New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-30
BURDETT-CoUTTs's CHARGES.

GOVERNMENT ANSWERS THE ACCUSATION
OF NEGLECT OF THE MEDICAL SERVICE.
London. June 29.-when the House OF Com
mons went into Committee Of Supply to-day on
the supplementary vote for the Army Medical
Service. introduced for the purpose Of debat-
ing the charge of hospital mismar agement in
South Africa made by Mr Burdett-Coutts
Conservative, member for Westminster the
Parliamentary Secretary OF the War Office Mr.
Wyndham, briefly presented the Governments
defence The allegations as to neglect Of the
sick and wounded were frankly admitted to be
true 10 a lamentable extent. They were exposed
he said. 10 terrible hardships, but is was not
due 10 any sLinting OF supplies but 10 the in
superable difficulties Of distributing supplies Of
which there had been an embarrassing accumu-
Iation in South Africa Every demand on the
Government in behalf Of The troops, he con-
tinued. had been complied with. The officials in
South Africa said the hospitals had beds in ex-
cess Of the demands. There were 5000 beds in
Natal and 1900 in Cape Colony. There were
in South Africa 466 army and 40 civilian medi-
cal officers, and 500 female and 1868 male
nurses. besides the doctors and nurses engaged
locally.
M wyndharn coatended that 10 have given
q true impression Of the state Of affairs exist
ing Mr.. Burdett-Coutts should have painted
companion picture, showing the difficulties
countered in supplying 1900 troops on the
march, which was carried out. practically. under
the conditions Of a huge flying column The
single line Of railroad, with bridges broken, he
asserted, had 70 carry 1920 tons daily by order
OF Lord Roberts.
The army, Mr. Wyndham further remarked,
should not starve or be defeated. He concluded
with coatending that Mr.. Burdett-Coutts's pict-
ure rested On the fallacy that BlOemfontein
q secure base hospital, whereas during the
whole period referred 70 Lord Roberts's TANKS
and communications were threatened and
tons occurred daily.
Mr. Burdett-Coutts replied that he repeated
the charges already known. and declared that
q single DAYS trains the railroad TO Bloem-
fontein would have saved the situation But he
said. the interests Of the sick and wounded were
postponed for interests which were neither
vita nor strategically important Many resi-
been taken for the use Of men who dying.
Bu- presumably, they were not taken because
no medical equipment available for them
There was not much use in the Government CIV
ing the figures Of supplies June 10, when the
tragedy was over. His whole point was that
Great Britain was unprepared. He thought the
responsibility rested not with individual but
with the system, which was entirely lnelasuc
and deficient.
David LIoyd-George, Liberal member for
Carnarvon, having declared that the Govern
uent trying to throw the responsibility
upon Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener,
had been sacrificed 10 political exigenCies, Mr.
BEIfDCT reJOrLed.
y VIII not soil my lips by refuting a state
ment which IS wholly untrue. For a member Of
the House 10 say that soldiers have been
unnecessarily bUtchered before our eyes TO
please z body Of politicians at home is TO say
what the HOnora bic Member has said; but the
Opposition have found il impossible TO strike
blow al the Government without striking
through Lord Roberts: and this is the real per
pleXity."