t
delay on the order to mobilise.

[Sidenote: Method of keeping equipment.]

Wherever storage buildings were available the war equipment of units
was kept on their charge. In other cases it was apportioned to units
but held in store for them by the Ordnance department. When
mobilisation was ordered, there was war equipment practically complete
to enable two army corps, a cavalry division, and lines of
communication troops to take the field.

[Sidenote: Clothing.]

The special clothing prescribed for South Africa entailed an entire
change of dress--helmet, body-clothing, and boots. Sanction had been
given in April, 1899, for the storage of a reserve of khaki drill
suits,[41] of which the amount authorised would have been insufficient,
but fortunately the Clothing department had a surplus which enabled a
complete issue to be made on mobilisation. It had been represented from
South Africa, with the support of the Director-General of the Army
Medical Service at home, that serge was more appropriate to the climate
than cotton drill, and the substitution had been approved by the
Commander-in-Chief on August 18th. No steps towards effecting the change
could be taken until the grant of September 22nd, and the first three
divisions embarked with cotton drill clothing.[42] It is probable,
however, that even had the money been forthcoming when the change was
first approved, not more than half the amount required could have been
obtained in the time. One difficulty experienced in connection with the
issue of clothing was that of providing each unit with the right number
of suits of particular sizes. Many of the reservists who presented
themselves on mobilisation were found to have increased considerably in
figure, and consequently much fitting and alteration was necessary. This
caused delay. At that time the boot for foreign service differed in
pattern from that for home service, and an issue of the former was made.
The supply on hand was only sufficient to allow a complete issue to men
of the mounted services, while dismounted soldiers had one pair of each
pattern, reservists having home service pattern entirely. The sudden
demand on the market for the materials necessary for these articles of
clothing entailed a considerable increase of cost, without, at the
outset at least, ensuring provision of the best quality.

[Footnote 41: This reserve consisted of 40,000 suits; the
number actually issued was suffici