'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎548r] (1106/1386)

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far too critical for me to have allowed him to leave Headquarters when rapid and
decisive action might he necessary at any moment. But Willingdon is wrong in
saying that no officer of Headquarters Stall' lias visited Bombay since the outbreak of
war, since the Adjutant-General, Quartermaster-General, Directoy Supply and
Transport Corps, and the Director of Medical Services, have all been'sent to Bombay
on different dates to inspect and report on the arrangements there.
As regards paragraph 5 of your letter of 24th February, it is not the case that the
hospitals at Bombay are all maintained out of voluntary funds. There are the <2 /
Colaba Station Hospital with accommodation for 40 officers and 450 British soldiers,
and an Indian war hospital of 400 beds ; there are also subsidiary hospitals of which
one accommodates 40 officers and 20 to 50 British soldiers, and a convalescent hospital
in the Byculla Club for 40 officers, for whom Government pays. All these hospitals
are maintained entirely at Government expense. Of voluntary hospitals there is one
with 400 beds for Indians and another just opened or about to be opened with
100 beds for British troops. These are maintained by Bombay branch of Imperial
Relief Fund, and so far there has been no question of shortage of funds. At Karachi
there are two Government war hospitals, with 500 beds each.
As regards your telegram of the 25th instant, I have no idea of nature of reports
reaching you which indicate absence of proper organisation at Bombay, but I think
it would be mere justice to the Commander-in-Chief to specify substance and source
of these reports. As for the strength of Bombay staff are you not judging by Army
List? That list does not show posts specially created for war purposes. In addition
to censors, medical officers, Ac., there are on the Bombay staff no less than nine
combatant Staff Officers whose names for the reason given are not shown in the Army
last. It is true that all Staff Officers in Bombay are shown in Army List as temporary.
In this the system in force in England since 4th August 1914, is followed, and a
reference to Home Army List will show that in the Department of the Chief of the
Imperial General Staff himself practically every officer is shown as temporary. It is
true that none of the Staff Officers have been through the Staff College ; all our B.S.Or /AUA.
men being elsewhere, but they have all had six months’ sound training as undei studies
before being appointed to vacancies on the Staff. General Knight finds nothing to
complain of in his Staff. I would gladly insist on a full examination, but before doing
so it seems to me absolutely essential that something more definite should be
formulated as to alleged defects and source from which complaints are being made.
As regards last paragraph of your telegram the only case brought to my knowledge
was in July last when Willingdon wrote that serious frauds were being committed by
Bombay contractors and Collector in Bombay had complete facts and figures to prove
them. General Williams was sent in consequence to Bombay to investigate these
charges, which proved baseless. Willingdon wrote to me expressing regret at having
troubled me and admitting fully that the case against the contractor had turned out
a bad one. I am most anxious to see everything put right, but a word of caution is,
1 think, necessary as to accepting all reports from Bombay.
No.yl *//
Telegram from Secretary of State for India to Viceroy,
dated 31st March 1910.
Private. I shall be grateful if you will leave with Chelmsford copies of my
private telegram of 27th and your reply of 30th for reference, if required.
No.#. Vp-
Telegram from Secretary of State for India to Viceroy,
dated 31st March 1 ( J16.
Private. Your private telegram of 30th March. I must accept your judgment
respecting Commander-in-Chief visiting Bombay, and gladly note correction of errors
into which i had fallen. Primary source of my anxiety is Willingdon’s letters which
find support in other quarters, f suspect private letters from Bombay and
Mesopotamia often give unfavourable picture of organisation at base. This may be
quite unjustified. I do not profess to know facts, but I think it only fair to let you
and Duff know of current rumours, so that you can assure yourselves that they are
without foundation or take necessary measures.