mith his measures for preserving health in the town and
camps surrounding it took a very comprehensive form. He not only made
provision for ample water-supply, in place of that which the Boers had
cut off, but his ideas of sanitary precaution embraced inquiry into
sources of food-supply and kindred subjects. To the end that he might
know whether wholesome meat and drink were being sold, it was obviously
necessary that he should have reports as to the articles in which
various proprietors of stores traded. Information on these points was
collected with so much care that, when the pinch came, he knew exactly
where to put his hand on provisions for the healthy and medical comforts
for the sick and wounded. He had only to requisition a certain number of
shops and hotels that were scheduled as having ample supplies of the
things wanted, and the trick was done. Some tradesmen were glad enough
to have their old stock taken over wholesale by the military authorities
at a profitable price, but others, who foresaw chances of a richer
harvest, were inclined to grumble at the arbitrary exercise of power of
officials whose acts they regarded as little better than confiscation,
and, unfortunately, some of these managed to evade the first call, so
that they were allowed to go on selling privately, and running up the
prices to a fabulous extent.

This was a mistake. All should have been treated alike, so that none
might complain that kissing goes by favour, even in the most immaculate
and best regulated armies. As it was, the military commissariat secured
much that would add to the comfort of soldiers, but for what was left
civilians had to pay dearly. Some idea of the way in which this worked
may be given by a quotation from the prices bid at our Christmas market
on Saturday. We have no Covent Garden or Leadenhall here, but it was
felt that some sort of show ought to be made at this festive season, and
accordingly everything in the form of Christmas fare that could be got
together was brought out for sale by auction. It did not amount to much.
The whole barely sufficed to fill one long table, which was placed in a
nook between the main street and a side alley, where fifty people or so
might crowd together without attracting the notice of Bulwaan's gunners,
who would delight in nothing so much as the chance of throwing a
surprise shell into the midst of such a gathering.

The time for holding this auction had been fixed with a view to