50 TOPOGRAPHY 



The civil population is considered particularly orderly 

 and well-behaved ; crimes are not frequent or nume- 

 rous ; seldom are there more than five or six cases in 

 the quarterly criminal calendar. The civil suits rarely 

 possess any public interest. Drunkenness is not com- 

 mon among the poorer classes; however, the wine- 

 houses are usually full : this is perhaps owing to the 

 idle propensities of the people, and their penchant 

 to loitering habits. 



The military consists of the six service companies 

 of five regiments, five companies of artillery, and 

 three companies of sappers and miners, amounting 

 to nearly four thousand men, with the usual comple- 

 ment of general and medical staff officers. 



The duties of the soldier in Gibraltar are considered 

 rather severe, particularly to those of newly arrived 

 corps ; and to young soldiers the pioneer duties must 

 be very fatiguing. I have not the least doubt that 

 the increased proportion of sickness in these corps is, 

 in a great measure, attributable to this cause, especially 

 in the summer months. However, medical officers 

 in general consider the employment of soldiers in the 

 public works as conducive to health, or, in other 

 words, that " it keeps them in healthful exercise ;" 

 whilst they regret that the extra pay allowed to sol- 

 diers for this kind of labour enables them to drink 

 larger quantities of spirits and wine. 



The ration in this garrison consists of one pound 

 of bread, and one pound of meat per day, fresh 

 or salt ; the salt meat being usually served once in 

 four days. This allowance, with a proportion of wine 



