The Washington herald., 1914-10-16
FOOD OF ARMIES
GREAT PROBLEM
Can Get Along Without AL
most Everything ExceptEat-
ing, Guns, and Shells.
BEEF, BISCUIT AND TEA
Jam Pleasing Nouishment and Is
Used as British Field Ration.
Food Figures Surprising.

London, Oct. 15.-The most serious PROP
lem with which a general in the field
can be faced is that OF keeping up the
necessary food supply for the troops un-
der his command. An army marches on
its stomach. At a pinch 1t can make
shift to do without tents or transport,
while, as is well known. successful ope-
rations have at times been carried out
in a hostile area when not a single
cartridge has been expended for weeks
on end.
Yet, though bullets may be dispensed
with, this is certainly not the case with
regard TO bread-Or its equivalent
This, at any rate. has always been the
opinion Of the great military leaders
Napoleon. for example, being reported
on one occasion TO have had soldier
shot for throwing away a bag OF bis
cults in order to make room for some
ammunition.
Must Have Reserre supply
The scale on which the commissariat
arrangements for a protracted campaign
are conducted is an exceedingly large
one. A fact that contributes materially
to this Is that not only have rations
and fodder to be issued daily to every
man and horse on duty. but also that
considerable reserve supply has to be
maintained at the base Of operations.
In the recent Boer war. for example,
the amount Of food thus stored was. as
far as possible, that equivaling four
months consumption. When 1t Is re-
membered that the number Of troops
drawing upon Il was well over 10000
at a time during the greater portion OF
the war. il will readily be seen that such
a supply necessarily represented very
big stock indeed.
To go into actual figures. II may be
OF Interest to learn that at the head OF
the various items composing four
months supply for such a body is A,-
OOO.OD0 pounds Of biscuit This enormous
total is closely approached by the bully
beer one as for every pound Of the
former commodity there is al least three
quarters pound Of the latter. To render
II more palatable than II would be in IT.
self. the commissariat department is re-
CURED to keep In store $4,000 pounds Of
compressed vegetables and 10000 pounds
OF salt. As appropriate accomplishments
to the beef and biscuit. coffee and tea to
the extent Of SOoaOO pounds and 10000
pounds. respectively. are also Included
in the reserve supply.
In addition to such absolute necessities
as biscuit, beef. and vegetables. the four
months food supply for an average army
corps in the field includes many items
that may almost be described as luXuries
For example, that for the British troops
in South Africa contained 10000 tins Of
jam leach holding one pound and 10
60 tins OF condensed milk.
jam First sed in 1854.
jam. it is worth noting. was first in
troduced as an article Of diet for soldiers
in active service in the Egyptian cam
paign Of 1884, As 1t was found TO have
excellent results Chiefly on account OF
its anti-sCorbutic properties). and also
TO be extremely appreciated by the men.
it has remained field ration" ever
since. II Is generally eaten with biscuit,
as bread is but rarely obtainable in the
actual thsater OF war.
"DrinkabIes'' occupy almost as large a
place as do 'eatables' in the reserve
food supply of an army corps when on
active service. After the 10000 pounds
Of coffee and 4O0OOO pounds OF tea. already
referred to. the principal totals main
tanned are 10000 gallons Of rum. 81, 600
bottles Of port. and 2400 bottles Of
whisky. There was also a very large
quantity Of lime juice kept in reserve
for the benefit of the sick and wounded.
Among the miscellaneous stores
which the commander Of an army corps
looks to his commissariat department 10
furnish when called upon are l6o tons
Of alum 0Or purifying doubtful water.
10 tons OF chloride of lime. 1900 pounds
Of carbOlic acid powder. 5000 gallons Of
lZal, and some 5000 pounds. weight Of
candles. The food supply for the horses
thousands Of tons Of hay. oats and bran
being always kept at the base in readi-
ness for instant dispatch to the front.