The Twentieth Century Volume 80 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 Excerpt: ... entitling him to a free railway pass to the place named thereon, which would be his home. Another page would contain a warrant for a sovereign, to be cashed by the military authorities at the Front, so that the traveller may have money for food while on his journey. The four following pages would also contain money warrants, each for a sovereign. They would be made payable at the post-office of the town to which he is proceeding, which will be inscribed on them, and they will be dated at intervals of one week and will be payable on or after those dates. These warrants will be non-transferable. Instructions will also be printed on the document directing that the man at departure will take with him his arms, equipment, and clothing, that he will be responsible for the same, and will be charged for their value unless he hands them in at the nearest military centre to his home, where he must get a receipt in duplieate for them, a copy of what that receipt is like being attached to the document--one of the receipts he is to post to the depot of his unit and the other he can retain in case it is required. No man will be expected to take any further action as regards going to his depot to close up his accounts. The military authorities will be responsible for sending him his discharge certificates in due course, with his Army character, certificate, etc., and the balance of pay (if any) which is due to him. The advances of pay in the way of cash warrants cannot be stopped for any purpose such as paying a regimental debt. It would, of course, be necessary in demobilising a very big body of troops to publish orders as to what numbers were to be brought back daily, as obviously you could not bring more than a certain number of men on any particular day. These discha...