GOSSIP FROM EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2381, 10 February 1915, Page 6

GOSSIP FROM EGYPT

NEW ZEALANDERS' SICK LIST KITCHENER & THE KHEDIVE' A member of the New Zealand Expeditionary I'oree attached to tho Medical Corps sends the following "interesting letter from Egypt:—. Unlike tlie ever-changing events and new scenes that a sea voyage offers, a military camp is routine with a vengeance, and now that we have settled down here at Zeitun the days pass in a very methodical niannor. All branches of tho Force, are very busily engaged, with their training—as I write the artillery is rattling past at a trot on its way to the'training ground, the mounted men can be seen every day away out in the dessert carrying out manoeuvres, etc., 'and the infantry have already had route marches, and one or two occasions have bivoiiaced for the night and returned to camp nest day. An inspection of the whole Force was 'held this week by Lieut.-General Birdwood, who has command of the colonial forcos. I' understand that the General was highly delighted with the parade. Our horses are undoubtedly becoming very fit, and as the men get used to living on the desert the epidemics peculiar to a "sand diet" gradually disappear, and the general health is 'much bettor. There is a good supply of water laid on to the camp, but what is now wanted is a few shower baths installed. The men are prohibited from bathing in Cairo owing to the danger of-contract-ing a fever which attacks white people. The men are now having messes erected for them, and as soon as these are completed the Force will be very comfortably settled. We are not without troubles, however, for there are already, two cases of smallpox, one of diphtheria, and four of scarlet fever, to say nothing of 28 cases of measles. Every member of the Force (with the exception tf those who have been vaccinated within the last eighteen months) is to be vaccinated at once. Up to the present the ambulances have been treating all the infectious cases in the camp, at a specially erected infectious hospital, but. these are now being transferred to the local. infectious hospital. All other cases that are considered by the medical officers to be too ill for ■ treatment in camp' are' sent to the Egyptian Military Hospital, which is at Abbassia (about half-way between the camp and Cairo), and which has been allotted to our Force. I visited one of our sergeants during : the week, who is a patient there, and I was astonished at the extent of the hospital and how very comfortable "and clean everything is. The six nurses , (female) who accompanied the Australian Force are on duty at this hospital, and a number of wealthy young Assyrian (sic) ladies are also assisting. . I understand the latter are very enthusiastic, and that there, are quite a number of others who are eagerly awaiting an opportunity to assist. The medical officer in charge of the hospital is a Royal Army Medical Corps officer, and is assisted by our own medical officers,; and I believe there are some Egyptian officers there too.

Captain Bell's Death. Captain J. A. T. Bell was on duty there, before his very sudden and sad death. I don't believe that there was a single man in the Force who did not know or had not heard of his popularity and ability. He was a great favourite on the .Maunganiii.'and you will remember I mentioned in my; previous notes that he had the experience of being transferred from ono ship to another in mid-ocean, on two occasions, during our journey here. 'Tho news of his sudden death came as a rude shock to everyone, and personally I-consider that we!have lost one of our best officers. I understand that the cause of death was haemorrhage on the brain. Since arriving here two of our men have died of pneumonia, and we have three other cases that were reported as seriously ill last week. I am glad to say, however, that the latest report is that they are all showing signs of improvement. .One of the men of the English Details also died during the week of meningitis. I should' perhaps explain that these Details comprise the New Zealanders who enlisted at Home, and have since been sent out here to join us. This increases our strength by 250, and we,also have attached to us tho First Australian Light Horse Brigade, and the Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps, which brings our strength up sufficiently to enable us to become a divi-sion-of our own.

