§ SIR FREDERICK MILNERasked the Secretary of State for War, If his attention has been called to the following letter from an officer up the Nile, which has been published in the papers:—
They are supposed to be going to build straw huts for us, but its not begun yet. The sun is most frightfully hot, and the tents we have are really unbearable in the daytime. The thermometer was 112 yesterday in the tents, and this is only March. We have nothing to read and nothing to do all day, and they have 314 stopped the parcel and newspaper post, and we are only to get one newspaper a regiment, and we all want things so badly, and by the parcel post being stopped we can get nothing. The men have no clothes, except the rags of what they started in, and there are none for them;if he has any reason to doubt the accuracy of this report; and, if not, whether he will at once take steps to improve the lot of our brave soldiers up the Nile; and, if he will cause inquiries to be made, and inform the House of the exact number of soldiers now sick from climatic causes?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, in reply, said, that of course they were aware that the heat on the Nile, and also at Suakin, was great; but they had not received any Report showing that any extraordinary suffering now prevailed among the troops. Their arrangements for the troops were made locally. A large supply of clothing and other requisites for the troops had been sent out; but it was impossible to state how far the means of transport at the disposal of the authorities in Egypt enabled them rapidly to distribute them. The arrangements in regard to hutting and other accommodation for the troops were under the control of the General Officer commanding; but they had not at present a detailed Report on the subject.