Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-16

to the habits and products Of different
countries. The great objects are, ti,st
ana mainly, 10 sustain the health and
spirit OF the troops: aud the neSi. 10 do
II with the least possible expence. The
system which effects these in The greatest
degree is The most perfect. Tie ration,
as established by The act OF The 10th
MaicI, 1902, experience proves to be ant
PIE IN qushtiiy, but not OF the Quality
best Calculated 10 secure either health &c
economy. II consists OF eighteen ounces
vi Tread, or -four. one pound and "a quar-
ter oil bcei, or three quarters Of pound
OF pork, one gill of rum, brandy or wbh-
key, amt i'll i;ie rate of two quarts Of salt.
four quarts OF vinegar, four pounds Of
soap, and one pound and half OF can-
dies, 10 every hundred raiions
ihe objections 10 il IN relation 10 TIE
bealft OF tlie army, are fully stated Ia a
report %! The Surgeons Gerferat;o sl,e War
Department. (narhed u which wculsi
respectfully annex as apaYs of this report.
Under Ibis view o! lie subject mere urcd
not be added. except 10 urge lis in.pur-
lance, both ON the score 81 humanity ana
p0iicy.
Our people, even fl,e poorest, beingsc-
cusiamcd.io plentiful mode oi living,
require, 10 preserve their health, co,i-
mutation, N considerable degree, of .iha
SAME habits oi life, IN camp ) aud :,
snddcn and grea. departure rom il sub
Jccis them, as Is proved by experience. 10
great mortality. Our losses, in the late
and pulmonary wars, from this cause.
we're probably much greater than from
tue sword. However well qualified Tor
war in other respects, In ihe mere eapa-
city OF bearing prlvaiions, we are inier,ar
10 most nations. An American would
sarye on What Tartar would live on
with CONTEXT. In fact, barbarous and op-
pressed nations have, in this particular, a
striking advantage, which, however, onshr
10 he much more than compensated by
the shill az resources of a free and civi-
lized eopie. II, how ever, such people
want tie Sh'ii and spirit 10 direct its re-
sources to us defence, the very wealth,
by which il ought to defend itself, be-
comes The motive for Invasion and con-
quest. ..Brsides, there is something
shocking TO the feelings, that, in "a coun-
Try OF plenty beyond all others, in a
country which ordinarily Is SO careful of
the happiness and life OF The neanesi OF
his citizens, Ills brave defenders, who are
not only ready, but anxious 10 expose
theIr lives for The safely and glory Of
their country, should, through deiec-
tive system otsuppIy, be permitted almost
10 siarve, or 10 perish by. the poison Of
nnwholesome food, as has Frequently been
The cese. II il could be supposed that
these considerations are moi sufficient to
excite The most anxious care on this sub
Jeet, we ought 10 remember that nothing
adds more 10 the expense of military
operations, or exposes more 10 lis disas-
iers, Than the sickness and mortality whieh
result from defective or uawholesome
SunntleS IT. 4
the subject, considerable changes have
been made in the ration, under the au.
thorliS OF the Sth section OF the act regu-
ia'iDg the staff of TIE army, passed al The
iast session o. Congress. The vegeia-
Die part OF the ration has been much ia
creased. Twice Il week, half allowance
OF meat, with a suitable quantity OF peas
or beans, is directed 10 be issued. Flesh
meat has also been substituted, twice a
week for sailed. In the southern dlvj-
sion, bacon and kiln dried Indiau cora
meal have been, 10 a certain extent, sub
siiiuied tor pork and wheat -four. In adj
dition, orders have been given, ii all The
permanent posts where II can be done 10
cultivate suiiIcIeit supply of ordinary
garden vegetables for lie use OF Tie
ir"ops; and, al the posts remote from tie
settled parts of the country, she order is
ID.
10 the supply of the meat part of the ra-
lion, both 10 avoid the expc,,cU of distant
and expensive transportation, and 10 Sc
care, AT ali tines, supply within tie
POSTS themselves.
In addition TO these changes, am Of
opinion, The spirit part OF the ration, as
regular issue, ought Ia be dispensed
with; and such appears 10 be The opinion
81 most of the officers of the ARM. u
both produces aRd pErpcilt3ics habits of
lHiernperaacc, destructive alike 10 the
health and moral and pli, sical eueypv of
HE soldiers. The spirits ought TO be
placed III depot, and be issued Occasjop-
ally, under The discretion oi ibe COM
mander. Thus used, lis noxiOus effects
would be avoided, and the troops, when
great cho.ts were necessary, would, by a
IndIcious use, derive important benefits
from II. MOlasses, beer, anu cider. az
cording to circumstances, might BE used
as substitutes. The substitution of ba
con and kiln dried corn meal, in The SON
thern division, will have, il is believed
valuable effects. They are boil, n,uch
more congeuial 10 The habits Of HE ppo.
pie that section of our counlrv Ccrn
meal, las another, and in my ot,;aion
great and almost decisive asysntagp -
requires so little arl L. prepare il f., use
tits moi easy TO make good bread Of wlea,
-four, whileii lsalniosi impossible TO uyket
bad OF that OF Indian corn. y, sides
wheat Is much more liable TO be damaoei
Than the Indian corn, for the latfer is Lrt.
Ter protected against disease and lbp Ell
iects OF bad seasons IN iinp OC Larvl.t
than any other g,aIn; and, when iniureJ
The good IS easily separated from lie bad.