Orange Free State.—Area about 50,000 square miles, bounded on the north by the Transvaal, the east by Natal and Basutoland, and on the south and west by Cape Colony. Population in 1898, 400,000, two-thirds of whom were blacks. Revenue, £799,757. Expenditure, £956,752. Postal service profit, £2510. Telegraph service, £3140. The place is rich in diamonds, gold, iron, saltpetre, and various other metals and minerals of less valuable description.
Organisation.—The organisation of an army is the duty of a general staff in time of peace, and should be so perfect in detail as not to break down in the eventuality of war. Owing to the unpreparedness and inferiority of France in the matter of organisation, she was beaten by Germany in 1870 and 1871.
Parole.—An officer in the hands of the enemy may be permitted to proceed to his country on parole, having promised not to take up arms against his captors till the war is over.
Patrol.—A party of men moving between the line of posts, to keep one informed of the state of the other. Also a body of men told off for purposes of quelling disturbances, picking up stragglers, &c.
Pickets.—The real outposts of any body of troops are the pickets with their dependent small bodies, patrols, and vedettes. As a rule twenty to thirty men is a reasonable strength for a picket.
Pietermaritzburg.—Capital of Natal. Population 20,155, consisting of 11,309 whites, 2692 Indians, 6151 natives. It possesses some fine buildings, hotels and churches, a theatre, a museum, and a library. It boasts three newspapers and a lunatic asylum.
Pietersburg.—A gold-producing locality 240 miles north-east of Pretoria.
Pigeons (Carrier).—Birds known as homing pigeons that supply the most simple and practical means of transmitting orders to a distance during military operations. Carrier pigeons are said to have been used by the ancient Roman navigators as a species of pigeon telegraph before the time of the Cæsars.
Pont.—Ferry over a river.
Pontoon.—Flat-bottomed open boat like a punt, used by Royal Engineers for supporting temporary bridges by which troops can cross a river.