LAND AND WATER 
February 13, 1915.. 
THE INDIAN TROOPS. 
To the Editor of Land and Wateh. 
Sir,— I am encouraged by the generous response of the 
public to the appeals for supplying the King's Indian troops 
in France with " comforts," wliich arc practically necessaries, 
to draw attention to the urgent requests that 1 have received 
for " waterpoof hoods " to protect the puggarees (turbans) of 
the men from getting soaked by rain and snow. The demand 
comes from so many quarters'that I fear tlie few I am able 
to send will meet but the barest fraction of the need. 
In addition to pants, vests, socks, gloves and similar gar- 
ments, which wear out quickly and require constant renewal, 
there is a general request for condensed milk, brown sugar, 
cigarettes, sugar candy (for non-smoking castes like the Sikhs), 
spices, etc. 
With the balance of the money standing to the credit of 
" The Indian Troops Comforts Account," witli Messrs. H. S. 
King and Co., 9, Pall Mall, S.W., I shall, so far as it will 
repch, endeavour to comply with these requests.— Yours faith- 
Ameer All 
2, Cadogan Place, London, S.W. 
MR. H. J. C. GRIERSON AND EXPLOSIVES. 
To the Editor of Land and Water. 
Dear Sir, — Are our explosives so ineffective as Mr. Grier- 
6on would suggest? The llela when torpedoed on September 16 
by submarine E9 was reported to have sunk in under half an 
hour. 
According to a letter of an oflicer on the Inflexible (the 
Times, January 20) one of the German officers said that one 
turret had been blown bodily overboard by a 12in. shell. I 
do not know what a Gin. turret weighs, though I have seen 
them under construction, and it strikes me that it must be a 
monstrous explosion which -would move one, let alone blow 
it overboard. 
Is it fair to compare the battles of Coronel and Falkland 
Islands? It is reported that the Good Hope and the Monmouth 
closed with the German ships so as to bring their lighter guns 
within range. In the Falkland Islands battle it appears to 
have been a stern chase according to Jane's description of the 
fight. 
The Good Hope was laid down 1897 and the Monmouth 
1899. The Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau 1904 and 1905. 
Armour is improved every year, guns, too, so that the 
two older boats' were outcLissed in every way to a greater 
extent (judging from Fighting Ships) than the latter were 
in the Falkland Battle. 
The " Fire Question " is also answered in the Times letter 
of the 20th inst. 
Are not we English a bit too ready to condemn English 
production and to belaud that of the foreigner? Wouldn't it 
be as well to follow Mr. Jane's and Lord Beresford's sidvice 
and trust the Admiralty? — Yours faitJ)fully. 
Ernest Hillabt. 
The Hawtliorns, 
Tanshelf, Pontefract. 
P.S. — Will you allow me to add that your journal gives 
me the greatest sfitisfaction to read of anything I have found. 
Everything else, newspapers and periodicals alike, appear 
either openly or suggestively to be governed by politics. 
BOOKS FOR CAMPS AND TRENCHES. 
To the Editor of Land and Water. 
Dear Sir, — It would be very kind of you if you would 
draw the attention of your many readers to the Camps Library. 
This Library was started by Sir Edward Ward with the object 
of preventing overlapping by forming a central depot to 
■which the public could send all books (old and new) intended 
for tlie use of our soldiers at home and abroad. He also 
■wished to create a distributing organisation from ■which all 
camps and recreation rooms could obtain books and maga- 
zines. 
The Library has, I think, justified its existence, as 
during the last two months it has not only formed lending 
libraries of over 30,000 volumes hi the various camps and 
recreation rooms throughout the United Kingdom, but has 
also sent thousands of books and magazines to all the regi- 
ments serving abroad, as well as to the various convalescent 
camps and to all the field ambulances. 
We have special facilities for transit, and there is little 
delay in getting the books to their destination. 
Thanks to the splendid generosity of the public large 
boxes and packets of books arrive here daily, for in these 
grave yet great days everybody loves to give. As someone 
SQnding books writes this morning, " For the men in the 
irenclies, from a grateful woman, who appreciates her quieS 
home more than ever. She has two dear boys at the front,; 
and she only wisliPs she had more books to send." 
We want more and more books, for tbe demand made 
upon us by camp and trench is immense. 
