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terval of 64 feet between them, and of 60 feet between the ends of adjacent
barracks.
8. The men's barracks were found to be very clean, well kept, and carefully
looked after; but the faults of original construction are such that they cannot
be remedied without great expense. I think, however, some measures are neces-
sary to improve the ventilation—especially of the rear row of barracks; and I should
suggest that ridge-ventilation be provided in the roof instead of the cowl-venti-
lators now in use; and that the dead-walls on the north end of all the barrack-
rooms be pierced; and that the outside verandahs on the windward side, instead of
being enclosed, should have their external walls removed, and be provided with
venetians extending from the beam of the eaves to the floor; and that the frame-
work of these venetians should revolve on its axis, as, by this arrangement, they
could be left open during the night, or could be shut during the rains, or to keep
out the sun. I also think that the windows in the internal walls should be
continued down the surface of the floor, and that the shutters over them should
be removed; and that the clerestory windows should be fixed open for such months
as the Medical Officer of the regiment might determine. At present, whilst it is
possible to close them by means of the attached ropes, the men will keep them
shut; the consequence being, that, as we noticed at the time of my visit, shortly
after 5-30 A.M. there was a strong, sour smell of fœtid, organic matter under-
going putrefactive decomposition, which must have been inhaled by the men
during the night. The sooner the power of interfering with the efficient venti-
lation of the barracks is stopped, the better for the health of the men. The end
rooms on the north, occupied by the serjeants, require roof-ventilation; whilst at
the south end of the barracks the verandah is enclosed, and used as the ablution-
room, though separated by a slight interval from the barrack-room. This
is, in my opinion, a radical error, and there should be detached lavatories for
each barrack. The water from the ablution-room is carried through the wall
into a paved gutter, and flows through it into an iron receptacle below the
surface of the ground in the front. In many instances, however, the water bad
run down between the masonry wall and the iron receptacle, so that this latter
was seen floating in water. This system is, in my opinion, entirely wrong;
and the water should be carried through a 3" glazed stone-ware pipe to a garden
in front; or, if this cannot be done, to an intercepting pipe-drain to carry off the
whole wastage-water of the barracks to the soldiers' gardens in front of the Roman
Catholic Chapel.
9. I inspected the filters used in these barracks. They consist of the stand
- a r d t h r e e g u r r a h s p l a c e d o n e a b o v e t h e o t h e r i n a w o o d e n s t a n d , t h e c e n t r e o n e o f
which is supposed to be filled with small pieces of charcoal, sand, and pebbles; but, as
is too generally the case, they were found not to have been attended to. Some wera
found filled with pieces of charcoal, which in some instances were nearly as large
as a man's fist, but without any sand having been placed below the charcoal; in
other cases there was sand but not charcoal. This system of filtration is a sham
and a delusion, because it cannot be properly supervised by the orderly Officers;
and I strongly recommend that each barrack be fitted with a Macnamara, or a
silicated, carbon-filter which should stand in a large, porous, earthenware vessel.
10. I also recommend that each barrack be provided with proper kerosine-
oil lights. The Government allowance at present is one miserable cocoanut-oil
lamp, enclosed in a glass shade, and suspended in the middle of the room from the
roof ; and a cocoanut-oil lantern attached to either end wall : such lights, in a room
96 feet long, 24 broad, and 22 high, only make the darkness visible, and tend to
render the barrack-room uncomfortable, and to drive the soldiers away from it to
worse places. A central four-light kerosine-oil lamp, with a bright reflector behind
each lamp, and 4 kerosine-oil wall-lamps would make a barrack-room light, and
the men could read or write in comfort in their own rooms. That they would
appreciate a bright and light barrack may be learnt from the fact that many of
the men now provide themselves with lamps.