386 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP, actual restoration of health, seemed already the ^^' highest excellence. With the same righteous object at heart, and at nearly the very same time,(^-^) our males also passed into action ; but how did their brain- power work ? They formed and sent out a Commission to enquire into the then existing ' conditions and wants ' of our sick and wounded troops in the East, and also into the ' hospital ' accommodation ' provided for them, and into the adequacy of such accommodation for subse- quent ' contingencies ; ' and they were to carry their investigations to the point of attaining ' the full and complete truth,' and enabling themselves to present to the War Minister ' the ' most comprehensive Keport and the most de-
- sirable suggestions,' ' with a view to the cor-
' rection of any deficiencies which might exist ' or arise in the conduct of the hospital estab- ' lishments,' or generally in the measures adoj)ted for the care of our troops, sick or wounded. After conducting enquiries, which, for intricacy and probable tediousness might rival whole clusters of old-fashioned Cliancery suits, the Commission was to report home to the Duke of Newcastle ; (^^) and in completing instruc- tions which ensured such a loss of time as to make discomfiture certain, our male rulers ordered their tortoise to gallop as fast as it could. They gravely enjoined despatch. The enquiries directed were such as might well enough occupy a good number of months, if not, indeed, one or two years ; but, supposing
