Evening star., 1901-09-21
british NAVY RATIONs.
Additions and Reductions Recon-
mended to the Admiralty.

Additions and Reductions Recom-
mended to the Admiralty.
From the London Chronicle, August %.
The general question of the yictualing
of the navy has been investigated by
committee appointed by the admiralty, and
presided over by Vice Admiral z. Rice,
whose report, containing a number of i'm
portant recommendations, was issued yes
terday as blue book.
The members Of the committee con-
slider that as long as canteens and
the savings system-under which both
officers and men may either take
up the whole or a portion of their
ration in kind, or may receive In lieu
monetary payment for each article-exlst,
the framing Of an ideal ration Is rendered
extremely difficult, if not impossible. In
the circumstances they have endeavored
to provide a ration which, in the event OF
war, when supplies from the shore and
canteens might be cut off. would be suff1-
cient, both as regards quantity and Narle-
ty, to maintain the men in fit state OF
health. AT the same time, they are con-
vinced that, taken whole no real dis
satisfaction In regard to the present navy
ration can be said to exist. They are sat
isfed that only the best provisions are pur-
chased; but, owing to the system of saw
ings' and the necessity for maintaining
large reserves for war some of the articles,
e-g., salt and preserved meats, flour, bis
cults and suet are older when issued than
Is desirable. In these circumstances it is
suggested that age limits should be fixed
beyond which articles should not be issued.
Considerations of space render it impossi-
be>to detail the reasons which are set
forth for the changes of diet suggest ed. but
the summary of the recommendations Is as
follows, the amounts being per diem:
Additions-Tea, h ounce; sugar. l ounce;
corned beef or other preserved meat, Y
pound; fresh vegetables " pound. with
fresh meat; raisins, ~ ounce, with salt
beef and preserved meat; condensed milk.
y ounce; jam, ounces; coffee, y ounce;
compressed vegetables, 1 ounce, with salt
and preserved meats. Reductions-Choco-
pork, u pound; salt beef. Y pound; pre-
served meat. ounces; oatmeal to be abol-
ished except to stokers
In regard to the spirit ration, 1t is pro-
posed to cancel the regulation requiring 1t
to be served out at dinner time only, and
to give discretionary power to command
ers-in-c chief.
So far as savings are concerned, it is
suggested that the prices paid should re-
main unaltered at present, but that in any
revision the prices should be calculated on
a basis of three-quarters of the average
cost. which should apply to the articles now
proposed to be added to the ration.
The alteration proposed In regard to meal
hours is that there should be five recog-
nized instead Of three. and that the time
allowed should aggregate three hours
thirty-five minutes instead Of two hours
thirty minutes.
With respect to canteens the men,
bers Of the committee consider that
under all systems the lower deck
committee is open to bribery in the
selection Of the tradesman or tenant, and
they have found cases of bribery and cor
ruption not to be isolated. They recon-
mend that the contract or tenant system
should be officially recognized equally with
the cooperative system, but that selec-
tion of the system, as well as Of the trades
man or tenant, should rest solely with the
commanding officer of the ship.