Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-02-15
"ToMMY ATKINS" AFLoAT.
An Interesting Account of His Lie
on the Transports En Route
to Africa.

We hear much of the embarkation
Of Tommy Atkins for the front and
Rlso of his doings when arrived at the
seat of war. BUT between the two hap
penings there is 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
to which nine persons out of ten will
reply: 1--WE do not know" There Is
notion abroad that the soldier afioat
Is practically n third-class passenger
and treated as such. No such thing.
He is p passenger, inasmuch as he is
IN individual-not one of the crew
carried on shipboard-but he Is n sol
der ever and subjected to much the
same discipline and routine rs 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
snowy whiteness. In a ship of big
beam, say a 6O-footer, each table ac-
commodities a mess Of IS men, and in
the transport Bavarian each troop
deck-the one forward and the other
aft of the englne-room space-has
seats for over 1000 men. At the ships
side end of each table is n powerful
electric light, while the beam above
hold the hammock hooks from which
Tommy hangs the canvas couch in
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 days
routine. The hammocks are unslung
and taken, with the bedding, to the
deck above, where they are aired until
1890 a. M. Then they are taken down
ard 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
ner, 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 afoat. 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 II ounces
of salt beef on Sunday and ditto on
Wednesday, with an equal quantity Of
pork on Tuesday and Friday, and II
ounces of preserved meat on the three
remaining days of the week. Where
cold storage is provided fresh beef,
etc, may be dispensed In lieu Of the
salt meat mentioned. On Sunday,
Tuesday and Thursday ~ ounces of
biscuit are forthcoming, and on other
Gays one pound of fresh bread, while
each week Thomas is allowed IL
ounces of flour, together with one.
quarter pound of ralsins and ditto of
rice. The supply Of sugar Is more
generous, being four ounces on Sun
day and half that quantity on other
DAYS. There is not much chance of
soldier firing of vegetables while en-
route to the Cape, for on four days OF
the week he has two ounces of pre-
served potatoes, along with two
ounces Of compressed vegetables each
week, and last, but not least, espe-
pecially when the possibilities of the
salt pork are considered, four-ninths
Of pint of split peas per week. With
such Nands as these, aided By one
sixth of a pint of vinegar, half an
ounce of mustard, one-siXth Of an
ounce of pepper, six ounces of pickles
and two ounces of salt per man per
week, sldllful mess cook has, Of
course, the materials for producing
nutritious, If not luxurious, meals. Of
tea the daily allowance per man is
half an ounce, and half this quantity
is considered equal to an alternative
ounce of chocolate or coffee. There
H. it will be noticed, no fruit, jam,
Nutter or cheese, and Thomas, If he
wants these delIcacies, must purchase
them rs he does his drink, at the can
teens and stores provided on all troop
CTS. LIS carly supper over, he wles
away the time as best he chooses until
s:15, when he must be in his ham,