( 5 )

mittee, and also to the apparent want of interest shown by the Command-
ing Officer who countersigned the report without remark.

   11. Looking to the nature of the work, it is not to be wondered at
that now that there is a separate Army Medical Department, Dr. Planck
expresses his hope that this will be the last time an Indian Medical
Officer in civil employ is required to write the report. The Military
Department will be asked whether it is desired that the present arrange-
ment should continue.

   12. There can be no doubt Dr. Planck is quite right when he says
(para. 101)—" the capacity centres entirely in the Officers Commanding
regiments, batteries or detachments. And until this is thoroughly recog-
nised and acted on as a fixed principle, the lock hospital endeavour will
languish in future." It is certain that any amount of pressure which can
be brought to bear on the women, or amount of attention paid to the
detection and cure of disease in those that are registered, in a word
the keeping up of lock hospitals in a state of utmost sufficiency, will not
alone suffice, so long as measures cannot be devised to prevent the soldier
from promiscuous intercourse with any woman he may find willing to
invite or to accept his offers. The true remedy would seem to be to hold
Commanding Officers responsible for the discipline and efficiency of their
men in this as in other respects, and not to accept any excuses of inability
on their part when disease is unduly prevalent. (I am again to refer here
to the remarks already made by this Government in paras. 5 and 6 of its
letter No. 176 of 17th August, 1880, on the report for 1879 ). But whether
this is straining their responsibility too far, and expecting too much, is for
the Military authorities to consider. The existence of the evil is beyond
all doubt; the mode in which it can be suppressed has been clearly indi-
cated; and it is one which pertains to Military discipline alone, and with
which the civil power is not competent to deal. It can only suggest,
and point out the conclusions indicated by the results, as has been done
in the foregoing review, and leave the Military authorities to take such
action as they may think fit,

I have the honor to be,

SIR,

Your most obedient servant,

C. ROBERTSON,

Secretary to Government,

N.-W. Provinces and Oudh.

No. 130.

   COPY, with copy of report, forwarded to the Secretary to the
Government of India, in the Military Department, special attention being
drawn to para. 11.

No. 131.

   Copy, with copy of report, also forwarded to the Quartermaster-
General in India.