The times., 1899-06-13
HOT MEALS IN THE TRENCHES.
An Interesting Report on the Com
mfssnrfnt of Otis Army,

Col, D. L. Brainerd, Chief commissary In
the Philippines, in a report made public
yesterday by the War Department de-
seribes at length the operations of the Sub
sistence Department in the Islands. He
says:
Prior to active operations in the field
all troops were supplied with the garrison
ration, issues being made to regiments by
the Issuing commissary for periods of ten
days. The components for these periods
were: Fresh beef. bacon. salmon, canned
oeef flour, hard bread. beans. potatoes
50 per cent. onions 90 per cent. In lieu
OF hour four ounces fresh beef two ounces
each rice and dried fruits (apples, peach
es. and prunes) were issued on days
when fresh beef was drawn. Mess pork
and beef are no longer issued. Oatmeal
has been added as one of the components
TO be issued in the lieu of fresh beef Fresh
vegetables, brought from San Francisco,
have been supplied daily to all the troops
or this command. On February and g.
during active operations. travel rations
were supplied all organizations on the fir
ing line. The location of each regiment
being definitely known and transportation
being promptly furnished by the Quarter
master Generals Department travel rations
by guard, who received explicit instruc-
tions as to the location Of the orgaaiza-
tons and to whom supplies were to be
delivered.
For the first few days several of the or
ganizations stationed near the city had the
food prepared in barracks. loaded on wa
gons and distributed TO the firing line.
Captain Krauthoff mentions this method
of supply as very satisfactory under the
n nrt1Sf fnr1 md llr- rxf hax- fwo an1
company enjoying their Sunday dinner
on February within few hundred yards
of the insurgent trenches. The dinner con-
sisted of roast beef. gravy. potatoes, fresh
bread. coffee. and plum pudding.
During the advance of the Second di-
vision on Malolos travel rations for three
days were taken by the troops. the ration
being transported by bull teams which
were assigned to regiments Later sup
plies were forwarded by rail TO the COM
| mand invoiced to brigade commissaries.
who issue direct to regiments. During the
field operations il became necessary TO
establish plant for roasting and grinding
coffee. there being no facilities for such
work in this city. A soldier and a few ma
tive laborers managed to roast and grind
about 1,200 pounds Of coffee daily. an ade-
quate supply for all the troops in the field.
The commands at Cavite, Corregidor ISL
and, Iioilo Bacolod, and at Cebu are sup
piled with substores in the depot commits
sary at Bin0ndo. Fresh beef for troops at
Cavite is drawn direct from the cold stor-
age vessel; that for troops at Corregidor
Island sent three times each week. Troops
at Cebu are supplied with native beef,
which costs from IS to 20 cents, Mexican
money. A limited quantity of native beef
has to be procured by the commissary at
Bacolod, which has been supplemented
from time to time by beef drawn from the
Indiana, stationed at Iloio as cold stor-
age plant, and from which the troops at
that point are supplied.
THE stores of rice captured from the
insurgents during the advance Of our lines
on the 18th and 9Th of February amounted
to little more than fifty tons, most Of
which is stored in the warehouse of the
depot commissary in Binondo. The
quality Of the ration issued during Feb
ruary and March has been excellent The
! quantity Of stores returned by regi-
ments to the issuing commissary as unfit
for use amounted to only 1920. During
the period covered by this report the re-
naming Spanish prisoners of war have
subsisted, under the supervision of Captain
Bootes. IN the same manner as heretofore,
which has always been satisfactory"