South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-03
GENE RhLS IN WAR
FEGE PROBLEM III
FEEDING SOLDIERS
Food Supply as Much a Part of
Military Strategy as Keeping
Ammunition on Hand-En-
OrmOuS Figures EntaiIed.
BY Herbert Temple.

LONDON, Dec 3.-The most seri-
Gus problem with which "a general in
the field can be faced is that of keep
ing up the necessary food supply Tor
the troops under his command An
army indeed marches on it's stOm-
ach. At a pinch &c can make shift
10 do without tents or transport
while. as Is Well known, successful
operations have at times been carried
out In a hostile area when not a sin
lle cartridge has been expended for
weeks on end. Yet though bullets
may be dispensed with, this is Ger
tainly not the case with regard to
bread-Or its equivalent. This. AT
any rate, has always been the opinion
OF the great military ieaders-Na-
poIeon, for example, being reported
on one occasion 10 have had a sol
der 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 prOtracted
campaign are conducted, is an eX-
ceedingly large one. A fact that
contributes materially TO this is that
not only have ratOns and fodder 10
be issued daily to every man and
horse ON duty, but also that con-
siderable reserve supply has to be
I. maintained at the base of operations.
In tn, recent BOer war for example,
the am, unit of food thus stor-C was.
as far "a possible, that equs>ling
fOur-mOnths' consumption.
Feed 100000 at Time.
When it is remembered that the
number of troops drawing upon il
was well over 100000 at a time dur
ing the greater portion Of the war,
il will readily be seen that such a
supply necessarily represented a very
big stock indeed. To go into actual
figures, il may be of interest 10 learn
that at the heal of the various items
composing a four onths' supply for
such a body is zi,O00,O00 pounds of
biscuit This enormous total is close
Is approached by the bully beef"
one. as for every pound Of the former
commodity there is at least three
quarter pounds of the latter. To
render 1t more palatable than it
would be in itself the cOmmissariat
department is required to keep in
store 100000 pounds of compressed
vegetables and 100000 pounds of
salt. AS appropriate Accomplishments
TO the beef and biscuit coffee and tea
20 the extent Of 100000 pounds and
100000 POUNDS respectively are also
included in the reserve supply.
Includes Many LuxurieS.
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
Cludes many items that may almost
be considered as luXuries. For eX-
ample. that for the British troops in
south Africa contained 100000 tins
of jam teach holding one pOund) and
10000 tins of condensed milk. Jam,
il is worth noting. was first intro
duced as an article of diet for sol
diers in active service in the Egyp-
tian campaign of 1884. AS it was
found TO have excellent results
tChiehy on account of it's anti-scOr-
butte properties) and also TO he ex-
tromely appreciated by the men. il
has remained a field ration" ever
since 1t is generally eaten with bis
cult. as bread is but rarely obtain
able in the actual theater OF war.
Lots to Drink.
"Drinkablcs" occupy almost as
large a place as do "eatables' in the
reserve food supply of an army corps
when on active service. After the
500. 600 pounds of coffee and 400, 900
pounds of tea, already referred to.
the principal totals maintained are
10000 gallons of rum. $4,000 bottles
Of port and $4,000 bottles OF whisky
There was also a very large quantity
of lime-iuiCe kept in reserve for the
benefit OF the sick and wounded.
Among the miscellaneous stores
which the commander of an army
t"l ~ nuns 20 AilN ''llllillSNdlldl Qe-
partmcnt To furnish when called up
on are 100 tons of alum (for purify
ing doubtful water 40 tons of chlo-
ride OF lime 1900 pounds Of car
bolic acid powder. 10000 gallons Of
izal and some 10000 pounds weight
of caudles. The food supply for the
horses and mules is also on a gener-
GUS scale, thousands of tons of hav.
oats and bran being always kept at
the base in readiness for instant dis
patch TO the front.