The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-08-13
ARMY KNAPSACKS.
English Soldiers the Lightest, as
They Rely Upon Transports.
CLondon Express.


When the Germans heard of the recent
enormous casualty list on the fatal Al
dershot field day, about which official in
ouiry has been held, there was much self
complacent head wagging and many IN
kind things were said regarding tne
stamina and marching capacity OF
Thomas Atkins.
under identical conditions would have
had an equal casualty list; but the Ger
mans do not realize these conditions, De-
cause in their maneUVerS they-and, IN
deed all the crack continental armies,
without doubt-"do these things better
But the Germans can march, and so can
the Frenchmen and Russians, and more
over the two former in marching
order carry a bigger load on their backs
than the British soldier. Marching WITH
them is an important accompaniment
and one not TO be taken for granted
The German recruit, after ne mas had
his parade drill ground thoroughly into
him, is taken out to stretch MS legs
First, he marches in uniform only, Jnen
he is given a rifle TO carry, next his
knapsack, and so on until his marching
order Is at full weight
During all this the distances are being
gradually heightened, and hnaIy the
pace is increased. When trained, he IS
going his twenty miles regularly twice
week, and he may be called upon to DO
thirty-mile march occasionally, and, nj
as he is, he accomplishes 1t "on lis
head
That Tommy Atkins can march, too.
nobody viii deny, but when comparing
his comparatively spasmod1c pedestrian
efforts with those OF the foreigner, gen
eraI conditions must be taken into ac-
count, and here he does not, as rule,
compare too favOrably, except after
fortnight or less in the field
Then, again, though some OF our
authorities differ on the point he must
have a breakfast to march upon. and
small amount of food every five hours or
4 h of tor
wash the dust out Of his throat.
| They get all these things on the CONT
mental maneuVerS, as a matter OF course
In ours il is now always so; In TACT an
officer writing from the front has said
| that so far as hardships and lack Of food
| are concerned, the Transvaal is para
/ disc compared to Salisbury plain as 1t
| formerly was.
/ kit on his back than the British soldier
/ because he relies less upon his trans
port, and no matter where the baggage
| train is he can always pltch MS tent at
night, and roll himself up in his blanket
| When in heavy marching order Tommy
| Atkins carries at coat and cape, mess
| tin comprising plate, frying pan ana
/ kettIe) a valise holding spare uniform,
/ shirts socks, boots, brushes. etc, can
vas haverSack for small articles, and a
/ water bottle. This weighs cO1plete. with
| rife. pouches, bayonet and 100 rounds OF
| ammunition. SiXty-one pounds.
/ The German Is provided with great
| coat. one blanket and ground sheet, q
| quarter of a tent and pole, mess TIN
( (Which for the present is also his water
/ bottle and an ak His valiSe contains d
| spare pair of boots. three pairs of socks
| (or foot rags if he is a Bavarian), spare
| uniform and fatigue dress, brushes, etc
| The whole equipment, with bayonet, r1tie
| and 100 rounds of ball cartridges, weighs
| seventy-twO pounds.
| The Frenchman carries much the same,
| including tent section and blanket, but
| no waterproof sheet or haversack. The
! company cooking pots are divided mp
| among the men A drinking cup and
| spade completes his rigOut, which weighs
/ with rife bayOnet and 10 rounds OF
! ammunition, seventy-two pounds
| The Russian carries siXty-eight pounds
of kit, but then he has no blanket or
! waterproof sheet. He is only burdened
! with seventy-five rounds of ammunition,
! which is fastened about him in somewhat
clumsy fashion.
So far as food is concerned, the red
| coat for all the millions that are spent
on him, really fares worse than his con-
J script comrades With them biscuit and
| coffee or chocolate at a. m IS the rule
Dinner is at Il, and consists-and this s
on maneuvers, tOO-of soup, meat, salad
and beer for the Germans, and one pint
of wine per man for the French Al
$50 is a supper of cold meat. salad
bread and cheese and more wine anu
beer. The Russian menu is varied witt
salt fish, but he fares we'll on the whole