The best reply that was made to Miss Hobhouse, and to the lack of prudence which spoiled her good intentions, was a letter which Mrs.Henry Fawcett addressed to the _Westminster Gazette_.

In clear, lucid diction this letter re-established facts on their basis of reality, and explained with self-respect and self-control the inner details of a situation which the malcontents had not given themselves the trouble to examine.
"First," says this forceful document, "I would note Miss Hobhouse's frequent acknowledgments that the various authorities were doing their best to make the conditions of Camp life as little intolerable as possible.

The opening sentence of her report is, 'January 22 .-- I had a splendid truck given me at Cape Town through the kind co-operation of Sir Alfred Milner--a large double-covered one, capable of holding twelve tons.' In other places she refers to the help given to her by various officials.

The commandant at Aliwal North had ordered L150 worth of clothing, and had distributed it; she undertook to forward some of it.

At Springfontein 'the commandant was a kind man, and willing to help both the people and me as far as possible.' Other similar quotations might be made.
Miss Hobhouse acknowledges that the Government recognise that they are responsible for providing clothes, and she appears rather to deprecate the making and sending of further supplies from England.