though this
was eventually straightened out, it unsettled many men and bred a spirit
of discontent very difficult to allay and eradicate. The pay of the
troops themselves was drastically affected by the issue, in mid-August,
of an order limiting the drawing to two-fifths of the daily rate. The
exact reasons for this restriction were not given, but it is believed
that those responsible desired, firstly, to remove the distinction which
existed between the British and Australian rates and, secondly, to
encourage thrift and retain for the soldier on his discharge a sum,
beyond his deferred pay, which could be spent more wisely in Australia
and not go to fill the pockets of the Egyptians. To many this
restriction was a genuine hardship, whilst others circumvented it by
drawing on their private funds by means of the cable service. This was
extensively done, and those who had the wherewithal established a system
for regularly receiving remittances from the home land. Payments were
made in the local currency--the Egyptian pound of 100 piastres being
equal to L1 0s. 6-1/4d. The piastre (sometimes termed "disaster") was worth
about 2-1/2d. There was a smaller coin--a millieme--equal to one-tenth
of a piastre. English and Australian sovereigns were at first plentiful,
but an attempt was made to restrict their circulation, as it was
believed that the natives were hoarding them.

Mails arrived from Australia every week or ten days, and were heartily
welcomed. Those who received newspapers handed them round for others to
read. The Australian proved himself an inveterate letter writer and
found much to describe to his relatives and friends. The signallers were
rather noted for the amount of work they gave the officer who had to
sight their correspondence. They seemed to devote much time to writing
and to have a large circle of lady friends. As a rule, the soldier
observed the censor's injunctions, and, in doing so, made the work of
his officer light. Occasionally a transgression came under notice. In
such cases, the letter was either returned to the writer or the
offending part struck out. In one instance, the soldier had drawn
attention to the harrowing conditions under which he said he was
living--working from dawn to dark, with little or no food, and without
pay. Questioned as to his reason for this action, he confessed that he
was short of money and had intended to so play on the feelings of his
friends as to prompt them to send h