BRITISH AT ASSOUAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1321, 21 August 1886, Page 2

BRITISH AT ASSOUAN.

Mr T. Doubeuoy writes to the Timet: 1 send a statement of the sad state of the health of the British soldiers at Assouan, with the hope that something may be done without delay tj amend their position. I can vouch for the accuracy of the accompanying extract, sent me by an officer in Egypt, wail acquainted with the facte stated. The writer wishes Ilia name |o be withheld, though he desires llf it the. reft facta should be published, *‘ June 7.

“ It is wholesale murder keeping the troops at Assouan. The frontier force lost 105 men dead, nearly all of enteric fever, in April and May, and the rate goes on increasing. The Jest week in May ending J une 1,-there were 21 deaths at Assouan, besides there are now 215 men in hospital at Assouan, SQO have been sent down the river sick, and 160 weakly men are now being sent to Cyprus to spend the summer there. If ail thjs goes on tljere will he a very small proportion of the brigade fit fop any fighting there may be In ihiii autumn. The men who are not nek, so depressed and ‘ slack that they are not a bit of good. I think that If It wet* better known at home what the state of things really is out here it wonld not be allowed to go on. They are nearly all yoong men that die, giving their ages between 21 and 23, but really much younger and quite unfit to stand the climate here, if they spent the rammer at Alexandria they wonld be healthy enough and ready for anything In the autumn. If stores are kept at Assouan the troops can be brought up in a very short time. I think people should koow at home how the men's lives are befog thrown away at Assouan ”