These private gifts were not the only nor the largest ones. The _Times_,
which you will remember had been the first to reveal the terrible
conditions in the Crimea, now set to work and organized a fund for the
relief of the wounded. A subscription list was opened, and from every
part of the United Kingdom money flowed in like water. The _Times_
undertook to distribute the money, and appointed a good and wise man,
Mr. McDonald, to go out to the East and see how it could best be
applied.
And now a strange thing came to pass; the sort of thing that, in one way
or another, was constantly happening in connection with the Crimean War.
Mr. McDonald went to the highest authorities in the War Office and told
of his purpose. They bowed and smiled and said the _Times_ and its
subscribers were very kind, but the fact was that such ample provision
had been made by the Government that it was hardly likely the money
would be needed. Mr. McDonald opened his eyes wide; but he was a wise
man, as I have said; so he bowed and smiled in return, and going to
Sidney Herbert, told his story to him.
"Go!" said Mr. Herbert; "Go out to the Crimea!" and he went.
When he reached the seat of war, it was the same thing over again. The
high officials were very polite, very glad to see him, very pleased that
the people of England were so sympathetic and patriotic; but the fact
was that nothing was wanted; they were amply supplied; in short,
everything was "all right."
Many men, after this second rebuff, would have given the matter up and
gone home; but Mr. McDonald was not of that kind. While he was
considering what step to take next, one man came forward to help him;
one man who was brave enough to defy Red Tape, for the sake of his
soldiers. This was the surgeon of the 39th regiment. I wish I knew his
name, so that you and I could remember it. He came to Mr. McDonald and
told him that his regiment, which had been stationed at Gibraltar, had
been ordered to the Crimea and had now reached the Bosporus. They were
going on to the Crimea, to pass the winter in bitter cold, amid ice and
snow; and they had no clothes save the light linen suits which had been
given them to wear under the hot sun of Gibraltar.
Here was a chance for the _Times_ fund! Without more ado Mr. McDonald
went into the bazaars of Constantinople and bought flannels and woolens,
until every man in that regiment had a good warm winter suit in which to
face the Crimean winter.
Did anyone else follow the example of the surgeon of the 39th? Not one!
Probably many persons thought he had done a shocking thing, by thus
exposing the lack of provision in the army for its soldiers' comfort.
This was casting reflection upon Red Tape! Better for the soldier to
freeze and die, than for a slur to be cast upon those in authority, upon
the rules of the service!
So, though McDonald stood with hands held out, as it were, offering
help, no one came forward to take it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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