Besides, the incessant rumours of a night attack on Inayat
Kila, kept the whole force in their boots about three nights each week.
Civil officers should discharge diplomatic duties, and military officers
the conduct of war. And the collection of information is one of the most
important of military duties. Our Pathan Sepoys, the Intelligence
Branch, and an enterprising cavalry, should obtain all the facts that a
general requires to use in his plans. At least the responsibility can
thus be definitely assigned.
On one point, however, I have no doubts. The political officers must be
under the control of the General directing the operations. There must be
no "Imperium in imperio." In a Field Force one man only can command--and
all in it must be under his authority. Differences, creating
difficulties and leading to disasters, will arise whenever the political
officers are empowered to make arrangements with the tribesmen, without
consulting and sometimes without even informing the man on whose
decisions the success of the war and the lives of the soldiers directly
depend.
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