The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-19
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properly feeding an army IN order that IL may
be ready for hehtine are among the common
places OF the military art. And in time OF peace
among the Rarrisons the food II also leading
subject OF consideration. since Dissatisfaction
and perhaps desertion may result from the
failure to supply good rations, we'll cooked
The troubles at Fort Sheridan, where COM
plant was made OF the food aud whore at one
meal many enlisted men left the mess room
without eating. called greater attention to =
subject which In fact had long been under
discussion. namely. the relative advantages
OF post and company messes. The difference
OF opinion on this point among officers is
marked. For example, In Gen. Brecsinridges
last report. Col J. W. Forsyth Seventh Cavalry.
com m andine the large garrison at Fort Riley.
quoted as neutrality-suspicious.. after an
experience OF several years with consolidated
post messes. that they be not constructed at
any military post where they do not now exist;
and In like manner Capt. J. NJ Lee. Ninth In
| fantry. an inspection ofncer reports that
post mssecs, In comparison with company
messes, are neither conducive to contentment
nor efficiency under the varying conditions OF
| tho service. The majority OF experienced
| officers prefer the latter as better adapted to
the comfort Of their men under all circnm-
hIhnCoA fTODhOy on per cent. Ol the boiultI5
| who have lived under both systems are much
| better satisfied under the homo or company
mess. The reasons for this preference are 30
many and so apparentthat they need not be
| repeated here"
On the other hand. Col. NJ A. Cochran. Sixth
| Infantry. commanding at Fort Grant. declares
that an experience OF three years shows him
that the post moss IL preferable to the com
pany mess" being. IL properly managed.
more economical and convenient" and Col
A. X. Arnold. First Cavalry. thinks that ut
permanent post. where men are not likely to
| be called out post mess IL preferable. as In
this case all men would DO fed alike. and 1t
| would take q less number OF men to do the
| work usual to cooking" As to it's economy.
that would depend on the cooks and the officer
In charge. Still. on tho frontier. at the tenn
porary posts. where the Rarrisons are con-
stantly changing. this method would hardly
ments constantly out. or being made ready for
| field service. the com pany mess is better.
the army and Gen. Bresk ridge. summing up
the matter, concludes that, opinions IN pref
SrJ 81 post OF As and
favor the COMPANY mess. though the number
eosts tSs latter sss sn
vorsally favored. but where troops OF the line
are concerned other considerations come IN.
| In 1892 there were ten consolidated nost
e.! !ssSS Y. saSsF ss% Ssss
were company messes only.
| Among the arguments in favor Of the con-
greater variety and excellence OF food and
better cooking with less demand. on the time
s. sS 81 s and The
| plan deny that these advantages exist and
Say out Si on Ss
mess and that Il the latter Is given up they they
/ Ia nall m IN
consequence. An answer to this last argu-
| ment 10 that field cooking has to be very linn
to submit to worse cooking than Is necessary
through years OF garrison life on the chance OF
going experiment.. Two or three years ago
begun beg ma and Col L. = Hughes made this report;
20 nS seo GGs o @ =. p.G
COOK pr..idnT in The ANY fl,sS.n fsofenedie.
r G' $ IL.
in that direction The other is to make the pay OF III.
opsrsar. G a'sr eosr:. would give the best gem
on Mh tno ss s ana na%.a ssoa ha. lie
advantage Of economy and consequently better table
III. constant modification. going on at the great
essns.
ps. r s: yss e
TG ' ps
a. COOKS aud not As private soldiers. saSjs:t %.
rules and articles of wh but not subject to do duty In
and their monthly pay higher
The interest OF the Government Is to adopt
that system which suits the men best. and Is
| productive OF the best results Gen. Du Barry.
whom Commissary- General, advised the en-
listment OF one experienced cook for each
each garrisoned post. He considered that the
results would be shown in the health and con-
tentment OF the men, A bill for organizing
so-callsd eommlssary detachment. to consist
| one or more assistant bakers. was several
years ago introduced into Congress by MIR.
to the duty was Indicated By the proposal to
pay the baker $50 Der month. with the usual
increases for length OF service.
Another project once suggested was to have
cooking schools. with competent Instructors.
at the recruiting stations since sour or half
baked bread. hard potatoes. and overdone or
set; but the same result would be better at
tanned by getting cooks beforehand who need
enough 10 tempt skilled disciples OF the cuii.
nary art TO enlist, Col. Closson once suggested
that in the mes, hal personal grsferenee and
pleasure OF meals is enhanced thereby.
1t is quite clear that the ration itself Is SUIT
usually good. Gen. BrscEinridge says that
oilers are better fed than those Of any other ma
army. and complaints are diminishing"
Certainly they were mot better fed hundred
years ago, when the daily ration was one pound
OF beef or three-quarters OF pound OF pork:
one pound OF bread or -four. and half q
Gill OF rum. brandy or whisIey-adding TO
foI 81 os
candles, Gen, BreckinridEe says that no
article Of food is more generally excellent than
81 the Sur asd the Ss salt sn sSS
there Is more dlmeulty still In getting compe-
With sI PSs yet
| baked in adjoining towns without additional