The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-16
Feeding an Army Corps

LONDON, October Tho most seri-
GUS problem with which a general In
the Held can be faced. is that OF keen.
inG up the necessary food supply for
the troops under his command. An
army, indeed, marches on its stomach
AT pinch II can make shift 10 do
without tents or transport, while az
is we'll known. successful operations
lave ut times been carried out in a hos
tile area when not single cartridge
, has been expended for weeks on end.
Yet. though bullets may be dispensed
WITH this Is certainly not the case
With regard 10 brcad-or It's cu,Iiya-
lent. This. at any rate. has always
been the opinion OF the great military
leaders. Napoleon. far example being
reported on one occasion TO have had a
soldier shot for throwing away bag
OF biscuits In order TO make room for
Ecme ammunition.
The scale oil which the commissarlat
arrangements for a protracted cam
raign are conducted, is an exceedingly
large one fact that contributes ma
terialiy 10 this is that not only have
rations and fodder to be issued dafly
10 every man and horse on duty. but
also that considerable reserve supply
has to BIO 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
eduallng four months contamination.
Whch IL is remembered that the num-
Der OF troops drawing upon it was well
over 100000 at "A time during the great
or portion OF the war. II Will readily be
seen That such supply necessarily
represented very big stock indeed. To
go into actual figures, II may be OF
irterest 10 learn that at the head OF
the various Items composing four
months supply for such body, is "a
oo0OO0 pounds OF biscuit
This enormous total is closely an
preached by the bully beef" one. ane
for every pound OF the former com
modify there is at least three ouarters
or pound of the latter. TO render IL
more palatable than II would be I'm IT.
self, the commissariat department is
required to keep in store 100000
pounds of compressed vegetables ana
100000 pounds OF salt AS appropriate,
accomplishments to the beef and biscuit,
coffee and ten to the extent OF 500. 900
pounds. and 100000 pounds. respectiye
ly' are also included In the reserve
supply.
In addition to such absolute neces.
stiles as biscuit, beef, and vegetables.
the four months food supply for an
average army corps i'm the field In
Guides many items that may almost
be described rs Injuries. For example.
that Tor the British troops in South
Africa contained 100000 tins OF lam
Coach holding one pound) and 100000
TINS or condensed milk. Jam, il is
worth noting. was first introduced as
an article OF diet for soldiers In active
service In tho Egyptian campaign OF
1854. As II was found TO have excel
lent results tchicfy on account or It's
antiscorbutic properties) and also TO
be extremely appreciated by the men,
1t has remained n field ration ever
since. 1t is generally eaten with bis
cult, as bread is but rarely obtainable
In the actual theatre Of war.
turntables" occupy almost as large
place as do "eatables" in the reserve
food supply OF an army corps when on
active service, After the 100000
pounds OF coffee and 400, 900 pounds of
tea, already referred to, tile principal
totals maintained are 10000 gallons Of &
rum, $4,000 bottles OF port and "a 900
bottles of whiskey. There was aIao q
very largo quantity OF lime Juice kent +
in reserve for the benefit OF tho sicIs
and wounded.
Among the miscellaneous storesn
which the commander of an army corns
looks to his commissariat Department
to furnish when called upon. are 1s6
tots, of alum Gor purifying doubffnl
watcr), forty tons Of chloride of line.
1000 pounds of carbolic acid powder
10000 gallons of izal and acme 20 DoD
pounds weight of candles The food s
supply for the horses and mules IL aIso
on gcnerous scale, thousands Of tons
or hay, oats and bran being always
kept at the base In readiness for In.
slant dispatch to the front, y.