n batches, at various places where they could be kept
without heavy expenditure, pending the receipt of mule-wagons and
harness. But although, as troops were placed under orders at home,
every effort was made to provide both wagons and harness for them in
advance, the supply reaching South Africa, especially of mule-harness,
was necessarily intermittent. Transport and equipment for the 7th
Division had been shipped from England in December, and was coming in
daily. Sir F. Forestier-Walker reported on January 14th that, as far
as could be foreseen, "the provision of wagons already made is much
more than our known requirements," _i.e._, on the scale which had
hitherto been accepted.

[Sidenote: System existing. "The Regimental."]

The allotment of transport which had been made prior to the
Field-Marshal's arrival was based on principles worked out by the
Mobilisation branch of the War Office, and embodied in the regulations
entitled, "War Establishments, 1898." Under these rules the
distribution was as follows:[297]

[Footnote 297: This system was commonly termed in South
Africa the "Regimental System," although the regimental
transport was in fact only about one-eighth of the whole.]

(A.) Regimental transport, _i.e._, transport allotted to regiments and
battalions, and placed under charge of an officer and small staff
furnished by the unit. This was available for the general service of
the station where the unit was posted.[298] It was sub-divided into:

[Footnote 298: Para. 10A, "Instructions regarding Regimental
Transport, South African Field Force," issued October, 1899.]

1. First Line Transport--for ammunition, entrenching tools,
medical stores, signalling equipment, machine gun, and
water-carts.

2. Second Line Transport--for regimental equipment, blankets,
baggage, and rations and forage for one day or more.

(B.) The Supply Column.--An Army Service Corps organisation forming
the first reserve, and carrying at least one day's ration, an
emergency ration for every man, and one day's forage for every animal.

(C.) The Supply Park.--Under the supply and transport officers of the
Army Service Corps. The park carried at least three days' rations and
forage, but this amount could be increased as circumstances might
dictate.

(D.) Auxiliary Transport.--To be composed of excess or reserve
transport organised in companies under Army Service