The reports now to
be cited were made after this date. [Misc. 11 (1915)]. I propose to give
examples of almost all the earlier reports, for it was in the earlier
stages of the war that there was most difficulty everywhere in providing
accommodation for prisoners. We ought not to forget that the earliest
reports on our own camps which the British Government have published
begin with February, 1916.[2]

DOEBERITZ.

On March 31 Mr. Jackson reported on the camp at Doeberitz, a large camp
with between three and four thousand British prisoners. "So far as I
could ascertain, British soldiers are called upon to do only their share
in fatigue work.... So far as I could ascertain, after inquiry of a
number of men, nothing was known as to the stopping of either incoming
or outgoing correspondence.... The camp at Doeberitz is in a healthy
location, and the barracks are new and of a permanent character.... They
are at least as good as those used by the Germans at present in the same
neighbourhood. As was to be expected a number of men had individual
grievances, but there were no general complaints, except with regard to
the German character of the food--_and those were the exact counterparts
of complaints made to me by German prisoners in England_." I have
italicised the last clause as it will surely, to a fair-minded man, seem
a somewhat important one.

Mr. Lithgow Osborne visited the camp at the same time. He says:

Until two weeks ago the Russians and English were, in cases,
housed together--a source of complaint to the latter, more
especially on account of vermin. The races have now been
separated. The men all stated that they had the two blankets and
the other requisites provided in the German rules, and I heard
but one complaint about overcrowding. Most of the English and
French receive clothes from home. All the prisoners who do not,
are furnished from the camp supply; the men stated that this was
carried out according to the rules.

No complaints whatever were made regarding the Commandant, the
non-commissioned officers, or the general government of the
camp. The food was the source of the few real complaints that
could be heard, although at least half of the men spoken to
admitted that it was quite as good as could possibly be
expected.

The impression of the whole was excellent, and one received the
idea that everything that could reasonably be e