The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-01-31
"T0MMY ATKINS" AFLoAT.
An Interesting Account of His Life
on the Transports En- Route
TO Africn.

VI IOulHy AthluS lOr .Jne 1rOnt anC
: also of his doings when arrived at th,
seat of war. But between the two hap
: penings there is q blank. How does
he live on shipboard? What does he
do during his leisure moments9 How
is he fed and how does he generally
conduct himself? These are questions
TO which nine persons out of ten will
reply: "We do not know" There is
notion abroad that the soldier afioat
is practically a third-class passenger
and treated as such. No such thing.
He is passenger, inasmuch as he is
an individual--not one of the crew
carried on shipboard--but he is a sol
der ever and subjected to much the
same discipline and routine as when
on shore Steerage passengers are
! carried, at least on the more up to
date boats, in closed berths. Tommy
is housed and fed in the open troop
deck. Ranging from the ships sides
are plain, substantial deal tables,
secured, with the attached seats. to
nnowy whiteness. In u ship of big
beam, say a 60-footer each table ac-
commodities mess of 1S men, and in
the transport Bavarian each troop
deck-the one forward and the other
aft OF the engine-room space-has I
seats for over 1000 men. At the ships
side end of each table is powerful |
electric light, while the beam above |
hold the hammock hooks from which
Tommy bnnuS tha aopvo. oa,,ol.
which he sleeps during the night.
The soldiers night terminates at six
a. m, when the first bugle blows.
Then follows the first act of the davis
routine. The hammocks are unslung
and taken, with the bedding, to the
deck above, where they are aired until
10:30 a. IN. Then they are taken down
and slowed in the room set apart for
that purpose. After the hammocks.
ETC., are taken on the upper decks
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 breakfast is, of course, din
nei, and here again the menu is by no
means of an extensive character.
The soldier cooks-who, by the way,
usually draw their cooked rations !
from the chefs of the ship-cannot
ring many changes on the allowance
which the admiralty portions out to [
Tommy when afloat. To begin with,
he daily allowance of water per head Z
S six pints at least, with a minimum s
II one gallon when the ship is in the 2
roPics. Of meat there are 10 ounces +
II salt beef on Sunday and ditto on
Wednesday, with an equal quantity Of Il
'ork on Tuesday and Friday, and 10
unees Of preserved meat on the three Il
days Of the week Where 81
old storage is provided fresh beef,
tc., may be dispensed in lieu of the r,
alt meat mentioned. On Sunday, q
'uesday and Thursday 10 ounces of :.
iscuit are forthcoming. and on other =
avs one pound of fresh bread. while
ach week Thomas is allowed 12
unces of flour, together with one
uarter pound Of raisins and ditto of
ce. The supply Of sugar is more
pnerous, being four ounces on Sun
ay and half that quantity on other
lys. There is not much chance of a
'ldier tiring Of vegetables while en- E
'ute to the Cape, for on four days of Ks
e week he has two ounces of pre-
rved potatoes, along with two
lnces Of compressed vegetables each
eek, and last but not least, espe-
cially when the possibilities of the
1t pork are considered, four-ninths 4
a pint Of split peas per week. With IS
ch viands as these, aided by one rs
9Th of a pint Of vinegar, half an
nee of mustard, one-sixth of an
nee Of pepper, six ounces of pickles
d two ounces of salt per man per H
eek, a skillful mess cook has. of III
1rse, the materials for producing
tritious, if not luxurious meals. OF
the daily allowance per man is
If an ounce, and half this quantity ne
considered equal to an alternative
nee Of chocolate or coffee. There
it viii be noticed. no fruit. lam.
tier or cheese, and Thomas. if he H
nts these delicacies. must purchase
m as he does his drink, at the can
ns and stores provided en- an troop N
His early supper over. he wAes
ny the time as best he chooses until
q when he must be In his ham
ak.-Syren and Shipping. q