Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-02-01
"TOMMY ATKINS AFLOAT.
An Interesting Account of His Life
en- the Transports En- Route
10 Africa-

We hear much of the embarkation
Of Tommy Atkins for the front and
also 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;- I'VE do not know" There is
q notion abroad that the soldier ahoat
Is practically third-class passenger
and treated as such. No such thing.
He is a passenger, inasmuch as he is
an indivi iual-not one Of the crew
carried on khipboard-but he is q SOL
dier ever and subjected to much the
same discipline and routine as when
on shore. Steerage passengers are
carried, It 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
rnowy 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 engine-room space-hns
seats for over 900 men. At the ships
side end of each table Is a 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
1880 a. m. 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 Z
smoke on the deck above. The next /
meal afler breakfast is, OF course, din /
ner, and here again the menu Is by no I
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 afioat. To begin with,
the daily allowance Of water per head
Is six pints at least with n minimum
OF one gallon when the ship Is in the
tropics. OF meat there are 10 ounces
OF salt beef on Sunday and ditto on
Wednesday. with an equal quantity Of
pork on Tuesday and Friday, and y
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 meet mentioned. On Sunday,
Tuesday and Thursday 12 ounces of
biscuit are forthcoming. and on other
Gays one pound of fresh bread, while
each week Thomas is allowed 10
ounces of flour. together with one
quarter pound Of raisins and ditto Of
rice. TIE 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 a
soldier tring of vegetables while en-
route to the Cape, for on four days OF
the weel- he has two ounces of pre-
served potatoes, along with two