Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-20

proach TO the hospital was occupied by
the scarlet-cOated, black helmeted guard
of honor furnished by the Shropshire
Light Infantry, with it's band, and as a
dark margin, a considerable attendance
Of the country folk from miles around.
They received the Queen right Loyalty,
and the customary military hOnors were
given.
Her Majesty, who had entered her
wheeled chair, brought from Osborne,
was conducted along one section Of the
ground-noor corridor. which was radiant
with sunshine, bright with flowers, and
adorned with engravings, some Of which
the Queen herself had presented TO the
hospital. Still seated in her chair, she
was then wheeled into a roomy hydraulic
elevator, draped with Union Jacks and
lighted with lamps, and in this way was
taken easily and eXpeditiously 10 the
top floor Of the building, where the sur
giCal wards are situated. Though it was
the principal object of her visit to see
the soldiers invaded home from the
Indian frontier, her Majesty, in the
course Of her stay, entered every ward
I'm which patients are to be found. There
are now 43S under treatment, but "a
little later, when all the troopers arrive
from India and the Colonies, the capaci-
ties of the institution, which can receive
about 1900, will be taxed to their utmost.
No distinction whatever is made between
sick and wounded at Netley-both classes
OF invalids are rightly held TO be equally
deserving of honor. A man coming from
a campaign with no scar Of battle, may
yet, in the service of his country have
permanently injured his constitution. No
thing Is, indeed, sadder than to see the
little parties Of apparently healthy men,
patched up by skilful medical treatment,
discharged from time TO time as unfit
for service.
There is one great difference, however,
between the sick and wounded which the
Queen could not fail to notice-the man
who has undergone a surgical operation,
though it may have left him crippled for
life, is invariably in higher spirits than
the victim Of some wasting disease. In
a general hospital the accident ward is
always the most cheerful. Tommy At
kins is no exception To humanity at large.
When the surgical cases We're brought to
Netley they cracked jokes and made light
OF their injuries, processing to have no
need Of crutches, and positively laugh
ing at stretchers in a way which was re-
treshing 10 witness. One or two Of them
have since been discharged, but the
others remain happy and hopeful. though
II IS now some months since they fell on
the field. The fruits Of the earliest ope-
rat0ns against the frontier tribesmen are,
IN fact, represented by the men who have
to-day been gladdened by the tender
words OF the Queen under whose flag
they so brayely fought. Dargai and
scenes of heroism in the conflict with
The Afridis have, perhaps, to some extent
dulled public recollection OF the sharp en-
counters our forces had before the Had
dab Mullah was put TO flight, his strong
hold destroyed, the Bedmanai Pass cap
tured, and the Swat Valley occupied.
IL was against the Mohmands and the
hat these men now at Netley
fought, and it was so long ago as the
third week OF September that some of
them received their wounds. You will
hear from their lips stories that will show
they were called upon 10 face no
despieable foe, barbarously armed. but
one which knew the value of discipline
and had been provided with the latest
weapons of precision. 1t was then that
the discovery was first made that thu
tribesmen, as w2ll IS tho British had
Lee-Metford rifles N Dum-Dum cart
ENDURED ABOUT EACH CASE.
The. Queen spared no pains to make
lerself acquainted with every mans case.
Naturally, in a hospital where one cheer
al ward is the counterpart OF its neigh-
and tina arrangements are identical