"مذكرات الحرب. مقر قيادة الجيش، الهند. [...] قوة المشاة الهندية «د». المجلد ٢٣ الجزء II (من ١٦ إلى ٣٠ يونيو ١٩١٦)" [و‎‎٤‎٧] (٢٧٤/٩٨)

44.
to show that they were at that time intended for hospital purposes. In fact, I
was asked on January 30th, by you (see your No. 36757) to telegraph whether
eight of these barges could be made available for hospital purposes, and whether
I concurred in a proposal to send hospital fittings for them.
5. In my reply on February 7th, 1135-9 Q. (Dy. No. 37933) I said that
wooden barges were thought likely to prove too weak to stand the strain, and
that woodlined steel ones were essential. Finally I advised despatch of fittings
at once so that they might be used on barges temporarily employed, until
specially constructed barges should arrive.
6. The fittings did not arrive until the first week in April, and before any
thing could be done, on April 9th, there occurred a serious accident to one of
these wooden barges, which clearly showed that our objection to the use of
wooden barges was well founded. One wounded man had a narrow escape from
being decapitated and the barge was badly stove in.
7. It was only then that it was finally decided that these w r ooden barges
should not be fitted up as hospital barges. And my telegram of March loth.
No. 1 i35-t8-Q. (Dy* No. 42989) to which you refer definitely stated that ‘‘jf
in face of my expressed opinion on the point of unsuitability of barges in
question it is decided they are to be used as hospital barges, they will be made
available and fitted up as such as soon as fittings are received "
8. To state, in face of these facts, as your No. 47568 does, that my
telegram of 10th March admits “ that barges intended for hospital work were
diverted to other purposes” appears to me to be a misuse of words, as in the
absence of information as to your intention, no “diversion to other purposes ” can
deliberately have taken place.
9. The change of the expression used in your No. 44745 * river steamy
ers and craft equipped and intended for transport of sick and hospitals^
to that given in No. 47568, zur., “ barges intended for hospital work is
significant.
10. Finally, I venture to suggest that to call fora formal report in conse
quence of statements made in a letter (even though D. O. and wri tten by an
official of standing) which was avowedly based upon hearsay and was obviously
in other respects grossly ill-informed—see the statement that “ any branch of
the service apparently collars steamers or barges to suit their convenience ”
or “ there are plenty of big steamers and barges in the river but the Generals
insist (sic) upon using them for transport only”—threw a considerable amount
of extra work upon my Headquarters Offices here, which a more careful study
of that letter might have shown to be unnecessary. It is difficult to see why a
specific statement of what the letter really did allege should not have been
transmitted to me in the first instance, instead of a vague general statement
naturally very difficult to disprove without widespread inquiry.
Working copy fo D.M.S.
Copy to M.S.C., Q.M.G...
Telegram P., No. 304-S., dated 19th June 1916. APPENDIX 302
(Received in War Section, 20th Jane 1916) (Diary No. 60698)
From—H. E. the Viceroy, Foreign and Political Department.
To—H. M’s Secretary of State for India.
(Repeated to G. O. C., Force “ D, " Egypt.)
Your telegram 14th June. Experience of past few months leads us to
think that better co-ordination would be secured and procedure simplified if
functions of Arab bureau so far as India, Mesopotamia, and Aden are concerned
were confined to original scope contemplated, zis , collection and aistribution of
Arab Intelligence and suggestion of propaganda to be used or not as we think
best. Past experience seems to indicate the unsuitability of making Arab
bureau mouthpiece of policy and principles of H. M’s. Government, in regard to>
Arab questions.