TRAINING IN EGYPT

Southland Times, Issue 17470, 26 March 1915, Page 6

TRAINING IN EGYPT

CAIRO AND THE CANAL. DANGERS OB GROG SHOPS. ADULTKRATED BEER. There arc few countries where Hie military training of all arms can be carried out more easily and cheaply than in Egypt, writes tlie Cairo correspondent of the London Times. The eastern bank of the Sue/. Canal for its whole length, Us western hank from Jsmailia to Such, Hie illimitable desert area lying east and west of Cairo, Hie sandhills and desert coastal strip east of Alexandria, and tile Mariut Steppe west of that port are admirable training grounds for large bodies of troops. Given an adequate water supply, easily obtainable from Hie base-; at Cairo, Alexandria, or along the Sw-cl Water Canal, troops can move anywhere in masses. There are obstacles here ami there for guns and wheeled transport high-blown dimes or bottoms filled with pale sand-drift—hut a manoeuvring area without obstacles would be unsuitable. Tlie canals at tlie edge of the desert and Hie Suez Canal itself give sufficient practice in the negotiation of -water obstacles by engineers; there is every species of soil upon which trench diggpru muv exercise their skill, id di lille and artillery ranges abound. Tlie desert near Cairo is decidedly "close ‘ country, full of hollows and "wadis." or dry watercourses, where large bodies of troops can lie, unseen. The desert is no man s land, (n it are no crops to be spoilt, no farmers to clamour for compensation, no game preservers to deny right of way to the soldier. Manoeuvring therein is em. inently inexpensive, Cairo, excellent training centre (hough it be, lias certain disadvantages. Its population comprises a large parasitical element, native and foreign, which lives by exercising its uncommonly sharp wits at the expense of visitors from the provinces.and from abroad. Us morality lias never been austere, and Hie Capitulations have always prevented Hie AngloEgyptlan authorities from taking sufficiently drastic measures against the foreign owners of grog-shops, who sell sheer poison. Some of Hie colonial troops who arrived in Egypt early in December, suffered from these pests of certain quarters of Cairo. The territorials also suffered on their fifsl arrival in Egypt, but not to the same extent. The keepers uf manv of the bars ami restaurants which the men repaired, being unable or unwHlin gto replenish their stocks of beer and spirits, supplied them with drugged and adulterated drinks. The British and colonial military doctors soon discovered that extensive "liocnssing” was being practised. Men who had exceeded but had not taken sufficient alcohol to do them real harm in normal circumstances, became seriously ill and in some cases a glass of "beer" had almost poisonous effects. Analysis of samples of beer and spirits revealed startling facts. "Boer” was extensively coloured with extract of Cannabis indica (Indian hemp), the plant from wilier, “bhang” and "hashish,” two of Hie most baneful drugs employed by Orientals, are derived. "Whisky” proved lo he adulterated with fusel oil, copperas, and other chemical poisons. Prompt and decidedly successful steps were taken to cope with tills evil; “wet” canteens were instituted at camps where they had not been provided in deference to prohibitionist sentiment; Hie men were warned of tlie dangers they were incurring. and a number of bars were placed out of bounds and others closed by General Sir .1. Maxwell’s orders. But when the above drawbacks have been mentioned, all has been said against Cairo as a training centre tor British troops. The heat is considerable in summer, hut the town is none the less much healthier Ihau many Indian cantonments. Typhoid lias, so far. been rare among both British ami colonial troops here, thanks to inoculation. The territorials suffered somewhat from dysentery on their arrival in the hot weather, and there have been some eases of pneumonia among the colonial troops, but. speaking generally, tlie health of the army has been good and is r likely to improve.