Corps officers.
It was intended primarily for use on the lines of communication.[299]

[Footnote 299: A scheme for this existed and regulations had
been issued, but prior to Lord Roberts' arrival there had
been no excess transport to enable the scheme to be put into
operation.]

(E.) Technical Transport.--To meet the requirements of ammunition
columns, Royal engineers, technical equipment, medical units, and any
special purpose, such as the Naval heavy guns.[300]

[Footnote 300: Excepting for the last-named, transport for
each of these units had been issued in Cape Town, October,
1899.]

[Sidenote: Proportion drawn by oxen and mules.]

Arrangements had been made in South Africa that (A) the regimental
transport and (B) the supply column should be entirely drawn by mules.
The supply park (C) consisted solely of ox-wagons with spans of
sixteen oxen. The remainder of the transport had partly ox and partly
mule draught, although in Natal ox-transport was mainly used. Under
the conditions of the local contracts all ox-wagons were grouped in
sections of ten, with a conductor and sub-conductor for each section.
These sections of ten were organised in sub-divisions of fifty and
divisions of one hundred wagons, respectively under a sub-inspector
and an inspector.

[Sidenote: Lord Roberts recasts the transport system.]

[Sidenote: S.A. Army orders of Jan. 24th, 1900, and Jan. 29th
determine details of change.]

This system had the advantage that, being prescribed in the existing
regulations, it was more or less familiar to staff and regimental
officers; moreover, the organisation of the Army Service Corps for
field service had been adapted to it. But against this had to be set
the serious objection of its extravagance. Under the regulations, the
transport allotted to units employed as garrisons or for other reasons
remaining stationary, would be idle and wasted. Without the transport
so lost the mobility needed to carry out the Commander-in-Chief's plan
would be unattainable. Lord Roberts therefore decided that in order to
equip his army, so as to enable it to operate with rapidity at a
distance from the railway, the transport must be reorganised.[301] The
regimental mule-transport from units was to be called in and formed
into transport companies, which could be attached to brigades or
columns in whatever manner the circumstances of the moment required.
In