Page:Viscount Hardinge and the Advance of the British Dominions into the Punjab.djvu/192

188 tainly'; that he himself had no power to spend a pound, all such arrangements being invariably made by the Secretary of State and not by the Commander-in-Chief. He also stated that all he could do was to give instructions to the regimental surgeons, but that when once war broke out he had nothing to say to medical arrangements beyond giving these necessary instructions. With reference to the establishment of the hospitals at Gallipoli, he could not interfere, the whole being under the control of Lord Raglan and the Minister for War in this country.

As regards clothing for the troops, when Dr. Smith advocated that the shako should be laid aside and a lighter serge frock issued, Lord Hardinge was able to say that he had already anticipated both proposals. A common blouse, as well as white cap-covers, was provided; and last, not least, the old stiff stock was abolished. More than a sufficient supply of blankets had also been sent out, with every article of field equipment. As to stoppages of pay, which had been enforced in the Crimea, even when the meat was of bad quality or insufficient, such a proceeding seemed to him to be most unjust. He quoted an instance of this which had occurred after the battle of Talavera. He had himself represented to the Duke of Wellington the discontented state of the men owing to these stoppages. The Duke said, 'I will put that right in five minutes,' and wrote an order at once to the effect that the men must have full pay when they got into quarters, and no stoppages.