ed between England and the Dutch Republics, and
the absolutely vital British interests involved, had, as the year 1899
wore on, been realised not only by the Government, but by all the
world. It was inevitable that the delay in strengthening the garrison,
due to extreme unwillingness to present even the appearance of forcing
on the quarrel, should throw an exceptional responsibility on the
Navy. It became necessary to develop to the utmost limit the strength
that could be spared for work on shore in order to gain time for the
arrival of reinforcements. Happily our public services, both civil and
military, have grown up in the traditions that each branch and
department, while it has special grooves in which its own particular
duty runs, is at all times on the look-out to help any other
department. The Navy and Army are no strangers to this practice of
mutual aid. Their special duties have in times past so often led to
each helping the other in some way, that perhaps there exists between
them in a rather special degree that feeling of comradeship which is
engendered by sharing the same duties and the same perils and
hardships; just as boys who have gone through the same mill at school,
and got into and out of the same scrapes together, are undoubtedly
imbued with an _esprit de corps_ which is often a valuable possession
in after-life.

SECTION II. SEA TRANSPORT.

The Army Sea Transport work was carried out by the Admiralty through
its Transport department, with the following exceptions. Arrangements
for the Indian contingent, the Remounts, and all else sent from India,
were made by the Director of Indian Marine, for the outward voyage; by
the Admiralty for the return voyage. For the Colonial contingents,
passage was provided partly in freight ships locally engaged by the
Colonial Governments and partly in Admiralty transports sent from the
Cape. The return voyage in all cases was regulated by the Admiralty.
Remounts (horses) from ports abroad were conveyed in freight ships
hired by the Remount department up to February, 1901; after that date
they were conveyed by the Admiralty. Stores from ports abroad were
delivered in South Africa by the contractors, from whom the War Office
obtained them at "C.I.F." rates; that is to say, that the price which
was paid for the stores included delivery. All other sea transport for
men, animals, and stores was organised by the Admiralty. The services
of the Admiralty shipping agents (