§ COLONEL NOLANasked, Whether the attention of the Secretary of State for War had been called to a statement which had appeared in The Standard with regard to the condition of the troops at Debbeh?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI have seen the statement referred to as to the troops at Kurot near Debbeh. The statement must have been written from two or three weeks ago, and I trust the inconvenience then described has since been abated. On the 24th of April 1654 Lord Wolseley reported that nearly all the troops were in huts, and on the 1st of May Sir Redvers Buller telegraphed that the whole were under cover, meaning, I suppose, something better than tents. I do not understand the reference to unlined Boll tents. Indian tentage for 13,000 men is up the Nile, so that there should be a good reserve in hand.
§ LORD EUSTACE CECILasked what was the percentage of sick? He understood that it amounted to 10 per cent of the troops.
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, that it was impossible for him to calculate exactly what the percentage of sick was. It was probably higher than four; but he had no reason to think that it was as high as had been suggested.