H.—6c.

Q.M.-SERG. M. MCDONNELL.'

39

653. It would be on your report to your superior officer that he would be satisfied that the condition of the blankets was good when they came on board? —Yes. 654. Your took every reasonable precaution to see they were in a clean state ?—Yes. 655. And you reported that to your officer? —Yes. 656. Do you know that after you left, and when the voyage commenced, lice developed in the blankets?— Yes. 657. What explanation can you give of the matter —that is to say, of the origin of the lice?— The only thing I think was that the men brought them with them. I know perfectly well that in ooming down in the train from Newcastle I saw men take their shirts off and shake the lice out of them. I was in the same truck with them and saw it. 658. It was no fault of those controlling the supply of blankets that the lice appeared in the blankets after you left ?—No, sir, as far as I could see. 659. And you were in a position to see ? —Yes ; I issued the blankets. 660. Mr. Millar.] In connection with the water, a man who did not get washed before 8 o'clock did not get washed at all ?—The water was put on again for an hour or an hour and a half. 661. Was it on for an hour in the morning and for an hour and a half in the midday for washing?— Yes. 662. At what part of the voyage was water given to the men to wash their clothes? —I thmk it was after we left Albany, but I would not be sure at what part of the voyage. 663. Do you not think the men would have a better chance of keeping themselves clean if they had a certain amount of water to wash their clothes ?—lf a man washed his clothes before he came on board he did not want to wash them every week. 664. Were the clothes clean when they came from the veldt ? —That I could not say. 665. Would it be likely that the men would go on board ship, after coming down the whole way from the veldt, with a clean stock of clothes?—No, Ido not think they would. 666. Then, probably their clothes were dirty when they came on board? —Yes, a certain amount of them. 667. I suppose no such thing as salt-water soap was issued to the men?—No, sir. 668. You gave evidence that bacon was sometimes given for breakfast: was there sufficient for the whole lot ? —Sometimes it would be short, because it was impossible to cut up bacon for a thousand men accurately. 669. Was it possible for any member of the contingents to say that bacon was not given? —No. 670. If a man gave evidence that neither bacon nor cheese was ever served out, that evidence would be wrong?— Yes; but he might have been away when it was given. 671. During a twenty-eight-days voyage was it possible he did not see the bacon?—lt is scarcely possible. I saw it served out. 672. Was there a sergeants' mess on board the " Britannic"? —Yes. 673. Where ?—On the troop-deck. 674. Separate from the men?— Yes, as regards the mess. The men were alongside of them. 675. Do you think that tends to promote discipline amongst men? —No, I do not think so. 676. That the sergeants should mess along with the men ?—They did not mess along with the men. 677. But they were amongst the men all the time? —Yes. 678. Do you think such a thing is likely to promote good discipline ?—Of course, it would be better if they were separate. 679. In your own experience, did the sergeants mess along with the troops ?—No; they had separate accommodation. 680. You said they were quite as crowded in the other troopship you went in as in this one ? —Yes. 681. But still you admit they had sufficient room in the other ship to have a separate mess for the sergeants ?—Yes ; but there were a smaller number of men there. It was altogether different from this. 682. When you went Home you drilled forenoon and afternoon ?—Yes. 683. So you had plenty of space ?—Yes. 684. Could you have drilled these contingents twice a day if you wanted to ?—I suppose it would be a hard matter. 685. Was there much room to spare on deck when they were all on deck ?—No. 686. Do you think that the officers took that proper interest in the men which it was their duty to do ?—I certainly think so. 687. You stated that two windsails went into the lower deck? —Yes. 688. Does that refer to the whole length of the ship ?—There were two decks forward and two aft, and there were two windsails forward and two aft. 689. Where did they go? —Eight down below. 690. How was the wind coming from Durban ?—On the beam generally. 691. Is it not generally pretty well aft in coming from Durban ?—Not this time. It was more inclined to be on the beam. 692. You know that if the wind was blowing in the same direction as the ship was going you would not get the same current of air as if you were steaming against it ? —I know, sir. 693. How do you imagine there was any ventilation in the lower deck forward ?—Through the windsails. 694. How far away from the current of air would be the furthest bunk? —About 40ft. 695. That was from the companion-way ?—Yes; the hatch went straight down by the bulkhead.