Leaving  Edinburgh  on  Wednesday  morning,  the  train  arrived  at


NAVAL  AMBULANCE  TRAINS.  575

Chatham  on  Thursday  evening,  the  round  journey  being  generally  accom-
plished in  about  thirty-four  hours ;  and,  inasmuch  as  the  patients  had
comfortable  cots,  were  fed  each  according  to  his  prescribed  dietary,  and
were  well  cared  for  generally,  it  is  not  likely  that  even  those  from
Edinburgh  for  Chatham  found  the  journey  especially  trying.
This  programme  was  subject  to  certain  alterations.  The  round  tour
might,  for  instance,  be  started  at  Invergordon  instead  of  at  Edinburgh
if  any  considerable  number  of  patients  should  have  been  landed  at  the
former  port,  a  standard  train  (with  an  additional  engine  for  the  heavy
gradients)  then  taking  the  place,  as  between  Invergordon  and  Edinburgh,
of  No.  4  train ;  while  every  fortnight  the  ambulance  train  arriving  at
Plymouth  took  patients  on  from  the  naval  hospital  there  to  the  con-
valescent hospital  at  Truro,  the  arrival  at  Chatham  being,  in  this  case,
delayed  until  Friday  morning.
Under  the  arrangements  made,  one  of  the  four  standard  naval  trains
was  always  at  Chatham,  ready  for  any  emergency  that  might  arise  in
the  South.  This  meant,  in  practice,  that  the  train  which  got  there  on
Thursday  night  or  Friday  morning  remained  until  the  next  regular
train  came,  the  following  week,  when  the  train  in  waiting  would  start
on  its  own  return  journey  to  Edinburgh.
