COLONEL DAWNAYasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been called to The Daily Chronicle of yesterday, in which the special correspondent at Suakin states:—
To-day, out of a complete shipload of camels which came to hand not one was sound, and the majority were hopelessly mangy; all of them have therefore been sent hack to Suez. Each of these wretched brutes cost, so I am credibly informed, £25, and people are asking who is responsible for paying such an absurd price when Berbera desert camels, superb animals, can be bought for £20;and, whether it be true that the purchase of camels for the troops at Suakin has been intrusted to a Cairo contractor, who is sending down only camels from the Delta accustomed to green food and water every day, and totally useless for the Suakin-Berber desert?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONYes, Sir; my attention has been called 1702 to the subject, and on the 17th and 18th instant I called for special Reports by telegraph. The whole of the camels purchased in and from Egypt are purchased by, and under the responsibility of, the General Commanding in Egypt. In reply to a telegram of the 23rd of February, the General made, on the 24th, the following Report:—
Two thousand seven hundred camels have been procured from the Province of the Delta with the assistance of the Minister of the Interior. These animals are the ordinary camels of Lower Egypt, up to loads of about 400 lbs. weight. They have been obtained from the same districts as those used during the campaign in the Eastern Soudan last spring; but are, on the whole, of better quality, as they have been carefully selected by Commissariat officers deputed for that duty, and have not been sent in straight by the Mudirs, as was the case last spring, when time did not admit of other arrangements being made. It is impossible to report as to their suitability for work in the desert until they are actually tried; but similar animals at Suakin last year performed very severe journeys continuously, and stood the climate well. No doubt these animals will require more water than camels which have been accustomed to a desert life. Three hundred camels are coming from Aden; but these, although probably well suited to desert work, will not carry a heavier load than from 250 lbs. to 300 lbs. One thousand are to be delivered at Suakin by Mr. J. L. Rees, under contract. They come from the Berbera coast, and are to be delivered subject to approval by a board of officers at Suakin. They will, I am informed, be similar animals to those obtained from Aden.The detailed Reports as to contracts and prices have not yet been received; but the average cost of the Delta camels is stated to have been about £15.
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONThat statement has also been referred to the General Officer for report, and he will report on the whole matter.