The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-04-26
THE Soldiers "PA(K"
Governments Test to Econo-
mize Size and Weight
THE ALUMINIUM CANTEEN.
Pack Of other Countries Compared TO
ours-The English Water Bottle
Is Of Glass-purine the Civil War
Each Soldier Carried 40 Pounds
OF Ammunition.

is Of Glass-purine the Civil Wsi
Each Soldier Carried 40 Pounds
Of Ammunition.
With a view Of tightening the
pack carried by soldiers, tf.v War
I Department has been making q study
of the loads borne in the field by the
! fighting men of foreign armies. 1t has
decided to adopt certain expedients for
cutting down the weight of the burden
which our boys in Khaki during q
campaign are Obliged TO transport. BY
this means their effectiveness will be
augmented, inasmuch as the troops
will be rendered more mobile-a most
important point where military oper-
atoms are concerned.
To begin, the canteen. which today
is Of timed iron, is to be made of
aluminium. The latter metal weighs
only about one-fourth as much as iron.
But It was necessary that tire water
vessel should he moulded In one
piece, without seam or Joining, and
this problem for while presented
difficulties which bade fair to prove
insurmountable.
One advantage of such canteen is
that IT cannot possibly leak. A second
is that II is rust proof. A third is
that II is clean when the receptacle
Of timed iron has begun TO lose Its
coating of tin It Is not easily kept
clean. The same remark applies, OF
course, to other articles Of the same
material which 20 to make up the
soldiers mess kit"
The all important point, however, Is
hts lightness. Five thousand alumni
mum cups have just been ordered, az
first batch for our troops, to take the
place Of the timed iron ones now in
use. They will have iron handles.
however, because that metal does not
retain it's heat 30 long as aluminium.
To the latter this has been an import
ant objection, inasmuch as the SOL
dier does not want to burn his fin-
gers at meals. There is still question
whether the cup when fllled with cof-
fee will not be too hot to drink out
Of. but hope is entertained that such
will NO; prove to be the case
The soldiers kife is TO have an
aluminium handle, but his fork ana
spoon are TO be made, as at present,
OF steel, because of the superior
strength of that metal. As for the all
important meat cana small frying
pan In which the man in khaki cooks
his bacon-it is also to be Of alumni
mum. The cover OF the meat can
serves as o plate, and its handle turns
down over the cover, gripping the edge
OF the pan and making II tight as a re-
cepsacle for ready cooked provisions.
II Is obvious that for such utensil
aluminium, which Is not affected by
acids, possesses exceptional advantag-
Sc
In studying out the problem OF les
sening the soldiers load the War De
partment has collected many data In
regard TO the equipments OF the fight
ing men OF foreign armies. As might
be expected, there are many and mark
ed dIffcrer ees In such matters, so far
as details are concerned, though es-
sentiois are much aloke. Thus. for
example, In every army the soldier
cares q canteen, but in England tho
indispensable water bottle Is OF glass,
In Italy II is OF wood, and in Spain IL
is Of Boatskin. In our army. again,
there is little individual cooking. but
In Europe each soldier commonly pre-
paree his own meals. carrying on
that account a much bulkier and more
elaborate culinary outfit.
During our civil war each soldier
carried forty rounds Of ammunition,
but, thanks TO the development OF
the rife, othe soldier OF today carries
one hundred cartridges In his belt. In
other words, hte reduction In the
size II the bullet and in the qNantity
OF powder 10 throw II gives him more
than twice the killing power that he
had a generation ago
Our soldiers, like those OF most Of
the armies OF Europe. are provided
with stockings. In France, however.
the men in the field are Obliged TO fur
nish their own stockings, II they
choose TO wear any, and the same is
rue Of the Italians and Russian, who
are supplied with pieces OF linen TO
cover their feet. The Germans have |
but carry foot linen TO sup
plement them.
Toilet necessaries. including brush,
comb and piece OF soap. are provided
In European armies, but not In our
own,- the American soldier being ex-
pected TO buy them for himself. The
French soldier has towel In peace.
bun not In war, while the German has
no towel at any time, unlees he fur
nlshes II at his own cost. other Eri- !
-opean nations supply their men with
-owels at all times, taking II for grent-
ID that they will wash themselves al |
east occasionally and considering !
hat In large assemblages OF men the !
rules OF hygiene ought TO
Do most carefully observed.
Orioin of prenaid 1 esfsra