The times., 1899-11-08

transport viii be worked in sections OF
twenty wagons. Mules do well on crushed
mealies or maize, but should have from
three to four hours grazing if they are to
be kept in condition. The ration is eight
pounds day, so that each section will
need half a wagon load of mealies for every
eight hours journey.
Objections to Oxen.
Trek oxen. though not suitable for
regimentaI transport, will be used on the
line Of communication. They have only
two recommendations: They can find their
food on the veldt, and when no longer able
to walk or to carry anything, you may eat
them, as our men did when shut up in
Lucknow and the Alumbagh. The disad-
vantage Of this method Of transport is its
extreme slOwness and the liability of the
animals to sickness. Great care has to be
taken in feeding the oxen and in regu-
lating their hours of work. Fifteen miles
is a good days march, and in the rainy
season il is doubtful whether ten miles
can be exceeded. Trek oxen are never in
spanned for more than eight hours day.
or for more than four hours at a time.
They must rest for TWO or three hours be
tween marches, and should never work
during the hour after sunrise or during the
hour before sunset. These drawbacks are
not without compensations. Sixteen or
eighteen oxen viii carry a load Of from
6,005 pounds 10 5000 pounds in tented
wagon weighing about , 900 pounds Each
team has leader OF voerlouper who walks
in front and guides, while the driver en-
courages the cattle to pun together by
cracking rawhide lash twelve feet or
eighteen feet long attached 10 a bamboo
stick
In order that the strain may be di-
miuisbed as much as possible, and the most
economical use may be made Of the trans
port, the line OF communication viii be di-
vided into sections. The distance between
these sections must depend on local cir
cumstances, though, as a general rule
where no attack is apprehended and an
escort is unnecessary, the intervals should
be short, six miles loaded and six miles
return being considered a good journey
The advantage Of this system over the or
dinary convoy is obvious. Transport riders
become intimately acquainted with the
road, and travel without the usual i'm
pediments Of camp equipment 1t is at
once economical and efficient, and should
enable the army service corps to maintain
continuous and unbroken communication
between the base and the army in the held
4 Base of Supplies.
Between PistermaritzbuTg and Lady
smith viii be established a central depot.
where each company or battery or troop
viii find its horses, mules, and equipment
ready. There viii, consequently, be little
delay in moving the force TO the front
A rest camp and a remouHt depot have also
( been prepared at Durham. Two hospital
ships VIII lie in the roadstead, one OF them
I being stationary, while the other Will steam
backward and forward 10 the Cape which
is healthier and cooler than Natal The
medical transport from the brigade field
hospitals 10 the field hospitals at the ad-
vance depot, and thence along the line OF
communication 10 the base, is carried out
by the army service corps. Rapid transport
Of the sick and wounded is of the utmost
Importance, not only for themselves. but
in order that any accumulation OF invaIids
at the advance depot may be avoided. The
+ sectional stations ought 10 be invaluable for
this object
Such then, is the general scheme so far
as il can at present BE- outlined. To what
extent il viii be successfully and smoothly
carried out remains 10 be proved Upon
the working Of the lines Of communication
depends the success OF campaign The
duty of q director Of transport and supply
is. therefore, Of the highest importance.
His sphere OF duty extends from the bas
TO the troops at the front. Il is indis-
pensable that ne should BE- a man OF infinite
industry and resource as well as Of varied
experience. These qualities may certainly
/ be ascribed 10 Colonel Ward. assistant ad-
iulant general 70 Sir George White, and to
Colonel Richardson who will act in Il
similar capacity TO Sir Redvors Butler.
Both have served IN African campaigns. and
have proved themselves masters in the diff
cult art Of organization Both are assisted
by number Of young officers in the army
service corps who have done transport work
iu mauy parts of Africa