Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/54

 10 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP, those branches of industry which concern the ' maintenance of troops. The supplying hand of the service was called the Intendance, and com- manded by a general officer. The guiding energy of the administrative system reached down to the hands that were busied in what — as distinguished from the combatant tasks of a soldiery — one may call its domestic duties ; for such cares, far from being allotted by accident or by mere random choice, attached always upon men who, though soldiers, were still in their several ways experi- enced and skilled artisans. Thus, for instance, whether serving at home or going through a campaign, French regiments always owed to the system one blessing very precious to health ; for with them, or rather amongst them, there were ever in readiness the deft, practised, chosen hands that could transform sacks of flour into good leaven bread. (^) A system thus bighly organised might fail of course in its purpose ; for the action of the most ])erfect war department may be hampered by an incompetent monarch who is suffered to meddle in business ; and besides, none can take it for trranted that an exertion of human will at the centre nuist be necessarily obeyed at the extrem- ities with zeal and care ; but the advantages secured liy a well -planned and well -united machinery are obvious, and amongst them must be reckoned that treasury of apt knowledge which accumulates in a well-ordered office.