§ MR. GOURLEYasked the Under Secretary of State for India, If he will be good enough to inform the House if the whole of the troops engaged in the Afghan campaign have been provided with proper winter camp equipments, including fur coats, caps, and mittens; if it be correct that large numbers of transport animals when forwarded from the depots were either too old, too weedy, or too sore, as to be totally unfitted for working purposes; whether it be also true that large numbers of valuable elephants, horses, and bullocks were lost for want of food and proper drivers; and, whether he can state why General Gough's supplies at Jugdullack, when ordered to relieve General Roberts, had been reduced to six days' food and forage?
§ MR. E. STANHOPESir, as regards the first part of the Question of the hon. Member, the best answer I can give is to read a telegram from the Viceroy, dated January 10, 1880, in reply to an inquiry by the Secretary of State—
Clothing.—Stewart's, Bright's, and Watson's forces fully supplied, except few waterproof sheets; clothing ready for Ross's Division. At Cabul there was deficiency, which was partly completed by local supplies, and remainder was despatched some time ago. Waterproof sheets and Balaclava caps were deficient; all else complete.I suppose that in all campaigns some transport animals are unfit for use from some of the causes mentioned by the hon. Member; but I have no reason to think that the number was in this case large. Nor have I any reason for supposing that large numbers of elephants, horses, and bullocks have died. As regards the supplies of General Gough 913 when ordered to advance, we have no knowledge whatever; but the factremains that he did advance, and had a sufficiency of supplies.