Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-04
JAPANESE coMM1ssAR1Ar.
Double Duty of This Army Department
in Manchuria-Bigger Expense.

]
Since the beginning of the Man
churian campaign the commissariat de-
partment of the Japanese army has
had a double duty to perform: not
only was It called upon to feed the
| immense bodies Of troops but 1t had to
! feed the numerous coolies serving with the
| Japanese as guides, porters and workmen.
Although Manchuria is a rich country and
quite capable of supporting large army
| In the low-lying region. 1t does not appear
| that the Japanese have relied greatly on
! the food to be found locally. In the former
| campaigns in 1S94-1S95, and in 1900, they
| supported themselves entirely on food sup
piled from home, while in 1900 they had
| their fuel sent from Japan. NJ. NedvietZki,
| the war correspondent of the Russki In
valid, the leading Russian military organ,
says that at the beginning of the cam
in the billy and poor region. and that when
the Japanese columns came down into the
| plains they found the latter had been
plotted already by the Russians, then in
retreat However, In case of need. the Jap
anese availed themselves of the local re-
7 sources. That they did SO is proved by
| the fact that the military authorities pub
| lished the prices, themselves extremely low,
| at which the Chinese population is bound
| to supply the japanese with food of vari-
| GUS kinds. 1t is known also that the Jap
! anese commissariat has made large pur-
chases of provisions by means of commits
sioners sent into northern China and Mon
golia. This latter province has furnished
all the cattle required by the japanese.
The problem of feeding the Japanese
forces is rendered very much easier by the
composition Of the rations. which do not
include bread. The rations in 1900 were
made up as follows: they very prob
ably the same today perhaps with slight
increase of meat Rice, 900 grams 200
grams equal to 80 ounces; fresh meat,
400 grams, or 200 grams of salt fish, or 800
grams of dried fish (these quantities We're
66
troops were on the march,; fresh cabbage,
400 grams, or $50 grams of dried cabbage;
tea, Is grams; vegetable sauce for season.
ing the rice 10 grams; arrack. 20 cent?
liters. The commanding officer can order,
as extras. 20 grams of sugar per day and
10 cigarettes and 5 eggs per week. The
forage for the horses consists of 49, kilo-
grams of oats, 2 Kilograms of hay and 2
Of straw. This region does not grow oats
The draught cattle and horses used by the
Chinese are fed on millet and maize, which
grow abundantly; the Kirghese horses take
to this form of provender very quickly, and
1t is quite likely that the Japanese horses
have done the same. Hay is scarce, and
1t has to be imported from China. The
straw is replaced likewise by the stems and
leaves of maize and mlllet The absence
of butchers meat has been remedied by
the presence of poultry, which is extremely
abundant in Manchuria.
The transport of all kinds of provisions
sent from Japan is facilitated by the meth
DDS of preparation and packing. The meat
and fish timed The vegetables are
dried. Tea and sugar are compressed into
tablets. and forage and hay are also sent
out in compressed bundles. For taking
the place of rice, biscuits have been made
Of mixed wheat -four and rice. The trans
port of the food required by the Japanese
forces has been favored clearly by che
numerous halts which have taken place
after every important battle, for the con-
voys have not been compelled to hurry
after the troops. But all the evidence goes
to show that the transport branch of the
commssariat service has worked extremely
well. During the halt on the Sha-ho tenn
porary stores were established In the zone
occupied by the forces and these stores
supplied food directly to them. These
stores were themselves supplied In turn by
auxiliary conveys formed out OF the local
carts. for. whenever they could do SO, the
Japanese avoided using their own carts
These auxiliary conveys were entirely I'm
der the charge of the Chinese. and thus not
a Jap fit to fight had to be taken from the
ranks.
When the troops are on the move the
supply of rations Is carried in the rear
According to some authorities, the Japan
csc soldier carries three days rations of
cooked rice; the regimental train carries
one days supply of food and the admins
trative conveys carry four days rations;
other observers say that the soldier car
ries four days rations, while the regimental
trains and the conveys carry six days ra-
TONS In the case Of the horses, one days
rations of oats Is carried on the saddle and
five days supply by the conveys.
During the long engagements at Lao
yang, on the Sha-ho, and at Mukden the
Japanese lived entirely on the rations
which they carried and on those furnished
by the regimental trains and the conveys.
The progress of those operations showed
that the food supply was assured all
through them. The Russian surgeons left
behind at Mukden have testified to the ex-
cellent and quick working OF the Japanese
trains and conveys at that place. The jap
anese do not appear to have met with diff
fculties In finding supplies of fuel. al
though there is scarcity of timber in
southern Manchuria. 1t ought to be re-
marked that the absence OF bread in the
Japanese rations makes the question of
fuel of less vital Importance. However.
when on the march the Japanese seem to
have two hot meals every day.
With regard to clothing. the japanese
troops do not seem to have suffered, and
supplies of new clothing have always been
forthcoming. In this respect, also, the
Russian authorities have great deal 70
learn from their opponents. All the war
cnrrasrondenfs Including the Russians,