The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-07

the present moment there are only three
months supplies on hand in South Africa,
but the additions necessary to bring tEh
totals UP to the four months limit are
being dispatched with speed. and that
limit. once reached, will be maintained as
long as may be thought necessary oi
the enormous quantities of food which
80 to make UP a four months supply Tor
this number Of men and animals lie" per
sons can have even the re1notest lued-
The one item Of preserved meat alone
stands at L, 10000 pounds, and OF biscuit
there Is the same quantity. Coffee. STANDS
at 100000 pounds. tea at 10000 pounds,
sugar at 100000 pounds, compressed
vegetables at 100000 pounds. and salt at
.e).00o pounds.
One article of diet which has been
found particularly suitable for troops on
active service is q preparation oil meat
and vegetables cooked together. OF TINS
Il single contractor is sending TINS at the
rate of half q million each monh VI
condensed milk, sweetened and unsWeel-
ened. the four months supplies represent
10000 tins. Particularly interesting Is
the item Of jam. This commodity was
first given to British troops III the Soudan
expedition Of 1854 and 1885, and it was nj
forwards supplied to the Ashanti eGpe-
dition It was reported on very 1aVoraply
on each OCCASION, for not only was IL re-
sarded will, favor by the troops. but 1t
was found to be a distinctly healthy 1000,
especially on account Of It's antiscorDuuc
rroperties-an important consideration
in the absence Of a good supply OF fresh
vegetables. Jam has. therefore, taken its
Termanent place as one good thing among
others for troops to fight on, ana the
quantities to be kept in South Africa as
{. four months reserve amount TO no less
than l.35o,oeo pounds, consigned in tins
each containing q single pound
In regard to liquids the list provides for
5000 gallons of rum 12,05o bottles OF
whisky, 1000 bottles of port wine, nearly
4o0, COO pound weight of lime juice. vast
quantity Of "sparklets" for making soda
water, ard 50 tons of alum for purifying
spring or river water OF which the quality
may be doubtful. OF tobacco the guam
tity sent out by the War Office for the
four months Is 10000 pounds. this, OF
course. being quite independent OF the
amount contributed by private donors. 1t
should be said, however, that the troops
have to pay for the tobacco supplied by
the War Office, doing so ct the rate Of
Is. per pound, SO that, no doubt. they
will be doubly pleased to get free gifts
from the British public OF ordinary
hospital supplies the quantities are based
on the supposition that 10 per cent. OF
the troops are always either sick or
happily ILLS pC1S
age IS never reached. In the way OF dis
infectant, also. It is assumed that during
each four months there will-or maybe
required 5000 pounds of carholic acid pow
der. 20 tons of chloride of lime. 1o.0co
gallons Of izal. and 10 tons OF McDougall's
dis.nfecring powder. Still another item
on the list Is that Of so.Go0 pounds OF
candles. For the horses and mules there
are provided. for the same period, $4,000
81 of1 70 M
tons Of bran.
Closely associated with the subject OF
supplies is, of course, the further Inn
portant question of the transport arrange
ments by means of which the food can be
properly distributed among the troops.
But here. too. the arrangements are work
Ing with commendable s.noothness- The
open secret OF this smoothness lies In the
fact that the Army Service Corps was
sent out in such good time. It has not
infrequently happened in connection with
British warfare that our troops have been
dispatched first. and that the cooks and
carpenters and others have followed, with
the result that much confusion and dis
comfort have been caused. Happily. on
the present occasion the Army Service
CORPS reached South Africa well in adj
vance of the great body of the troops and.
as far as could be, got things ready for
them. A company of the Army Service
Corps Is now. or will be, attached to. each
division, and one TO each brigade, forming
the nucleus Of the transport arrangements
thereof, supplemented by native labor.
The Army Service Corps officers who thus
supervise the transport arrangements of
divisions or brigades are on the general
staff, 1nd in addition there are a director
and an assistant director OF transport on
the lines of communication, exercising a
general SUPERVISION.
Then. again. the Army Service Corps
men require for the proper performance 4
OF their duties as food distributors a