FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



opened the hay contractor conveyed the startling 

 information that he had been formally served with 

 a notice not to part with hay to anyone but the 

 Government, and so he did not see how, under 

 these circumstances, he could fulfil his contract 

 with us. As every other contractor was in the 

 same boat, the prospect of having several hundred 

 animals on one's hands with no provender for 

 them was something appalling. However, a trust- 

 ful belief in Providence and in the reasonableness 

 of even a Government Department, when matters 

 were fully explained to the latter, was not mis- 

 placed. The military powers that be, as repre- 

 sented by a very courteous official in charge of 

 the district, saw the position we were in, and not 

 only removed the embargo, but, in other ways, 

 facilitated the acquisition of what we wanted. 

 So let this be put down to the credit of the War 

 Office in the days of its disparagement. 



The railway companies had made it clear 

 that, with State claims upon them, they could 

 guarantee nothing in the way of delivery. But 

 here also a confidence that such an intimation 

 simply meant that they were going to do their 

 very best to fulfil engagements, but did not want 

 to be landed in a legal liability if, through un- 

 expected pressure in other directions, they failed 

 in the attempt, was justified by the ultimate 

 result, as goods came into the yard with, if 

 anything, more regularity than usual. 



Hitherto a sleeper-road to facilitate the transit 

 of the heavy implement traffic through the yard 

 had been regarded as absolutely essential, and 

 steps were taken for its provision as usual, but, 



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