The Opelousas courier., 1896-07-25
EMERGENCY RATION.
Concentrated Food Carried by
Soldiers on the March.
Provisions for Long Trips in
Compact Tin Boxes.

ILL
One of the remote roomsin the Wal
Department at Washington looks like
a misplaced grocery store. It is the
place eff meeting of the board of army
officers convened to select an emer-
gency ration for the service. The
board is made up Of an army surgeon
who is a chemist !; q subsistence officer,
who has to do with provisioning of the
army, and other officers. fitted by their
work or experience for the task. All
European armies have emergency ra-,
tons, which is a technical expression
for a compact and conveniently dis
posed food to be carried by the soldier
on the march. The board must see
that the trooper is not burdened by
needless weight and that at the same
time he is supplied with sufficient and
nutritious food. It is difficult, say
the experts, to get condensed food
which will be also palatable.
The board makes a test of all the
various samples submitted, testing the
articles as to their chemical worth, as
we'll as to their value as food. There
are quantities of Clipped beef, canned,
each receptacle capable of being car
ried in o mans pocket, and holding
enough to last a soldier a day. There
are extracts of beef, from which nutrl-
tious stews and soups may be made by
using boiling water. Some of these ex-
tracts are powdered and are supposed
to have unusual nutrition. Most of
the extracts make reasonably good
soup some make a thick, sticky liquid
of not very pleasant taste. A favorlte
article of condensed provision is cof-
fee, an important feature in the sol
dler's bill Of fare. There are liquid
forms of coffee extract, but generally
it takes thR shape of a ean,capable of
quickly disesolving in hot water, form
ing a fairly good beverage. The fault
of most of these extracts is that there
are authorizations, and that in the pro-
cess some of the real elements Of cot
fee are destroyed. Que interesting
coffee extract, bean shaped, has a coat
ing of white sugar, SO that the soldier
may sweeten his drink while giving it
the coffee flavor. 'ehll"
There is some question VIII ether
sugar may be profitably carrie d.
Bulk for bulk, it is not worth giving
up the weight which is taken by such
articles as meat. There is a prepare
ton which has interested the board,
and which is found to have the effect
of sweeteniug. 1t is a white sub
stance in the form of minute disks,
one of which will easily dissolve and
sweeten a cupful of coffee. Bread
usually takes the form of crackers, or
a species of hard tack, sttnlething dur
able and still nutritious. In some OF
the foreign armies a fiat, square cake
is used, light in weight, and which
may be soaked in the coffee. Its shape
permits the soldier to carry a number
of them in small space. 3tpme Of the
bread submitted to the Rsard is too
expensive for adoption in the army.
Among the samples before the board,
for instance, are the dainty crackers
encountered at afternoon teas, hardly
fit diet for a sturdy soldier.
The means of carrying the emer-
gency ration must be carefully con-
sidered along with the composition OF
the ration. The preliminary board
which met on Governors Island, N. Y,
made some valuable suggestions in this
direction. It seems to be agreed that
the receptacle shall be of tin, although
one board presented for consideration
a canvas bag, something like a square
tield-case, to be sluug at the hip of the
soldier. The receptacle will ordl-
narily contain little tin boxes, in which
| will be placed the proper proportions
of meat, soup material, bread, coffee,
and sugar. One of the boards pro.
vided, as we'll, for salt and pepper. t
is an important matter to kno~ Irt
what proportions of the various arti-
cles should be allotted the soldier.
Perhaps this can only be determined
by actual test, although the experts
know what the ration in garrison IS
and understand the needs of the SOL
der on the march. New York Times.
Danger in Mineral Wool.
Mineral wool is made by blowing
powerful jets of steam or hot air