"MOBILE" COLUMNS AND PIANOS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXV, Issue 295, 20 December 1901, Page 4

"MOBILE" COLUMNS AND PIANOS.

Some people have found it rather hard to accept the story about the British "mobile" columns carrying pianos, harmoniums, etc, though the fact was mentioned by Lord Kitchener. But, there is every reason to believe, unfortunately, that the story was quite true. Here, for iustance, 13 a letter published on October 12bh in tho London Spectator, which is one of the most ardent advocates in England for the prosecution of the war^to the bitter end, if necessary :—"The passage in your article in the Spectator of October sth on 'The Military Situation in South Africa,' which deals with Lord Kitchener's late general order, induces me to offer you a quotation from a pencil letter now before me. I m-iy promise that the writer is a youug fellow of excellent character, now serving ia the ranks in South Africa. Under the date July 17fch he writes : —' Now -we have jnst taken in supplies for the next trek, but when we have been out about eight days we shall bo on short rations. It's a very funny thing, for wo take in supplies to last us, but the commissary leave boxes of biscuits behind because they can't carry them, and yet they carry a piano and chairs and tables for their ofiicers. Their place looks liko a drawing room at night time, they are playing and singing all hours of. the night. I bet they don't have to go on short rations. At the first part of the war we could carry thirty day's supplies, and now wo can't carry ten ; it's very strange indeed. It would be a good riddle for the Commander-in Chief : Why do the troops go on short rations ? Because the officers carry pianos,'—l am, sir, etc., E.H."