Rock Island Argus., 1900-01-10

importance of jam as Healthy
Food-ProvIsions For Horses and
Mules.
The truth of the old saying that ''an
army marches on its stomach" is evil
IDENTIFY realized by the war Office au-
thorities if one may judge from their
arrangements for provisioning the
troops in South Africa, says a CORE
spondent of the London Times. The
basis of those arrangements is that
there should be four months supplies
always available at the seat of war for
11G0OO troops and native transport
helpers and $1,000 horses and mules.
At the present moment there are only
three months supplies on hand in
South Africa, but the additions neces-
sary to bring the totals up To the four
months limit are being dispatched
with speed. and that limit, once reach
ed, will be maintained as long as may
be thought necessary.
OF the enormous quantities of food
which 20 to make up a four months
supply for this number of men and an
imals few persons can have even the
remotest idea. The one item of pre-
served meat alone stands at 100000
pounds, and of biscuit there is the
same quantity. Coffee stands ut 4O0.-
coo pounds. tea at 100000 pounds. sug
ar at 2.20O,0OO pounds, compressed
vegetables at 100000 pounds and salt
at 100000 pounds. One article of diet
which has been found particularly
suitable for troops on active service is
n lt.1f nf
cooked together. OF this a single con-
tractor is sending tins at the rate of
half million each month. OF con-
densed milk. sweetened and unsweet-
ened. the four months supplies repre-
sent 100000 tins.
Particularly interesting is the item
of jam. This commodity was first Civ
en- to British troops in the Sudan eXpe-
dition of 1884 and 1885. md it was aft
erward supplied to the Ashanti eXpedi-
tion. IL was reported on very favOra-
bly, on each occasion. for not only was
It regarded with favor by the troops,
but it was found to be n distinctly
healthy food. especially on account Of
its antiscorbutic properties. an impor-
tant consideration in the absence of n
good supply Of fresh Vegetables. Jam
has therefore taken it's permanent
place as one good thing among others
for troops to fight on. and the quanti-
ties TO he kept in South Africa as q
four months reserve amount to no less
than 1.45O.O0O pounds. consigned in
tins each containing Il single pound.
In regard to liquids the list provides
for $4,000 gallons of rum IL 900 bottles
of whisky. $1,000 bottles of port wine.
nearly 100000 pounds of lime juice, a
vast quantity of 'SparkletS'' for MAX
ing soda water and 50 tons Of alum for
purifying spring or river water of
which the quality may be doubtful. OF
tobacco the quantity sent out by the
war Office for the four months is 10000
pounds. The troops have TO pay for
the tobacco supplied by the war office,
doing so at the rate of l shilling per
pound. OF ordinary hospital supplies
the quantities are based on the suppo-
sition that 10 per cent of the troops
are always either sick or wounded,
though happily this percentage is never
reached. In the way of diSinfectants
also it is assumed that during each
four months there will or may be re-
quired G.O0O pounds of carbolic acid
powder. 90 tons of chloride. of lime. TO-
600 gallons Of izal and 10 tons of Nc
Dougalrs disinfecting powder. Still
another item on the list IS that of So
900 pounds Of candles. For the horses
and mules there are provided for the
same period $1,000 tons of hay. 81 900
tons of oats and 1000 tons of BRAN
Closely associated with the subject of
supplies is. of course. the further i'm
Nf IL.
by means of which the
food can be properly distributed among
the troops. But here. too, the arrange
ments are working with commendable
The open secret of this
smOOthness lies in the fact that the
army service corps was sent out in
such good time. On the present occa- |
sion the army service corps reached |
South Africa we'll in advance of the |
great body of the troops and as far as |
could be got things ready for them. \ |
of the army service corps is |
now. or will be, attached to each divi- |
sion and one to each brigade, forming |
the nucleus of the transport arrange |
ments thereof, supplemented by native |
labor
Then. again. the army service corps |
men require for the proper performance |
Df their duties as food distributors a
large supply of mules and wagons.
With regard to mules. parties consist |
ing each of TWO officers and two veter-
mary surgeons were sent out some |
ago to North America South
America. Spain and Italy to make in
Iuiries as to what mules could be pur-
chased in case of need, and as soon as
war broke out cable messages were
,ent TO these parties 10 buy up at once
whatever suitable mules they could
ret. At the same time arrangements
were made for the charterinG of ships
which would proceed to the respective
borts and take the mules direct to
South Africa. In this way from $1,000