THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
269 
communicated through, the different departments to the Route commissions, 
the agents of the railway administrations, and the generals commanding, 
and by the latter transmitted to the different corps. 
The necessary arrangements are made with the railway authorities for the 
construction of temporary ramps, &c., and especially for sending the 
quarter-masters in advance of the troops, which can generally be done by 
the troop trains of the day before, and in exceptional cases by the ordinary 
passenger trains. Should the rolling stock on a line be insufficient for the 
transport, the deficiency is supplied by the executive commission, which 
draws on the stock of other lines. 
24. It is the duty of the Line commissioners to carry out the dispositions 
at the several points of the line. An inspection of the line is made when 
practicable a few days before the commencement of the transport, to test 
the sufficiency of the arrangements and supplement any deficiencies found 
to exist. 
25. Shortly before the commencement of the transport, the Line 
commissioners establish themselves at a certain point on their line deter¬ 
mined by the central commission, preferably at the chief point of embarkation. 
The troops about to travel on the line are apprized of the place which has 
been selected. At this point early intimation of the whereabouts of the 
Line commissioners must be given, should their presence be required 
temporarily at any other point on the line. On the completion of the 
concentration, the railways, both those which circulate within the kingdom 
and foreign lines which may have been occupied and put into working order 
are employed during the operations as lines of communication in rear of 
the army, and for the transport requirements of the forces both to front 
and rear. This transport service is likewise directed by Line commissions, 
those acting during the concentration retaining their functions, or new 
commissions being appointed, should a re-consideration of the whole 
railway system be found advisable by the executive commission; 
In general, a Line commission is allotted to each army or corps operating 
independently, and takes its post either at head-quarters or at some point 
answering the same purpose; These railway commissions serve as the 
channels by which the requisitions of the executive commission on the one 
hand and of the military commanders on the other are communicated to the 
railway administrations. - 
Route Commissions. 
26. This name is borne by the commissions appointed for the purpose 
of exercising superintendence at the loading, unloading, and halting 
stations. 
At the loading and unloading stations they are composed of a staff officer, 
as route commandant, with a subaltern officer as assistant, an officer of 
the Intendantur, with an assistant, and a government official. On railways 
lying beyond the frontier the latter is replaced by a representative of the 
government of the country occupied. 
