ar liners at rates per ton.

[Sidenote: Infantry and mounted troops.]

For infantry, passenger ships or large fast cargo boats are selected.
The latter are preferred as the former require more extensive
alterations. Mounted troops are usually carried in ships specially
designed for the conveyance of live stock; remounts and mules in
similar vessels, or in specially roomy cargo ships. The vessels
employed for infantry and mounted troops were, in fact, running ships
belonging to good lines, and they had to possess, or take out, a Board
of Trade passenger certificate. The owners naturally do not keep such
ships waiting on the off-chance of Government employment. They are in
full work and have to sacrifice their own lucrative business to accept
an Admiralty contract.

_Coaling Arrangements._--Whenever possible, space was appropriated in
the holds of the transports for additional coal bunkers, so that the
quantity of coal taken from England might be as great as possible. The
contractors at St. Vincent, Las Palmas and Teneriffe were also given
special instructions, and a constant stream of colliers was kept going
to the Cape. The transports were made to call at the three first-named
places in such rotation as should ensure there being no block at any
of them. A man-of-war was stationed at St. Vincent, one at Las Palmas,
and one at Teneriffe to supervise the arrangements and to make such
preparation and give such help as should preclude delay in dealing
with each of the ships as they arrived. This system proved to be a
good one. There was plenty of coal and no delay, but it was found that
the high-speed vessels, owing to their enormous coal consumption, were
not so suitable as others of more moderate speed. Eminently suited as
they were for the short run across the Atlantic, it was really hardly
worth while using them for the long voyage to the Cape.

_Victualling._--The first batch of troops sent out was victualled from
the Navy Yards, and this practice was partially continued till early
in 1900. But, owing to considerations of the reserve of stores, and to
the fact that the Navy salt meat ration was new to the troops and not
liked by them, this was then changed. The owners contracted to victual
the men at a rate per head per day, and this, though more expensive,
worked well. Moreover, it gave greater satisfaction to the men, as it
was more like what they were accustomed to on shore; and it was an
important point to land