We should also like to make the Library known as 
■widely as possible among the various camps and recreation 
rooms who need books. Sir Edward Ward's idea is that each 
camp should form its own lending library, and work it for 
itself with its own rules and re.gulations. We charge a 
small fee (to pay for packing, etc.) for books sent to the 
camps, which then become the entire property of the regi- 
ment acquiring them. 
We are here to help and to help other people to help. 
Books should be sent (carriage paid) to the Camps 
Library, 22, Earl Street, Westminster, and small donations 
towards expenses we sliould so like to get.— Yours faithfully, 
Eva Anstbuther (Hon. Sec), 
22, Earl Street, Westminster, London, S.W. 
CRITICISING THE ADMIRALTY. 
To tJie Editor of Land and Water. 
I>ear Sir, — In response to Mr. Jane's comment-s, r^ 
marks, and invitation in current issue, I desire to say tha< 
I am unable to -work up any enthusiasm for either " lunatLo 
asylums " or the " grinding of axes " ; also that I and very 
many others consider the withholding of frank criticism of 
our Admiralty and other departments is harmful in the ex- 
treme ; also that the repeated successful demonstrations by 
the enemy on our East Coast have created a distinct feeling 
of uneasiness and insecurity. And, finally, that the main 
point of my letter to Mr. Jane has not even been touched, 
far less disposed of, in spite of his knowledge of " the 
inside and unwritten history (or policy) of the naval war."— - 
Yours truly, E. H. 
Hatch End. 
[There is no " withholding " of criticism. The Ad^ 
miralty has made no important error to date, however mat- 
ters may appear to amateur critics of them. There are, I 
think, still people who believe the moon to be made of green 
cheese, and that the earth is flat. But they have given up 
demanding " frank criticism " of ajstronomers and geo- 
graphers who believe otherwise. For the rest we are fighting 
to beat Germany^ — not to create a feeling of ease and security; 
in the civil population. — Fred T. J.vne.] 
RULES REGARDING CORRESPON- 
DENCE FOR PRISONERS OF WAR.' 
1. Letters, postcards, and postal parcels should be addressed aq 
follows ; — 
(Name, initials, rank and regiment), 
British Prisoner of War, 
in Germany (or Austria-Hungary), 
c/o General Post Office, 
' Mount Pleasant, London* 
When the place where the prisoner is confined is known, the words, 
"At ," should be inserted at the beginning of the thir^ 
line of the address. It is recommended that parcels should not 
be sent unless the place of confinement is known. 
2. Communications should be limited to private and family new* 
and to necessary business communications, and should not be sent too 
frequently. 
No references to the naval, military, or political situation, or to 
naval and military movements and organisations, are allowed. Lelteri 
or postcards containing such references will not be delivered. 
3. Friends of prisoners of war are advised to send postcards £a 
preference to letters, as postcards are less likely to be delayed. If 
letters are sent they should not exceed in length two sides of a sheet 
of notcpaper and should contain nothing but the sheet of notepaper. 
Letters and postcards may be written in Knglish (though letters in 
German are probably delivered more quickly). On iio account should 
the writing be crossed. 
A. I..etters cannot for the present be accepted for registration. 
5. Postage need rot be paid either on letters or parcels addressed 
to British prisoners of war. 
6. No letters should be enclosed in parcels, and newspapers must 
not on any account be sent. So far as is known there is no other 
restriction on the contents of parcels ; tobacco may be sent, and wUl 
be admitted duty free, but foodstuffs of a perishable character should 
not be sent. 
7. ncmittances can be made by money order to British prisoners 
of war. No charge is made for commission. Instructions as to how 
to proceed can be obtained from post offices. The transmission of coin, 
either in letters or parcels, is expressly prohibited. Postal orders and 
bank notes should not be sent. 
8. Postal parcels will be insured without charge. 
9. It must be understood that no guarantee of the delivery of 
cither parcels or letters can be given, and that the War Office accepts 
no responsibility. In any case considerable delay may take place, and 
failure to receive an acknowledgment should not necessarily be takeft 
as an indication that letters and parcels sent have not been delivered. 
10. So far as is known, prisoners of war in Germany are allowed 
to write letters or postcards from time to time ; but they may not 
always have facilities for doing so. and the fact that no commnnicatioa 
is received from them need not give rise to anxiety. 
W.\a Office 
16* 
