The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-25
USE No MORE NTOX|CAhTS.
AN ABSTINENCE ORDER GIVEN TO
E.suLISH TROOPS.
Proved Wise by Test-Decree Ii the
Result of british Government Ex-
Observation-Disclosures Soldiers Result

| Liquor has until recently played so i'm
I poFtant role in warfare. 10 the horrors
| OF which il has in no small measure con-
! trouted. that the fact OF Sir Hora,io
/ kitcheners recent victory at AthaTa hav-
/ ing been won by a force composed exciu-
slVeiy or total ahstainers calls for serious
/ consideration and attention. II Is probably
the first occasion that 50 brilliant a feat
, or arms has been achieved by a body Of
| white troops who for months previously
I had not been permitted TO touch a drop
/ OF any kind Of stimulant whatsoever. For
! IL not only Tommy Atkins" Of the line,
nut even his coulrads. Sandy OF the
{ Highland regiments. whose name suggests
/ whisky, have refrained from alcohol N
/ any form whatsoever, and have restricted
: themselves 20 tea. lime juice and Nile
water. It cannot be attributed to any con-
I scientious scrunles on their part or 10 the
( sudden development of higa-fieiged prn-
/ ciples on the score Of drink. but solely 10
/ the establishment OF a new system by The
! British military authorities. which = ex-
| citing a good deal Of interest on the part
| OF the war departments Of continental
! Europe, and which. in view Of the con-
/ fiict now in progress between this country
| and Spain. may likewise commend Itself
| to Secretary Alger and Gen. Miles.
1t seems that for some time by orders
! Of Field Marshal Lord Wolseley. the Brit
| ish commander-in-chief. careful and ex-
/ haustive experiments have been in progress
/ with view 10 ascertaining the relative
! effects OF alcohol and OF total abstinence
| upon the physical endurance and staying
| qualities of the troops. Advantage has
been taken both OF the annual maneuvcrs,
/ as Well as OF these petty wars Of which
| England has a few on hand in one part
! or another OF the world almost all the
! time, to examine carefully the question.
! One regiment would he deprived Of every
| drop OF stimulant, while another belonging
! to the same brigade would be allowed to
| purchase as usual It's malt liquors at the
! canteen. and a third. probably a High
| land corps, would receive sailors ration
! of grog in the form of whisky. In each
| instance the experiment went to show
| that, whereas at first the corps which had
received an allowance Of grog surpassed
| the others in dash and in impetuos.ty of
| attack. yet that after the third or fourth
! day its members began to show notable
| signs of lassitude and lack Of spirit and
| endurance. The same manifestations.
| though in minor and slower degree, were
apparent in the regiments restricted 70
| malt liquors. whereas the men who had
been kept from every kind OF stimulant
! increased in staying power, alertness and
vigor every day.
| Decided for Abstinence.
| The result of these experiments led the
| British war department ut to decide, not on
| the ground OF principle. but solely for the
| sake OF maintaining the powers Of endur-
| ance of the troops now engaged in the
| Soudan campaign. not to permit a single
| drop Of stmu,ant In camp save for hos
! p.tal use. Spirits, wine and malt liquors
| have been barred from the officers mess
! table well as from the regimental cam
| teen, and from generals in command down
! to the drummer boys and the camp fol-
lowers liquid refreshments have been re-
| str.cted to tea and oatmeal water
| When ono remembers how devoted the
Englishman Is to his beer and the Scotch
man to his mountain dew modern his
| tory Astounding In the upsets of cabinets
| Hl-advsed enough To attempt an increase
| OF the tax on these stimulants. which ara
| regarded not as iuxuries but as actual
| necessaries of l:fe. the holiness and like
wise the difficulties of the innovation will
be appreciated.
But the scheme has fulfilled all expecia-
| tons. Thanks TO total abstinence. the men
| have been able to make forced marches OF
| the most extraordinary character across
| the burning desert and under a blazing
| sun. the heat of whose rays can only be
| appreciated by those who have lived under
| the equator.
| Troops Free From Sickness.
The Soudan is famed for it's deadly cli-
| mate. which either kills or prematufely
| ages the ma jority Of white folks who pen
| citrate beyond its frontiers. Indeed il has
| often been nicknamed. and with good
| cause too, the MAN Eating Soudan" by
| reason Of the number of white lives that
| 1t has consumed. Yet in spite Of this,
| there has never been A campaign where
| there has been so little sickness where 50
few men have been compelled to fall out.
| even in the longest marches and whore
| the troops have been got into such mag
| nificent physical and moral training that
! they would actually cover thirty miles OF
| sand with empty water bottles, without
| stalking their thirst once from the be-
| ginning 10 the end Of the march, at the
| close OF which they would still find them
selves sufficiently fresh and vigorous to
| win hard-fought victory such as that OF
| Atbara.
or course all kinds OF devices and tricks
! were reeorted to in the earlier stages OF
| the present campaign 10 defeat this inno-
| walton Of the war department. and one
| WHY Greek liquor dealer even managed
| no one knows exactly how. 70 get several
| wagon leads of spirits up beyond Wadi
| Halfa for the purpose OF retailing them
| 10 the officers and men Of the expedition.
| But fortunately Sir Horatio Kitchener OBJ
! tanned an mixing Of the affair captured
| the convoy and caused every bottle and
| barrel 10 be merciessiy destroyed. the
liquor merely serving 70 poison the sand
and sake the thirst OF the ever parched
| desert.
| No Liquor Before n Fight.
| Although the British admiralty has not
yet followed the example Of the United
! States which has long since abandoned
| the daily ration of ggog 20 the men Of its
| navy and which prob bits The use Of slim
ulauts on board when at SEA. YET orders
| have recently been Issued 10 the comma nd
| ers OF all British rnen-of- way IN commits
sion that in lieu q The double rstons II
grog formerly served out - ths crews
when going into action. not drop OF alco-
! hp.ic liquor. no matter whether spirit.
wine or malt is to be allowed when there
| 4 any fighting 10 be done. In ay3er 10 sat-