Fortunately two mails arrived from New Zealand during Christmas week (one direct and the other sent on from England), and : as they were very large ones I have no. doubt everybody had word from their families and friends. These letters could not have arrived at a better time, for hard military training is not conducive to lightheartedness, I should think, and the arrival of letters would go a long way towards bucking up the weary ones. Cairo's ,"Zoo." The streets of Cairo were brown with khaki-clad men on Christmas Eve. I should say that tho whole of the men in and acound the city were' on leave that night. All the detention men, I know, were released for a certain number of hours. Taking everything into consideration, the men behaved themselves very well. There were certainly some disturbances, but is there a town worthy of the name in New Zealand whore some sort of a "dust-up" is missing on Christmas or New Year's Eve? On Christmas Day general leave was given again, and the men took advantage of this by visiting the various places of interest around the city., I paid a visit to the "Zoo," and was agreeably surprised at the extent arid interesting nature of the exhibits and their -surroundings. The grounds are beautifully kept, and the paths -are really wonderful. The letter are paved with small coloured stones, placed on edge and laid in all the most beautiful and fascinating designs one could imagine. "A native boys' band had possession of tho band rotunda, and while the rendering of their own native music was sufficient in its weirdness to attract olio's interest, their murdering of a few simple English selections made one's hair stand on end. There is Tather an amusing story told about this "Zoo"—it concerns a certain swing bridge. It appears that some years ago the then Khedive during a tour purchased rather a gorgeous bridge, and when it arrived he decided to present it to the Zoo. Unfortunately, however, there was no convenient ravine to swing the bridge over, but "Mr." Khedive was not to be beaten, so ordered that one be iaado, with the result that the bridge can now be seen in all its glory resting on the sides of the manufactured ravine. The animals are a very fine collection, and include nearly all those that are to be found in Africa and other parts of the world. On New Year's Day I paid a visit to the famous Citadel Mosque, and'this was a most interesting experience. I' am told that it is the second largest rnosquo in the world, being rivalled only by the great mosque of Constantinople. On arrival at the entrance wo were fitted out with a pair of shoes that fitted over our boots. It is considered desecration' to enter the mosque with boots on, but evidently tho wearing'of huge shoes over the boots gets ever tho difficulty—rather hard to '.inderst-rnul, but still such is the case. . Tho entrance admits you to the courtyard,- which is beautifully pared with . marble and is exactly like what one is used-to seeing in Biblical pictures, The huge fountain ..in tho centre, whero the worshippers

wash their feet before entering the mosque is a magnificent piece cf architecture. The interior of tho mosque is magnificent, and I am afraid quite beyond my powers of description. From tho rich heavy carpet- on tho 11-ior to the magnificent domes on the roof tho whole structure ia ono continual chain of beautiful workmanship. Suspended from the ceiling is a network of electric lights, which I believe are only lit once a year, on the occasion of the Khedive's visit. It must bo a glorious sight to see, and I am hoping that :>y some stroke of good fortune I will be able to witness the visit of the recently-installed Sultan to the mosque. The Khedive Discomfited. The general opinion expressed now is that we will not leaye helre until the latter end of February or the beginning of March. The English Territorials have finished their training, but even they do not expect to move on for a r.">onth or two yet. Everything is very quiet here, and the recent change in the Administration is working quite smoothly. Re-, sponsible men here declare that the Egyptians are .very glad of the change, for the late Khedive never displayed much loyalty to the British, and the average Egyptian is very loyal to us. I heard 1 of an incident that occurred during Lord Kitchener's term of office here. The Khedive was indirectly stirring up trouble with some of the Arabs, and lett one day, as he thought secretly, for the border, to confer with some of the leaders. The news of his departure was in due course reported to Lord Kitchener, and with only, half of his journey completed the Khedive found that his special train was shunted on to a siding and left there for tho. oight. Needless to say it got no further, and returned to Cairo next day. Kitchener's

naine is treated with tremendous respect here, and there is no doubt that lie has captured the hearts of the peoplo here. His firmness won for him the respect in which he is held, aaid after one's experience of the average native here one can quite understand how he commands the respect that he does. We have heard all sorts of rumours about the elections, and I will be glad to get some papers to find out definitely the exact position of the parties. A cablegram published here some days ago stated that the Government had a majority of eight, which was nuulo up principally by tho votes of Labour candidates who were elected, with leanings towards the Government. I could not understand this, as it is bard to imagine. One persistent rumour was that National Prohibition had been earned, but as there has been nothing published here regarding it, I place no reliance on the alleged information received. The weather continues to be beautifully sunny during the day and sharp at night. It is extraordinary how consistent it is. From letters raieived I hare learnt of the .very boisterous time you have been having in New Zealand, and I hope by now that the summer weather is prevailing. Our first mail contained letters written on November 27 and evidently came direct, but I have since received letters written on October 25, which came, no doubt, by a'mail that went Home first. There havo been two race meetings since wo arrived, bnt I have been unable to attend either of them. Some of our fellows went out, howovor, and managed to bring back a few extra piastres. I understand that the betting is all done on the totalisator, and that one can back a horse to run either first, second, or third. Tho racehorses themselves are really only Arab ponies, beautiful little animals to look' at, but not quite so fast as the average racehorse.