BRITISH TRANSPORT-ITS SUPERIORITY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2050, 11 January 1901, Page 6

BRITISH TRANSPORT-ITS SUPERIORITY.

The British-Indian transport on the march from Tientsin to Pekin (says the correspondent of the ‘ Times of India ’) was provided with both pack mules and boats. “ The latter were loaded up with eight days’ supplies, and were poled and towed up the river by Chinese coolies. So well was this boat column managed that, although moving up a winding river against a very heavy current, it almost invariably, at the end of each day’s journey, reached a point not far from the British lamp, so that the men had access to their rations. On occasions when the boat column was delayed our soldiers were always able to fall back ®n the food they carried in their haversacks or on mules. I might add here that the Japanese also had a large number of boats, but they were never able to keep up. Our pack mule transport was perfect, and was the admiration and envy of the foreigners. Long training in Burmah and on the north-west frontier has taught our officers how to load and manage a large transport train. The system of regimental transport may not admit of that centralisation which the precise love, but in the actual wear and tear of a campaign it prevents rather than invites confusion. On the march to Pekin, while the transport of other armies blundered in the rear or got lost in the. darkness, our regimental mules were never out of touch with their respective regiments. They did not stick in the mud, and if by chance & mule threw off its load, the incident did not delay the march of the men and animals behind. The mule was simply drawn aside, and while the load was being readjusted the rest of the transport moved steadily on. That is the advantage pack animals have over carts over bad and narrow roads.