The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-12
KEEPING HOUSE
IN THE ARMY
An important Service on the Battle
Field Upon Which Much Of the
Success of a War Depends.

The Importance of the men Of the Army
Service corps can hardly be orer-estimat-
ed. Practically everything depends upon
them. for without supplies The finest
fighting force in the world would be help
less. 1t is these men and the detachemnts
told off to guard tne !illesyof coInmunica-
ton that win battles quite as much as
those at the fronI-though they get hut a
small share of the credit.
To begin with. the Army. Service corps
Is not composed OF soldiers who have
been trained to perform extra work 1t
Is the other Way round; il is made up OF
drivers. butchers, bakers, wheeIwrights
and harness-nakers who have become
soldiers. They are efficient before they
join the service, and they are kept Up
TO the mark by constant practice, for at
home all the conltnissariat work for men
IN barracks fails upon their shoulders
They are considered non-combatants,
but they carry arms to defend the ar:1mu-
milton and provisions in their charge, and,
as they haze passed Though the usual
course OF training, they might, if neces-
SHY compelled, become efficient fight
Ing force, and would. if ATTACKED, be able
10 give a good account of themselves
An attempt TO convey 4 comprehensive
idea OF their gigantic task by quoting
mere facts and figures would be some
thins ike trying 10 determine the general.
contour of a country with a scare hight
We could only throw a little patch of light
here and there, and the general Impress
Ion would be bur a confused mass of de-
tails that refuse TO group themselves in
any sort of order.
For instance, the mere statement thai
thirty million pounds Of provisions have
already been dealt with would convey no
particular meaning To your mind. You
would not realize what the figures mean.
\ better idea Viii be given by a general
sketch OF the work
FIRST on FIELD.
The Army Service corps must. OF course.
~ first on Inc fled. ard All The ce.nDll
caied arrangements made for transport
Ing supplies before The troops can ad-
vance.
The most valuable animal for transport
~ the mule. He hes Infinitely more
PUCK, OF shall re say appreciation of
aeaGef. than the horse, has marvel
oaS amount Of endurance, VIII keef, ~
Z good pace hour alter ilaur. ard can
aNe and thrive on SIX pounds OF meal
les day
eefng used Tor transport. IA the Philip
tseS IL could not be otherwise Ter
1NeS arr, in fact, the Sig1agfs animal CT
The country Their gait Is particularly
iieissaeis, pnt isfey manage 10 haul big
Ioafisz over country that would break tie
spirit OF any ether animal
VI late years considerable amount Of
ataeniion has been given 10 compressed
rations for use in The iieia. and the pres
siat war Is likely 10 prove their value
Perhaps the hes; is an English ration
which consists Of meat and vegetables
properly z. cooked j. weighs one found
ana the I'm can be made 10 serve as n
) saucepan ii theirs IL nothing, else handy
cSoSfsiISS AssfAT W0RK
Every MA, who ;soes 10 the front IS
supplied with an emergency ration
which he is not allowed 10 open escept
all other supplies fail. It IS contained
f,s a small oval tn made in tive, I.arts.
Dramatically sealed
One compartment contains four ounces
~ sernnaitaa tdriei meat pounded until
the fbres have been separated. and then
.o,itIsressetss. and the osbe: five ounces OF
.,s.r,,a paste. Tiiis VIII make foam, issts 1s
SOM, and an eslual quantity of corua. but
iii II Is Impossible ~ build fires for heat
als the water. IL can be eaten dry. I; Is