Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-04
THE ENGLISH ARMY.
How II TrayeIs---YOung Blood officers
With CameI-IOads Of Cigars, Beer,
Linen and Silver Plate.

The English papers make the fol-
expose of the luxurious habits
Of some Of their army officers in the
field /,
The baggage of an Indian army has
always been a troublesome matter to
deal with, but it may be hoped that
the difficulties now reported to be ex-
perienced in obtaining a sufhciency of
transport for the troops on the north
west frontier do not arise from the
same cause that operated to produce
so much distress during the first in
vasion Of Afghanistan IT the super
abundance of luxuries with which the
officers of the "Army of the Indus
set out. A civilian biographer of the
campaign reports that when the force
was leaving the British territory he
generously offered some of his friends
a few boxes of cigars to take with
them. He was, however, assured that
the gift would scarcely be appreciated;
for" said the officer, "our mess
has two camel-loads of the best
manillas.'l Sir Henry Fame the com
mander- chief, had, indeed, issued
an order hal the troops should
move disencumbered of every article
of baggage which could, without com
promising the efficiency of the army,
be dispensed with p but no steps were
taken to enforce the order, and the
officers, taking a wide view of what
constituted efficiency, set out for the
conquest of A"fghanistan not only
with a large stock Of cheroots and
beer, but also taking a liberal supply
of jams, pickles, hermetically-sealed
provisions, with the needful accompa-
niments of wax candles, plate and linen.
However, before the foot of the Rolan
Pass was reached provisions began to
get scarce, and there was not a drop
Of beer in camp The greater part
of the camels attached TO the army
died in going through the Pass, the
only beverage available for man or
beast during the passage being brack-
ish water, and but little of that and
the unopposed Army of the Indus
emerged at the top of the Pass in such
a state of disorganization and destitu-
ton as might have been presented if it
had gone through a hard campaign.
This Objectionable laxity which used
to obtain in regard to baggage in
the Indian army, but which we be
. lieve has now been succeeded by
a s%tricter regimen, was due to the
: system in force in India from the
earliest time of giving officers a fixed
sum as "%tentage," in lieu of accom-
, mediation, and leaving him to make
his own arrangements both for quar-
tiers in garrison and for tents and
transport when in the field. Thus, on
the annexation of a province, when
new environments had to be construct
ed, while the whole energies Of the au-
thorities were concentrated ON getting
I the soldiers under cover, the officers
! would be set down on the bare plain
! and left to shelter themselves as they
| pleased. The evil of the system in
peace time consisted mainly in the
p hardship on Individual officers, com,
g PEELED to lay out money on building,
F., which perhaps had to be abandoned
after a year or two; but on active ser
vice the track of the army often be.
. came encountered with an enormous
load of unnecessary transport. 1t was
argued as the officers paid for this il
r did not matter how much they took
n with them. But the objection was OBJ.
vious that the movements of the troop
were likely to be embarrassed by any
needless additions to the string o.
beasts to be gqarded-in any case
and with all economy, q very Ions
one-and this multiplicity of priyat,
# animals of burden often created ;
serious competition with the govern
Il ment cattle for the limited quantity o
forage available. 1t was, we believe
n on the Abyssinian expedition that tn
" first thorough reform In chs Essential
h point was exhibited, all private trans
" ports being ~disallowed, the baggage o
officers as well as men, being carrie.
by the commissaTat, and heigg at til.
= same time strictly limited to the bares
necessaries. And it may be hope,
70 that tbs GANG Wholesome system vii
. be adopted with the expeditionar
columns now forming on the frontier
ID Notwithstanding that officers in Indi
continue to receive part of their al
E loyqReea in the form Of tqatagor