“The way you intend carrying out your plan seems very practicable.”
“Well,” said the Duke, addressing the Duchess of Sutherland, “you must excuse me leaving now, as I have but a short time to get to Downing-street. Mr. Soyer, I shall have much pleasure in submitting your plan to the Ministerial Council, and will report progress.”
After the Duke’s departure, a general conversation was opened upon the subject, and having exchanged a few words with Lord and Lady Blantyre and the Duchess of Sutherland, who kindly promised to acquaint me with the result, I withdrew, and left Stafford House. No sooner home, having obtained the correct ration-scale of provisions from Dr. Andrews’s office, than I formed a very fair idea of what I could do for the best.
The next morning, February 11th, about ten o’clock, I received the following communication from her Grace:
The Duchess of Sutherland has just seen his Grace the Duke of Argyle, who has spoken to Lord Panmure upon the subject of Mr. Soyer’s offer. I think Lord Panmure is willing to forward the humane and practical views of Mr. Soyer, and will see Mr. Soyer at the War Office to-morrow.
The Duchess wishes to have the pleasure of seeing Monsieur Soyer after his visit to Lord Panmure.
Upon receipt of this letter I immediately went, as desired, to the War Department to see Lord Panmure’s private secretary, Mr. Ramsay, and inquire when and where I could see his lordship. The hearty reception I met with from that gentleman was a most favourable augur, and encouraged me to persist in the very precarious undertaking in which I was about to engage, although many friends and near relations strongly tried to prevent me from pursuing it, placing constantly before my eyes the most sinister pictures, which, I am proud to say, never for a moment altered my mind. Having but one object in view, I was determined to see only the best side of the medal, and chance the rest.
Mr. Ramsay having arranged my interview with Lord Panmure for the next morning, I then retired, thanking him much for his very kind and courteous reception. I went home to test a few samples of diets and aliments I had prepared from the soldiers’ rations; placing the whole of them in small vases, well packed, I sent them to Stafford House, there to remain till my arrival. In about an hour I had a second interview with the Duchess of Sutherland and a number of her noble family. After speaking of my visit to the War Office, and my appointment with his lordship for the morning,
“Lord Blantyre,” the Duchess said, “has some business at the War Department to-day, and I shall trouble his lordship to remit another letter from me on the subject to Lord Panmure, who has, at the present time, so much to do that it is likely your interview might be postponed for another day.”
“I can assure your Grace that the extreme interest you take in my behalf appears to me a good omen, assuring me of success, in case I should be sent to the seat of war. I would also observe that, being well aware of the value of Lord Panmure’s time, in a few minutes I shall be able to unfold my plan, and he will no doubt at once perceive whether it is practicable or not, and will give me a decided answer; therefore, to lose time, on either side, would be impolitic. But, before I leave, will your Grace honour me by inspecting a few samples of hospital diets which I have prepared as a test, from the rations as at present given to the soldiers? They will form part of my new system, if approved by the medical officers.”