^ APPEJfDix. Ixxvii 



that time ; while, to many, the climate is not only not beneficial, but 

 positively injurious. To the larger bulk of a European regiment, if 

 located in good barracks at an ordinarily healthy station in the 

 Upper Provinces, a hill climate is by no means necessary. The men 

 should be selected by the medical and commanding officers of each re- 

 giment, with reference to their state of health during the past year, as 

 well as good conduct, and be accompanied by a relative proportion of 

 their own officers, the detachment being commanded by a selected one. 

 The only objection, that we have heard offered to this plan of letting 

 all the European Regiments benefit to an equal degree yearly by our 

 " sanataria," is that the men would sufier in their drill, or fall off in 

 discipline. With a good selected field officer to command the depot, 

 with a good depot-staff, and with each regimental detachment com- 

 manded by a selected officer, we do not see why thei*e should be any 

 falling off in disciphne. The argument, if true, would tell both ways ; 

 for, if the men from some very " crack" corps did retrograde in their 

 drill, others would improve. All commanding officers of regiments are 

 not so strict, able and considerate, nor are all regimentsl systems so 

 good, as that individuals and detachments might not even gain by re- 

 moval for a time, to be placed under difierent men and different in- 

 fluences. But even admitting that there were temporary deterioration, 

 and that the men returned to their regiments again a httle slack in 

 their parade duties, better this, than having to replace them by raw re« 

 emits ; better that they should appear a little round-shouldered with 

 tlie ruddiness of health, than be stretched out on hospital cots, and 

 carried about in a djing state in "doolies." Better, far better, to be 

 in the hands of the drill sei-jeant than the doctor ! 



On the marking out of a new cantonment in this country, officers are 

 observed spending their entire day in the open air, watching or super- 

 intending the erection of their bungalows, staking out their gardens, 

 planting trees, &c., with almost the same indifference to heat and sun, 

 as if they were in England, and in the enjoyment of better health, 

 sounder sleep, and greater appetite, than when living in their residence 

 with all the comforts and luxuries that art can supply to mitigate the 

 " desagremt'ns" of an Indian clunate. And, as with the European 

 officer, so it is with the private soldier. The longest marches on re- 

 cord, and under the greatest exposure to heat of weather, have been 

 made by British troops, without any injury to the health. The change 

 of scene, the interest excited by every rumour that finds its way to the 

 camp, the specidation on coming events, all act as powerful stimulants 



