

FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS,

EDINBURGH;

HONORARY FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS,
EDINBURGH;
AND

PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE ARMY

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT;

a man whose strict integrity, and high sense of honour, obtained for him the respect and esteem of the whole army; whose kindness of heart, and uniform urbanity of manners, secured the warm and lasting friendship of all who knew him; whose loss is mourned by the medical department; and whose talents and many virtues will long live in the recollection of the whole body of

THE MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE BRITISH ARMY."

We are indebted to a friend for the foregoing Memoir.

83

No. V.

SIR EDWARD THORNBOROUGH, G.C.B.

ADMIRAL OF THE RED, AND VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE UNITED

KINGDOM.

THERE is a story in the naval service that this officer "betook himself to sea," when a boy, on his own leave; but there are no records, available to us, of his early life. It appears that he was born about 1754, and in 1775 was serving as First Lieutenant of the Falcon sloop, of 14 guns and 100 men, Captain John Linzee, which ship was one of those that covered the attack on Bunker's Hill; and had a most fatiguing duty to perform in guarding the mouth of Charles River, and watching an enemy elated with success.

On the morning of the 8th of August, the Falcon discovered two fine schooners standing in for Cape Anne. Chase was immediately given, and the sternmost of the strangers was soon overhauled and taken. Her companion rounded the Cape and brought up in Gloucester Harbour, closely followed by the Falcon; which ship anchored outside the schooner, and sent Lieutenant Thornborough, with the pinnace, launch, and jolly-boat, to cut her out. At this moment the master of the Falcon arrived from the offing, in a small tender, and was despatched to the Lieutenant's assistance. When the boats had passed a rocky point which lay between the ship and the schooner, they received a very heavy fire from the Americans, concealed behind the houses and hills; notwithstanding which, Lieutenant Thornborough undauntedly proceeded, boarded, and took possession of the vessel, although he and three men were wounded in the enterprise. Captain Linzee, when he saw the enemy attack his boats, fired at the town in order to

divert their attention; but finding that this expedient had not the desired effect, he next attempted, by landing a party, to burn it. Among the sailors sent upon this service was an American, who had hitherto remained loyal, but now espoused the American cause, set fire to the powder, before it was so placed as to produce the intended conflagration, and thereby frustrated the design. He then deserted. The loss sustained in this exploit was one man blown up. A second attempt was made to burn the town, but also without effect.

Captain Linzee, being at last convinced that he could not materially injure the town, had Lieutenant Thornborough and his party brought on board about four P. M., under cover of the fire from the schooner, in which the Master now commanded, and in which he was obliged to remain, on account of the damage which the boats had sustained from the enemy's shot. When the Captain was informed of the Master's situation, he sent the prize-schooner to anchor ahead of the other, and to veer alongside, to take him and the people away; but having no officer left to conduct this enterprise, it was improperly executed, and therefore unsuccessful. Meanwhile the Master, harassed by a heavy fire from increasing numbers, and seeing no prospect of relief, delivered himself up to the enemy about seven in the evening, together with a gunner, fifteen seamen, seven marines, one boy, and ten pressed Americans. On his going on shore, the schooner sent to his assistance was taken possession of by a part of her crew which had been concealed in her hold when she was taken, and was restored to the enemy; who likewise took the pinnace and jolly-boat, with their officers, crews, swivels, and small arms: but the loss chiefly regretted was the number of British sailors, because, in America, it was then difficult to replace them. Among those who were thus captured were Lieut. Knight (the late Admiral Sir John Knight) and Mr. (the late Captain) W. R. Broughton, afterwards so well known by his voyage of discovery.

This was an affair of much moment at the time, and Lieutenant Thornborough was thenceforward considered a deserv

ing officer. He did not, however, receive his commander's commission till the first of August, 1780, when it rewarded his gallantry as First Lieutenant of the Flora, on her capturing the Nymphe, a fine French frigate, after a desperate action, in which the latter had 63 killed and 73 wounded; including her First and Second Captains, First Lieutenant, and three other officers among the former. Though Captain Peere Williams, the commander of the Flora, did not, in his official letter, report that Mr. Thornborough boarded the enemy sword in hand, that circumstance was so well known, that the Commander was promoted to post-rank in the following year, and appointed to the Blonde frigate of 32 guns. In this ship he served under Admiral Digby, in North America, and cruised in company with Nelson, who then commanded the Albemarle, of 28 guns. The frigate was tolerably successful; and Captain Thornborough became popular along the coast for the generous and humane treatment which he displayed towards such Americans as fell into his hands.

In May, 1782, the Blonde being ordered to cruise off Boston, in hopes of intercepting a frigate of the same name, and the only ship of war then belonging to the Americans, fell in with and took a large ship of theirs mounting 22 guns, laden with choice spars and stores for the French fleet. While she was towing her prize into port, she unfortunately struck on the Nantucket shoals, bilged, and was entirely lost. The prize, to avoid sharing the same fate, pursued her course, and reached Halifax in safety. The crew of the frigate constructed a large raft, by means of which they succeeded in getting ashore, with about seventy prisoners, upon a desert islet, which afforded nothing eatable but vetches. Here they remained two days in the utmost distress, exposed to incessant rain. At the end of that time two American cruisers providentially hove in sight, and observing the signals of distress made to them, bore down, and relieved them from their imminent danger of starvation in its most hideous form. A singular trait of generosity marked the sequel. No sooner did the Americans identify the distressed Captain, than they