Evening star., 1915-11-28

N UPPLYING water to the troops IN
~ western Europe is one of the CO.
w. lossal military problems which
the armies have faced and overcome.
supplying water to the Anglo-Frenca
forces on the Gallipoli peninsula Is
problem of extreme difficulty, that be-
ing an arid territory, and it is not
clear from accounts that the problem
has been solved. There have been in
the reports indications of suffering
from thirst.
The water question with troops on
the march and in the field is one "
greater difficulty than civilians know
In few ways does the superior erect
iyeness of hard and regularly trained
troops show above raw or unframed
troops than in the matter of water
discipline The regular American SOL
dier will make a days march on MS
canteen of water. If he has been in
the service long he will carry his r1ne,
ammunition and pack over shadeless'
dusty road through sweltering day
and come to the end of the marcn IN
fit physical condition. He has learned
to make that canteen OF water answsd d
his needs 1t may have been a nara
lesson to learn, but he has learned 1t.
If tie regular is recruit, he is learn
ing the lesson. and on march no
doubt suffers the discomfofts OF tnirst'
hut the lesson may be learned. If the
soldier is in the cavalry or the artillery
he may snare that canteen OF precious
water with a horse, using some OF IL
to sponge out the animais mouth ana
nostrils or his dock, or in wetting down
his head Many officers make it
practice to drink water at the begin
ming of days march and not TO toucn
A drop until the days march is ended:
There are officers who on march Will
hermit their men to refill their can
teens when it is perfectly convenient
to do so and the water supply is above
suspicion, but this procedure is more
for the purpose that the men shall
have cool water than that they snail
have more water to drink
When the soldier has learned to do |
with the minimum of water he minis |
ters to his comfort and health. Cut |
ting down the water below the real
needs of his body causes the man to
lose flesh. but in very large number
of instances this is beneficial. most
well fed men having flesh to spare
of water can, of course. be
carried to an extreme. and a man may
lose SO iiiuGi "SiShe 'i'eAs '''s'
and strength will be impaired; but a
,anteen of water will carry the aver
age man through days work IL he |
mas learned how to use that water.
The unframed and undertrained man
IN march or maneuvers under an ar
lent sun is always calling for water.
He is always thirsty, always drinking.
always sweating, always drinking
A gain sweating more and getting
.hirstier. The more he fills himself up
With water the more water he wants.
The usual class of unframed troops
will gather around a pump or spring,
md If the water is cold Will drink
full, even IL that pump or
;priny should be placarded with no.
ice that the water, though clear and
.ool is rich and deadly with typhoid
germs.
The average volunteer. before he has
become a soldier, will empty safe and
,alatable water out of his canteen be-
.ause it is somewhat warm, and Will
.efll it at a suspicious Well because
he water is cool. He Will try to slake
lis thirst with anything in the line of
rink that he can get lot OF diSci-
line goes to smash when undertrained
roops feel thirsty, and lowered eff ;
iency and sickness result. A good
Measure of the discipline of troops is
he way they will go by roadside
lump while on hot and dusty hike. {
I is better for man to be dry on
march than to be always guzzling
yater To be water wise" is one of I
Much less water is required by the