Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1914-10-21
UP FOOD
SUPPLY FOR ARMY
ON FIRING LINE
SCALE OF CoMMlSSARlAT SER
VICE NEVER EQUALED IN
WORLDS HISTORY.
(By International News serviee1


LONDON. Oct. 21.-The most seri-
GUS problem with which a general in
the field can be faced is that of
keeping up the necessary food supply
for the troops under his command.
An army, indeed. marches on its
stomach AT pinch it can make
shift to do without tents or trans
port, while, as is well known, sue
cessful operations have at times been
carried out in a hostile area when
not single cartridge has been ex-
pended for weeks on end. Yet,
though bullets may be dispensed
with, this is certainly not the case
with regard to bread-or its equiva-
lent This, at any rate, has always
been the opinion of the great milf
tary leaders-Napoleon for example,
being reported on one occasion to
have had soldier shot for throwing
away a bag of biscuits, in order to
make room for some ammunition.
The scale on which the commits
sariat arrangements for a protracted
campaign are conducted. is an ex-
ceedingly 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 a consid-
cradle reserve supply has to be main
tanned at the base of operations. In
the recent Boer war for example. the
amount OF food thus stored was, as
far as possible, that equalling a four
months consumption. When it is re-
membered that the number of troops
drawing upon il was well over 100000
at time during the greater portion
of the war, it will readily be seen
that such a supply necessarily repre-
scented very big stock indeed. To
go into actual figures, 1t may be Of
interest to learn that at the head Of
the various items composing four
months supply for each a body is "a
100000 lbs. of biscuit. This enormous
total is closely approached by the
bully beef" one, as for every pound
of the former commodity there Is at
least three-quarter lbs. of the latter.
To render It more palatable than il
would be of itself, the commissioned
department is required TO keep in
store 100000 lbs of compredded
vegetables and 100000 lbs. of salt.
AS appropriate accomplishments to
the beef and biscuit, coffee and tea
to the extent of 100000 lbs, and AGO.
600 lbs respectively 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 in the field in
al. alrpnGt
be described as Injuries, For exam
pie, that for the British troops in
South Africa contained 100000 tins
of jam leach holding l lb.) and 720,-
900 tins of condensed milk. Jam, II is
worth noting, was first introduced as
an article of diet for soldiers In act
| i've service in the Egyptian campaign
of 1884 AS 1t was found to have
ercellent results (chieiiy on account
| of its anti-seorbutic properties) and
also to be extrtmely appreciated by
the men, il has remained a field ra-
| ton" ever since. 1t is generally eat.
en- with biscuit, as bread is but rarely
obtalnabe in the actual theater OF
/ war.
''Drinkables" occupy almost as large
I pace as 40 tdldultS III Aht it'
serve food supply of an army corps
when on active service After the
100000 lbs. of coffee and 100000 lbs
of tea already referred to. the princi
pal totals maintained are 10000 gal
Ions of rum, $4,000 bottles of port
and $4,000 bottles of whiskey. There
was also very large quantity Of
lime.juce kept in reserve for the ben
eft of the sick and wounded.
Among the miscellaneous stores
which the commander of an army
corps look to his commissariat de
partment to furnish when called upor
are 100 tons of alum (for purifyint
doubtful waterl, 40 tons of chloride
of lime, 10000 lbs. of carbolic aciC
powder. 10000 gallons of izal, ant
some $4,000 lbs. weight of candles
The food supply for the horses an'
mules is also on generous scale
thousands of tons a day of hay, oat
and bran being always kept at tn,
base in readiness for instant dispatcl
to the front