‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 55. PART I. (From 1st to 15th February 1919.)’ [‎107r] (222/396)

APPENDIX 106.
DIARY No. 9912.
Letter No. 17822, dated 21st January 1919.
(Received in War Section, 6th February 1919.)
From The Director of Supplies and Transport, Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force,
To ™The Director of Supplies and Transport, Army Headquarters, India.
M ith reference to our standing demands upon you I have the honour to
submit the following remarks.
In view of War Section cable No. 103614 (Q. M. G. 13) of December 31st
1918, to General, Baghdad, I sent you my telegram No. 17869 of January 9th,
1919, cancelling our standing orders for the following articles: —
Quicklime ... ... ... ... 13 tons.
Anti-fly spray
Wicks, ¥ hurricane, flat
„ 3" signalling*, flat
,, 3-16" round for Peerless lorries
„ S-S" flat for Ford cars ...
Cigarettes, British ...
Mustard
2,000 gallons.
2,000 yards.
350
560
700
a
}> ,
19 millions.
2 tons.
The monthly demand for bacon 550,000 lbs. was cancelled in General
Baghdad’s telegram No. Q-501 (X-4896) of January 7th, 1919 (Diary No. 1922)
and for bleaching powder in my telegram No. 24179 of January ilth, 1919 (Diary
No. £915) and 2480 of January 11th, 1919 (Diary No. 3008). It was considered
that the present stocks of all the above items were sufficient to meet all our re
quirement for some time to come.
Tobacco, British. —With regard of your telegram No. 87417 (Q .M. G.-6)
of October 29th, 1918, any demand you have placed on the War Office may
now be cancelled, as stocks are sufficient for the present.
Pickles. —Your telegram No. 2713 (Q, M. G.-6) of January 11th, 1919, is
noted. We have at present on about 30 issues of pickles to 45 issues of preserved
meat. The demand for 40 tons monthly cannot therefore be cancelled for the
present.
Potatoes andlOninions.—l would invite your attention to paragraph 10 of
my letterNo. 17876 of October 18th, 1918 (Diray No. 89847) re stoppage
of shipments.
Medical Comforts. —It is impossible at present, to lessen the demand
for any items owing to the variation in the consumption. In view of very large
demands from the forward area, the standing orders for beer and stout had to
be increased by 50 per cent, wcte my telegram No. 24068 of December 23rd, 1918
(Diary No. 24069?). It is hoped that this will be a temporary measure only,
and I will advise you as early as possible when reduction may be made.
Demand for Whiskey was cancelled in my No. 21080 of 21st Januarv 1919
(Diary No. 102380).
ATanw.—Please see my telegram No. 17886 of September 16th (Diary No.
74534) and your telegram No. 76990 of September 25th, 1918. No shipments
have as yet been received, but I should be glad if you could arrange to ship
116 tons monthly as the Director of Agriculture is anxious of experiment with
this article.
Carbide and Mythylated spirits. —The supply of these is receiving
consideration. With regard to the iormer it is not anticipated that our present
demands for 35 tons can yet be cancelled nor even reduced. In the case of the
latter article it is hoped to produce considerable quantities locally though to
what extent I cannot yet say.
Alum.—In my letter No. 17876 of October 18th, 1918 (Diary No. 89847)
you were asked to supply 10 tons monthly. I am now arranging to take over
from the Works Department a stock of about 50 tons of Alumino Perric Salt,
ibis is now being experimented upon by the Chemical Analyist and if found
suitable by the Medical authorities, I anticipate being able to cancel my
demand upon you.
I attach a complete list of the standing demands revised.
MESOPOTAMIA EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
List of standing demands on India revised to date, 21st January 1919,
Monthly—
Alurn
Carbide
Mustard oil
Methylate! spirits
Potatoes ...
Onions ..,
Pickles
10 tons.
35 „
25 gallons.
2,000 „
1,100 tons.
600 „
40 „