Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/423

 CAllE OF THE SICK AND -WOUNDED. 379 reluiitant to cast a slur on the service by con- chap fessing the existence of wants which admin- ._!_ istrators ouglit to liave met. Wlien Mr Mac- donald asked Dr Menzies, the chief of the Scutari hospitals, whether anything M'ere wanted, the answer he received was precise. It inform- ed him that ' nothing was wanted.'(^^) Upon making a like enquiry in another and more august quarter, he was not only met by a posi- tive unflinching disclaimer of any occasion for help required by our soldiers or sailors, but even received a suggestion pointing out how the fund thus pronounced to be wholly unneeded for any hospital purpose, might perhaps, after all, be applied. His adviser serenely observed that, to disembarrass his hands of a fund not required for its purpose, and also meet a real want long said to have made itself felt, he might spend the money in building. Name of Wonder ! in building what ? Well, in building an appro- priate temple for ' Church of England worship at ' Pera ! ' Yet at that very time wants so dire as to include want of hospital furniture and of shirts for the patients, and of the commonest means for maintaining cleanliness, were afflicting our stricken soldiery in the hospitals. However, from the Lady-in- Chief Mr Mac- donald soon learnt the truth, and the course lie then took was one of the simplest kind, but it worked a mighty change. He bought the things needed, and the authorities succumbing at last to this excruciating form of demonstration had