| Col – Ensign |
Pay master |
Quarter master |
Surg | Assist Surg |
Sgt | Drm | Rank & File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 141 | 56 | 2697 |
| Returns of the Adjutant General's Office showing the Effective Strength of the Garrison including Colonial Corps, Artillery and Engineers. | |||||||
Following the expulsion of the French from Malta in Sep 1800, the naval sick and wounded seamen were admitted to the Military Hospital at Lower Merchant Street Valletta.
The naval sick were then moved from the former Sacra Infermeria of the Knights of St John to the Slave Prison in St Christopher Street. This served as a Naval Hospital until 11 July 1819, when the patients were hospitalised in the former Armoury (Armeria) of the Order at Vittoriosa. The Naval Hospital at Vittoriosa had been used as barracks before it was taken over by the navy.
In 1818, the Civil Government handed over the house and lands of Bighi to the Naval Department for the express purpose of building a new hospital. The plans were, however, shelved because of the expense involved.
A service company had about 25 officers consisting of: the commanding officer a Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Major, 6 Captains, 13 Subalterns including the adjutant, one surgeon, one assistant surgeon, one paymaster and one quartermaster.
The battalion had about 492 private soldiers with an average of 35 sick and convalescent soldiers. The rest made up the effective strength of the battalion. These, carried out a variety of regimental duties. Three soldiers attended the officers' mess, four soldiers went into the regimental hospital as orderlies, 15 soldiers served as tailors and another 12 as shoemakers. There were 6 Pioneers, 14 bandsmen, 6 cooks, and 5 staff servants, orderlies and batmen.