Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-03

etc. The supply for any army post of this
portion of the ration is issued to the post
goods are kept by the contractor until
called for by the post commissary. BY
this system the regular troops are never
without sufficient food. To order regulars
in the field does not disturb the equilibrium
of the commissary's department one whit
because they all take the food that is COM
ing to them anyhow, whether they are In
the field or in post. The supply on which
the army has to depend for its provisions
is limited only by the production of the
various factories, packing establishments
and mills that have the contracts. The sup
ply of rations can be raised from II to LOO
900 by the mere ordering of that amount
through the proper channels. The work OF
the department is done on such whole
sale plan that it is not difficult to obtain
any amount of supplies at any time what
soever. AS soon the corps commiSsary
obtained an estimate of the number of men
for whom he would be expected to provide
he Immediately sent in his acquisitions, and
the work was almost done. One of the
standard measurements for supplies is
hundred rations. Each soldier, as every
one knows, receives a ration day and the
standard of a hundred rations, and the
component parts are 125 pounds of fresh
beef or 70 pounds of bacon, 1l2t2 pounds or
soft bread. 100 pounds of vegetables, of
which so per cent is potatoes and 20 per
cent onions; 10 pounds of green coffee or
pounds of roasted coffee ground: 20 pounds
of sugar; 2 gallons of vinegar or 1 gallon
of vinegar and l gallon of pickles, and salt,
pepper, soap and candles IN equal guam
titles.
The Rations at the Camp.
There are $4,000 rations stored at each
of the division camps for distribution to
the militia troops. making in all 17S,OO0
rations to be issued to 21,0OO troops
as the food supply for eight days. Fresh
beef will be issued on six days of the
eight and bacon on the other two. The
fresh beef is bought in Washington in car
load lots and will be delivered on the beef
issue days. The bacon and other portions
of the ration will all be issued at once on
the arrival Of the troops and one or the
problems of the maneuvers will come In
the handling Of the ration in an economi-
cal manner by the officers in charge or
the troops.
rangement, 100 pounds of ice will be issued
for each 100 rations each day and two
ounces of -four for each ration so that the
troops can have biscuit baked for them II
they so desire The ice and beef will come
down from Washington every day. mere
will be at each camp commissary stores
where the officers and men can purchase
such other food supplies as they might oe-
sire. The commissary department keeps
on hand a quantity of food stuffs that are
not in the regular ration. but Whlcn are
supplied to the troops at cost:
Nothing seems to disturb the eQuanlm-
ity of the commissarys department. Thefe
are now but four officers and seven en-
listed men of the department In the entire
maneuver zone. No extra force was ne tho
essary, despite the fact that within the
next forty-eight hours 11S.OOo rations Will
be issued and accounted Tor.
Character of the Food.
Much of the army food is the same as
that purchased at grocery stores by civil
ians, but some of it is better than the CIV
iIian ever gets. This is particularly true
Of the bacon. The army bacon Is especiai-
ly cured for the army and is OF most
delicious flavor. 1t is so cured that II can
he kept on hand any length or time ana
will not spoil. Most of the commercial
bacon. as that sold generally Is called, IS
made to sell immed nnseh Of an time It can
he seen therefore, that the subsistence oe-
partment of the army had no particu Ia.
problem to solve in the maneuVers' uu.
simnlv had opportunity to demonstrate the
Excellence of the methods that are en-
n1aved in the general supply of the troops
of the army.
Work of the Map Makers.
The CORDS of engineers and the other stan
6ana rtments, the duties Of which have not
been heretofore explained, have had their
work cut out for them. however. The MEN,
hers Of the corps of engineers have been on
the field for two months examining every
section of the ground and preparing maps
for the use of the troops. All OF the engi-
neers SO employed came from the I'd Bat
TALON of that branch of the service station
ed at Washington barracks, and to such
good purpose have they labored that Gen.
corbin has sent to First Lieut.. George
Spalding, who worked out the maps. per-
sonal letter praising his work and stating
that he will take care to send report as to
the accuracy Of the surveys recorded to the
chief of engineers of the army for hle in
tie records of the War Department
camp for thirty officers of the Penn
sylvania National Guard has been prepared
at Thoroughfare on the left OF the division
headquarters. Pennsylvania has not sent
any troops to the maneuyers. but it is ex-
pected that a number of the officers will at
tend and preparations are being made to
accommodate them at Thoroughfare and at
Gainesville. A. F. F.