In supersession of previous instructions, a column composed as under will be held in readiness to proceed, on field-service scale, from Aden into the interior of Arabia:-- In Command: Lieutenant-Colonel F. P. English, 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Staff Officer: Major S. M. Edwards, D.S.O., 2nd Bombay Grenadiers. Supply and Transport Officer: Captain W. C. W. Harrison, Supply and Transport Corps. Staff Medical Officer: Captain I. A. O. MacCarthy, Royal Army Medical Corps. 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers (including section of maxim gun and twelve signallers) 225 N.C.O.'s and men. No. 45 company, Royal Garrison Artillery (with two seven-pounder mountain guns and four nine-pounders) 80 " {25 horsemen. Aden Troop {12 camelmen. 2nd Bombay Grenadiers A double company. Section A. No. 16 British Field Hospital. " " 68 Native " " If the column is required to move out, they will be joined _en route_ (if necessary) by a detachment of No. 3 company Bombay Sappers and Miners. (By Order) C. H. U. PRICE, _Major_, _D.A.A.G. Aden District_. The following officers of the regiment accompanied the column:--Lieutenant Haskard, Lieutenant Wheeler, Lieutenant Smith, Second Lieutenant Tredennick, Second Lieutenant W. F. Higginson. The following standing orders are quoted in full, as they give a good idea of the scope of the operations, the difficulties likely to be met with, and the precautions taken to overcome those difficulties:-- COLUMN STANDING ORDERS BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL F. P. ENGLISH, COMMANDING ADEN COLUMN. _December 24th, 1902._ 1. _Water._--It is anticipated that in all probability it will be difficult to obtain good drinking water in sufficient quantities on some of the marches into the interior. All ranks are therefore cautioned to husband their drinking water as much as possible. Troops and followers should be forbidden to draw water from the camel tanks without permission from the officer in charge, and be cautioned against drinking water from any but authorised sources, as some of the water on the route is brackish and liable to bring on diarrhoea. Each unit will detail an officer or selected N.C. officer to be in charge of the water camels, who will see that their supply is only drawn on by order of the officer commanding, and that great care is taken to prevent wastage. Whenever possible, water tanks and bottles should be replenished; halts will be made for this purpose. Water-bottles will be filled overnight. On arrival in camp, the sources of water supply will be pointed out by the staff officer, and sentries posted to see that the right people draw from the right source.