310 THE CAMEL 



sufficient animals for a war on the same scale as the 

 late Afghan and Egyptian (1882) has greatly increased,, 

 and, as I previously pointed out, even if ample time 

 were given, India would be hard pushed to get an 

 adequate supply. This, more than anything, would 

 seem to me to point to the adoption of some such 

 system the framework of which I have already hastily 

 outlined, and especially to the breeding of camels and 

 mules. Not only would this make us independent of 

 buying and hiring from owners and breeders ; not only 

 would it give us more efficient transport, immediately 

 ready, and fit for any emergency or crisis ; but in peace 

 time the animals that were not required for garrison 

 use and the ordinary service routine could be used to 

 advantage and hired out for work. Should there be 

 any objection to this for financial or other reasons, the 

 system might be modified as follows : Let Government 

 urge the breeding of mules in England, and of mules 

 and camels in Cyprus, Egypt, India, and Africa, and 

 offer a yearly subsidy or premium to breeders, on the 

 distinct understanding that in case of war the animals 

 should be sold or hired to them. But though there i& 

 much more to be said on the subject, space and time 

 prevent me. 



No one will deny that the difficulties of purchasing 

 or hiring and maintaining good transport, if not in- 

 superable, are at all events so great as to be almost 

 impossible to cope with on a sudden emergency, much 

 more so to the attainment of any excellence, which is 

 invariably the case in all our wars, where we have to 

 battle, not only with the enemy, but with time, which 

 is, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, a far more 



