The Portland daily press., 1864-05-09
Monday Morning, MAJ 0, 1864.
From the N. y. Rrching Posi-.
Can the Army Ration be improyed

We have learned some things 10 the war /;
for instance, new uses for cavalry have been
discovered, which were, il not unknown, yet
little practised in Europe; not only cavalry,
but even infantry raids" have been made by
both sides, showing powers of marching and
endurance seldom found in the armies OF Eu-
rope. But whatever daring and determined
generals have done with troops, they have done
under the same conditions as regards arms and
supplies, which have governed all modern ar
mics. IL does not appear TO have occurred to
any one in the Subsistence Department to iE-
quire whether some radical change might not
he made, by which the burdens of the soldier
should be so lightened, and his ration so con-
densed as to make his march easier, his sup
plies surer in every emergency and his cooking
independent OF the train, which lags behind
and can scarcely ever be at haud at the time
when ii is most wanted.
Professor +. n. Horsford, lately Rumford
Professor in Harvard University, and there
fore especially devoted to "the application of
science TO the art of living" has, at the re-
quest of army officers, investigated this ques-
ton of an improved army ration, and in an
interesting pamphlet, published by Van Nos
trand, shows that, with great saving TO the
country and increased comfort TO the soldier,
the present marching ration which weighs
from thirty-two to forty ounces, and occupies
about one hundred cubic inches, may be re-
duced in weight 10 thirteen or sixteen ounces,
and In bulk to thirty-five cubic inches, without
diminishing its nutritious value, by simply re-
moving the inedblc portions and the water
from it, and COMPRISING it.
The present army ration contains all that is
essential to support life-so far it is arranged
In accordance with natural laws. 1t has suiIi-
cent variety 10 satisfy the palate as well as
the especial demands OF the soldiers system
Thus, IL has been noticed that when volunteers
first enter the field they eat more beef than
pork, but the old campaigner prefers pork.
The French soldiers in the Crimea consumed
in the proportion Of one pound Of salt beef TO
ten of salt pork.
But the present army ration is very bulky;
and this IL grieyous obstacle 10 movements
OF great armies In a region like Virginia
where supplies cannot be found, and where
guerrillas hover upon the communications OF
an advancing army, to intercept supply trains.
An army or an expedition must therefore carry
the supplies along. Now, under the present
system, men cannot march with more than
eight days rations in knapsacks and haver-
sacks, aud even this supply of food is half
wasted before the soldier has marched a day.
through the impossibilty of slowing 1t slug
ly. Ii he leans against anything he crushes
his hard bread; ii it rains, most likely his
sugar, coffee, meat and pulverized bread are
found in the shape of disgusting dough in
eat or starve. So that even for his eight
days march he is not comfortably or sufii-
ciently supplied; and all extended and rapid
operations with heavy force become almost
impossible.
The present ration consists OF bread, pork
or beef, coffee and sugar; weighs thrty-tso
or forty ounces, and occupies one hundred
cubic inches in the pack. For this, Professor
Horsford proposes 10 substitute a ration con-
sisting Of fresh beef prepared in the form Of
sausage, properly seasoned, compressed so as
to expel nearly all the moisture, and of course
without bone or other uneatable parts. Three
ounces of beef prepared in the way he de-
scribes, would make full meat ration. Iu-
stead of hard bread, he proposes eight ounces
OF roasted ground wheat, or eleven ounces of
self-raising flour, which be shows will be an
adequate substitute for the present bread ra-
ton. Eight days rations at present weigh
from sixteen TO twenty pounds, and occupy
bulk of over eight hundred cubic inches; the
substitute of Professor Horsford would occu-
py but two hundred aud fifty cubic inches:
aud he asserts that, with the help OF mules
to carry additional supplies of sausaged beef
aud roasted wheat, an army of one hundred
thousand men might safely cut adriit from its
base for an operation requiring thirty or forty
days.
he would use concentrated preparation
of coffee, properly sweetened, which could be
mixed as easily with cold US with warm water;
and he urges that government should furnish
tobacco as a part of the ration. In this, every
person who has served in the war, or who has
ever undergone hardship or exposure OF any
kind, will agree with him. On the march or
In the bivouac, pipe is the promoter OF
cheerfulness; il adds 10 the endurance of the
soldier, and fortifles his body against malaria
and disease. To make the improvement com
plete, Professor Horsford proposes that each
soldier shalt be enabled 10 cook his own ra-
tions, something which Napoleon declared to
be necessary TO efficiency. He does this By
:" enclosing the regulation canteen in two
closely-ftting concave sheet-iron pans, held
In place by fork and spoon locked together,
and which may be detached at pleasure. The
soldier is provided with a plate, ifying-pan,
bake pan, cup, fork, and spoon-these take the
place OF similar articles now carried in less
convenient way-with which the soldier can
prepare his ration or cook anything he may
get on the march,"
What an immense difference would be made
in the transportation of the army by such
change In the army ration as is above sug-
gested, may be seen from few facts scatter
ed through Professor Horford's pamphlet
A barrel that will contain one hundred and
ninety-six pounds OF -four will hold but seven
ty-hve pounds OF hard bread. An army wag-
on which will carry fifteen barrels OF -four,
will carry but one-seventh of this -four in the
form of freshly baked bread. Anox weigh
ing fifteen hundred pounds furnishes TO the
government which buys him, and slaughters
him in the field, but about six aud half per
cent. Of its weight in eatable meat Accord
ing to Colonel Eaton, commissary at this port,
the army ration of fresh beef at Hilton Head,
costs the government thirty cents, at a time
when excellent canned meats cost but sixteen
cents delivered. Professor Horsf1rd suggests
that instead of supplying salt beef and pork
In their present shape, at least three quarters
of the bulk being water-or fresh beef on the
hoof transported by rail from the western
praries at great Disagreement should
kill the cattle In Illinois, in their best eond-
ton, and then. in proper factories, prepare,
season and condense the meat Ia the most
perfect manner possible.