The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-07
TOFEED THE BRITISH ARMY.
THE PLAN OF TRANSPORT sERTIoE
ARRANGED FOR NATAL.

I,r.c Bu,drst Tons Of Supplies . Da,
Needed for an Army Corps Railwa,
Service Supplemented By wagons =
Report on the Development Of Bhodssia
Iospor. Oct. 28-when one considers tina,
o. army corps In the held requires 300 tons Of
stores and supplies every day. II 10 easy "a
toalize the vital i'm portanoe Of the transport
and supply services. and the working OF lines
OF communication In such cam paisn a. tina,
which has com menssd In South AFRICA.
The Duke OF wellington. ~ Cape Town
correspondent writing on this subject
reminds Ne. pridsd himself loss on his
tactical skill than on his success in feed
ing the army under his command. Durin Z
the Peninsulur War more orders wore issued
on the subject OF feeding the troops and on the
working OF lines OF comm unication than on any
other question. II remains 70 be seen whether
Sir Rsdvsrs Butler will be able to make a simi-
lar boast to that Of the Irsh Duks. But what.
ever shortcomings may BE- revealed In South
Africa within the next few weeks. and already
there are krum binas to be heard. the criminal
folly Of 1854 cannot be repeated. When the
British troops landed In the crImea the trans.
port for tho whole army consisted OF seventy
i've mules and few carts. while the supply
service was equally parsim onious. Thus
the army before sebastopol. though en-
campsd six or seven miles from the
harbor OF Balaclaya-nllsd with ships aud
stores-wss losing men daily for want OF food
aud Ore. As q contrast one may turn to tho
soudan campaign OF 1893. when British army
was operating IN the heart OF Africa with a
single lise Of comm unication extending over
1000 miles from its bnss
But conditions IN South Africa are very dr.
ferent. and the lines OF communication sspsci-
ally viii be a far more difioult problem. Ac-
eordinE to the scale for mobilization In the
present instance each battalion OF 900 officers
and msp has 10 vehicles. 90 draught horses
three Pack animals and thirty two drivers. As
the plan OF anrnign 10 not yet fully revealed IL
IL. OF course, I'm possible to lay down what will
be the exact plans. routes. &c. for the supply
transport and communication. The general
character OF the scheme has. however. been
determined. Assuming that there will be a
single line OF somm unication through Natal to
the Transvsal frontier. Durham will be the
base and Ladysmith the advance depot. The
correspondent proceeds:
sir Edward Chichsser--wh was IN COM
naad Of the squadron at Manila when Admiral
Dewey had his memorable passage at arms
with the German naval ofilcer-is responsible
for the disom barkation OF troops aud stores
The work will be difficult for no large ships
eau safely enter the harbor at Durham. on ac-
count OF the bar and the heavy seas that tend
to diminish the depth Of water. Horses have
10 be landed in llghtsrs-a costly and tedious
operation. which 10 entrusted. under military
and naval supervision. to . civil contractor. As
soon as the stores are received they will be
sorted and sent TO the front by rail and road.
The siagle line OF railway from Durham
winds northward through hilly country. there
being . steady ascent along It's entire route
Iadysmith. 18s miles from the coast, 10 1924
feet above tho sea.
The carrying capacity OF this line 10 Accord
ingly limited. and ust fall far short o. the re-
Guirements OF 300 tons a day. not to speak OF
men. sick and wounded. and ammunition.
This deficiency has to be made up by
wagon transport along roads which. In many
districts. are little better than tracks. and are
Likely to become QuaEmlres in the rainy sea-
son. which. in Natal. IL already upon US
Wagon transports will be by mule and trsk.oI.
Owing 10 the rinderpsst. these animals are
rather scarce in South Africa and large pur.
cha'.s o. mules have been made in Spain, the
Fifteen thousand mules have been reauisi.
toned. and will DO used sor drawing wagons
o. ro American AN; pattern; These vehicles are
!wspty:,wo hun dr.dvs akt. their traaS b.Bs
i've 'c~ttwo inches Twelve niules can carry
p5s w Morssa ..es6n tse
wagons. Mules do we'll on crushed msalie or
Soaf grazing tS.y are to 2 bs kept oon nGf.
ton; Tss ration 1. eish, pounds day. SO tina.
Trek :oxe.. though not suitaSi., Tor rssi.
mental transport, ~! be used on the line o,
mepdstions; They can find their food on The
Neldt. and when no longer able to walk or 10
dd .ha, W IA Lucfse% IVAN and II tho our hl @sa
haeh. The dissdvantaEs Of this msthed OF
fIiT ss,H,2 t.s sstr.%. .loyn:.. and n.
s sss e :a t IL 'S SUaI. '9;
sad In the rainy season L S SouS,lu wSs sIS:
ten miles can be eIeesdsd; Trek-oxen arc |
day. or for more than four hours at tins'
wee: %I rest i0s two Or three hours be-
Ing the hour .:.r saSrs. meyer or dH w9Fk d ths
r. no. Without sonp.n.a,ion:. SSi S,s.a Or
wsx6i.g about 900 pounds Each aisa team f fss
ssldes. Will. the driver enccGrascs tie n ca,.Is
!. Pun fSs:hsL BY cracking Iawhde lash
I'm order that the strait may be- S' aimi mir shea
a. much as possible. and the most economical |
Use may be made 81 the transport. the iins o; !
Tho distance between these sections must de. |
pend on local circumstances. though. ms a |
aud an escort Ia UNNECESSARY. the Intervals |
should ne short. .iI miles loaded ana ak miles |
..butn DelnS cOnsileTeu good Journey. The |
advantage OF this system over the ordinary |
convoy ia obvious. Transport riders become /
ultimately acquainted with the road. and !
travel without the usual i'm ped iIn enta o! camp
sihii'nent. IL Is at once economical and EN-. |
cent md should enable tho Army service |
tnirs to maintain continuous and unbroksn |
COMMUNICATION, between the base and the |
army In the ts,d
Between pietsrmartZburg and Iadysmith |
VIII no eHtahit.hsd caGtrai depot. whore sarh |
g. nphny. or battery. Ur troop. will ind its |
horses. mules and equipment ready. ThrTs |
Will. consequently. be little delay in moving tho
force 90 tha front. 4 rest cHmn and reinnunt |
iepNt hay" also toen rrerarsd NJ Durham. Two
hnspiiI ships vii lie m the toads'ead. one OF |
ikem beng stationary while tho other will |
ti.an backward amt forward to the Cane
when IL h"dltt'"- and cooler than Natal The
medical Transport, from the brl gado fis ld hos
D. td's to the n-.d hospitals az the advance
depot. and thence along tna line OF communI-
cation to the base; IS carried out by the Army
hnrries Corps; RaEIL transport Of the alex
Anl wounded got The utmost Importance. not
only '"r thenlselyss. but in order that any sccu-
inu alton ot iMyslids at the advance depot may
hs avoided The sectional stations our hit to Is
Snrh, men, 10 the general scheme so far AZ II
can at present bs ou,tnsG To what sStent il
" :! v" successfully and smoothly carried ont
remains 70 Is proved. LpJn tho working 81
we limos Of Gommun cation depends the sue