he past few weeks before the officers of the Royal Engineers
stationed at Chatham, by Captain Douglas Galton, C.B., D.C.L., F.R.S.

The refuse which has to be dealt with, observed Captain Galton,
whether in towns or in barracks or in camp, falls under the following
five heads: 1, ashes; 2, kitchen refuse; 3, stable manure; 4, solid or
liquid ejections; and 5, rainwater and domestic waste water, including
water from personal ablutions, kitchen washing up, washings of
passages, stables, yards, and pavements. In a camp you have the
simplest form of dealing with these matters. The water supply is
limited. Waste water and liquid ejection are absorbed by the ground;
but a camp unprovided with latrines would always be in a state of
danger from epidemic disease. One of the most frequent causes of an
unhealthy condition of the air of a camp in former times has been
either neglecting to provide latrines, so that the ground outside the
camp becomes covered with filth, or constructing the latrines too
shallow, and exposing too large a surface to rain, sun, and air. The
Quartermaster-General's regulations provide against these
contingencies; but I may as well here recapitulate the general
principles which govern camp latrines. Latrines should be so managed
that no smell from them should ever reach the men's tents. To insure
this very simple precautions only are required:

1. The latrines should be placed to leeward with respect to prevailing
winds, and at as great a distance from the tents as is compatible with
convenience. 2. They should be dug narrow and deep, and their contents
covered over every evening with at least a foot of fresh earth. A
certain bulk and thickness of earth are required to absorb the
putrescent gas, otherwise it will disperse itself and pollute the air
to a considerable distance round. 3. When the latrine is filled to
within 2 ft. 6 in. or 3 ft. of the surface, earth should be thrown
into it, and heaped over it like a grave to mark its site. 4. Great
care should be taken not to place latrines near existing wells, nor to
dig wells near where latrines have been placed. The necessity of these
precautions to prevent wells becoming polluted is obvious. Screens
made out of any available material are, of course, required for
latrines. This arrangement applies to a temporary camp, and is only
admissible under such conditions.

A deep trench saves labor, and places the refuse in the most
immediately safe position,