The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-24
At s O'clock in the Morning
the BusIe Rouses Them From
Their nammocks Their
Duties During the Day
Rations the Same as
on Land.

Il 4 We hear much OF the embArkatloB
I vAl Of Tommy Atkins for the front,
" and also Of his doings when ar-'
Wv rived at the seat Of war. But
between the two happenings
there IL a blank How does he live on
shipboard? What does he do during his
leisure moments? How Is he fed and how
does he generally conduct himself? These
are questions. says the syren and Ship
ping. to which nine persons out OF ten will
reply, we do not know.
There is a notion abroad that the sol-
der afloat Is practically third-class pas-
senger inasmuch as he Is an individual
not one Of the crew carried on shipboard-
but he is q soldier ever. and subjected To-
much the same discipline and routine a.
when on shore. Steerage passengers are;
carried, ct least on the more up-to-da4al
boats. ia closed berths. &
Meals ON the Open Troop Deek.
Tommy is fed and housed In the OPEN
troop deck. Ranging from thu ships sides
are plain substantial deal tables, secured,
with the attached seats. to snowy white
ness. In ship Of big beam, say 4 sixty
footer. each table accommodates . meas 0f
eighteen men. and In the transport Bava-
rian each troop deck-the one forward and
the other aft of the engine room spaces
has seats for over 1000 men. At the ships
side end Of each table was q powerful elec-
trio light, while the beams above hold the
hammock hooks from which Tommy hangs
the canvas couch in which he slept dur.
ing the night.
Soldiers Duties DuBlng the Nay.
The soldiers night terminates at d,
M, when the first bugle blows. Then fol-
lows the first act of the days routine.
The hammocks are unslung and taken with
the bedding to the deck above, where
they are aired until 1850 a. m. Then they
are taken down and stored In the room set
apart for that purpose. After the ham,
nocks, etc. are taken on the upper deck
comes breakfast, consisting Of dry bread
and chocolate, and nothing more. And
then comes the inevitable smoke on the
deck above. The next meal after break
fast is, OF course, dinner, and here again
the menu Is by no means OF an extensive
character
RatIOns Served to Tommy AMOnt.
The soldier cooks--who, by the way, us
ually draw their cooked rations from the
chefs OF the ship-cannot ring many
changes on the allowance which the adj
miralty portions out flsto Tommy when
afioat. To begin with the daily allowance
OF water per head is six pints at least,
with a minimum Of one gallon when the
ship is In the tropics. OF meat there are
twelve ounces OF salt beef on Sunday and
ditto on Wednesday, with an equal all
lowance of pork on Tuesday and Friday,
ana Twelve ounces OF preserved meat On s
the three remaining days of the week.
Where cold storage Is provided fresh
beef. etc., may be dispensed in Aeu Of the
salt meat mentioned On Sunday, Tues
day and Thursday twelve ounces Of biscuit
are forthcoming. and on other days one
pound Of fresh bread; while each week
Thomas is allowed twelve ounces or hour.
together with one-quarter pound OF rail-
sins and ditto OF rice. The supply Of su-
gar Is more generous. being four ounces
on Sunday and half that quantity on other
days.
There Is not much chance OF q soldier
firing OF vegetables while enroute to the
Cape, for on four days of the week he
has two ounces Of preserved potatoes
along with two ounces Of compressed veger
tables each week; and last, but not least,
especially when the possibilities OF salt
pork are considered, four ninths OF pint
Of split peas per week.