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had balconies running round them. Here they used to spend many hours of
the day, for not only could they see what was going on around the Camps
but also have a good view of the sea and passing ships. Each room held six
men, and there was besides a large mess-room downstairs in each building
which held about ninety people. Each Boer officer had a room for himself.
When, later on, the number of prisoners of war was increased, tents had to
be erected to accommodate them; but this could hardly be considered
hardship in the climate which prevails at the Cape, and cannot be compared
to what at the present moment the soldiers of the Allies are enduring in
the trenches. The tents were put in a line of twenty each, and each score
had a building attached for the men in that line to use as a dormitory if
they chose. Excellent bathrooms and shower-baths were provided, together
with a plentiful supply of water. The feeding of the prisoners of war was
on a substantial scale, the daily rations per man including:
Bread 11/4 lb.
Meat (fresh) 1 lb.
Sugar 3 oz.
Coal (or) 1 lb.
Wood (or) 2 lb.
Coal and wood 11/2 lb.
Vegetables 1/2 lb.
Jam 1/4 lb., or 6 oz. of
vegetables in lieu.
Coffee, milk and other items were also in like generous apportionments.
The clothing issued to the prisoners, as asked for by them, to give the
month of June, 1901, as an instance, was:
Boots 143 pairs
Braces 59 pairs
Hats 164
Jackets 133
Shirts 251
Socks 222 pairs
Trousers 166
Waistcoats 87
and other small sundries.
At Green Point Camp ample hospital accommodation was provided for the
sick, and there was a medical staff thoroughly acquainted with the Dutch
language and Boer habits. There was electric light in every ward, as well
as all other comforts compatible with discipline.
In the first six months of 1901 only five men died in the Camps, the
average daily strength of which was over 5,000 men. As for the sick, the
average rarely surpassed 1 per cent., amongst which were included wounded
men, the cripples, and the invalids left behind from the parties of war
prisoners sent oversea to St. Helena or other places.
The hospital diet included, as a matter of course, many things not forming
part of the ordinary rations, such as extra mi
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