COMMISSION'S REPORT

Grey River Argus, Volume 05, 5 July 1917, Page 3

COMMISSION'S REPORT

LORD HARDINGE EXPLAINS

iliec. July 4, 1 1. 4 1 ! P.in-) i LONDON, -July 3. ' Lord'; Haidinge is of opinion that the Mesopotamia Commission did not give sufficient prominence to the unexampled effort of India at the out set 0 ftfie Avar and generosity of her contributions of every .kind, which necessarily hampered operations elsewhere, 'l-he jeport has not adequately welshed the .risks: of pre-occupatiqn taloin by the Indian, Government in igi-i-1 5 im connection, with (he. intern-ial-itid fifpntjer affairs., India's, militaijivexpenditure" before the war except ed thel amount , fixed 'and increased du|ng thle war time beyond the point wJ|ih filaaricial advisers considered sa|«, hlidiaAs expeditions to Prance i'gjpt. aiad East Africa before .the Meppotailaia expedition was contempljied exliausted her military Tresses anld her reserved equipment of st^js. lApferoximatelv 80,000 Briti»i and;a| lot »099 Indian troops, fully tiaj^ed ancli equipped, were sent overIrd Halrdinge emphasised the fact some ■»"eeks before the arrival of torials.l; the British garrison in 1. num blered ' only 20,000. Thus the Vvof li^^JNvas imperilled in the j.s)ts of |BL whole Empire. He 1 the ris^^Bcause he trusted the ]/} \ Govf^^pient of India was ijiV opp^Kii' -to ;the : advance on :H*d. p.J^°' u t reinforcements, but 'J;§#*? £ Mice of their veto was not 4s>tihabl£ _■ view of the obvious political ad m ßages 'and expediency of the canttf .™f- Baghdad and in view of the sti ■ 'Bpressure from Hp m e and the un;ir H of militaiT,. opinion in I favour o 1 •advance. The j ipirßiacv- of river transport was on^Q^^fciled". when it was too late to) t)€BM ffoo<^' althoutrh «vervth^ng pt^ to remedy it. The l°|p e >^^Bary authorities, d'd not raise Jn^t."^Bn olyectioh to the f;clRporaff^^^B» mprlir.-vl brenVdowoi wl,ich^Jy^^Bpd him thr> W«rrtf<st D ? in h p ' confessed that hrv ■misleadJ^/^Mts .from tho from. but. t^.'j m f9CO^H l<ne^v the, truth he %^ c rt to' remedy it. 'Mm :\ t;"