WARMISCELLANY

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16216, 20 May 1918, Page 8

WARMISCELLANY

(FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, March 21

AN ARMY'S LARDER

Considerable success has attended a scheme inaugurated by the Italian War Office for helping the army to supply its own food. Some time ago it was decided that Territorial soldiers /unfit for actiyo service should be employed to cultivate v.aste land near barracks, forts, and otnor military establishments, and utilise the remains ot tiieir rations for cattle feeding and poultry raising. .Last year about 2SQJ acres were, thus cultivated, and tons of potatoes, til/0 tons of vegetables, and 70iA) tons of cereals were raised. From this source, and from the raising of eOO oxea and sheep, 15UO pigs, io,UJO chickens, i a obits, a profit of £40,00(J was realised, which is to bo devoted to increasing the area under cultivation this year. NEED NEVER STARVE. Experiments in the utilisation as food of little-known vegetablo products aro being made at Hampstead tiy Dr. Sambon, who claims to have macre a special study of, shortage in all countries, and the measures taKen to fight it. The discovery of sugar-beet was the direct result of a scarcity of eaiie sugar at tho time of tho Napoleonic wars. Margarine was first manufactured^in 1870 to meet the need for fats. "Before this ■war is ovor, wo shall have discivcred new food values in the forage grasses. \Vc neeil never starve if we avail ourselves of our resources." Dr. Sambon claims quite good results to have como about in bread and biscuit making without the use of_ wheatcn flour. One variety of biscuit is made entirely front dried "grasses, clover, and pea or bean flour. For bread, ho finds it necessary to use equal quantities of wheatcn flour and flour made from vegetables or grasses. The results of his experiments navo been placed at the disposal of tho Ministry of Food. NO BRIBES ALLOWED. Complaints have for some timo been made that shopkeepers have been favouring some customers at the expense of others, and the public will welcome the Prevention of Corruption Order, which comes into force very soon, when it will be made an offence for shop assistants and others to accept gifts or tips offered thorn sis an inducement to servo one customer with food; or drink in priority to another. Tho Order prohibits persons engaged in the pale, delivery, or distribution of food or drink from accepting or obtaining or agreeing to accept or obtain for themselves or others any gift or consideration as an inducement or reward, for giving priority or preference to ono purchaser or receiver over another. But tho prohibition does not apply to cases where an article of food or drink is supplied for consumption on the seller's premises. A STRIKING COMPARISON. As tho result of a census of homeless persons in London, by tho London County Council on tho night of February 15th-16th, two persons (females) were found sheltering undor arches or on staircases—the lowest number yet recorded: In tho streets, one .man and six women were found, as compared with nineteen men and five women in 1917, and 296 men and 76 women in 1914, before tho war. Hero are the comparative figures for homeless persons found on staircases, under arches, or in the streets, on a winter night in each of tho years indicated: — 1913 —Fine, and not very cold 491 1914—Raining all night ... 434 -191.5—C01d, and some fog ... 178 1916 —Clear night, very cold 44 1917 —Moonlight and frosty. 28 1918—Fine, and cold ... 9 The inmates of free shelters, labour homos, common lodging-houses, ' and casual wards were all fewer in number than before.

PRISONERS IN TURKEY. Mr James Hope, for the Foreign Office, states that since the war began 438 British officers and 3370 other ranks are known to have been captured by the Turks. Of these, 32 officers and 274 other ranks have boon repatriated or escaped. Fourteen officers and 1413 other ranks have died, and 392 officers and 2183 other ranks are still in prison camps. These figures are exclusive of one officer and 635 other ranks of tho Ivut garrison who have never been traced. Of the Indian native prisoners, 221 officers and 7169 other ranks aro known to have been captured. Of these six officers and 1146 other ranks have been repatriated or cscaped. Four officers and 1298 other ranks aro known to have died, and 211 officers and 4725 other ranks are still in prison camps. Two thousand six hundred of the rank and file of the Kut garrison havo never been heard of.

FOR COAST-WATERS AND CANALS. We seem to be reverting to the stone age where ships are concerned. Vessels built of reinforced ooncreto aro taking the place of those of iron and steel. There are two reasons for this—shortage of iron, and consequently increnso of cost. Roughly, the cost of a concretebuilt ship is about half that of one buiit or iron or steel, ivhile her deadweight is lighter. This week there was lying off Westminster Pier a boat of this material built by Messrs Cubitt —one of a number constructed for the Admiralty for. service in coast waters and canals. With a draught of 4ft, her displacement is 28 tons. Her deadweight being only 8 J tons, the carrying capacity is nearly 20 tons. The builders have introduced a new system of pubjng these vessels together. No wood is used in the preparatory work, most of which can be done by women. They are now laving down a 500-ton boat, which may be launched in a few weeks. "BORAX ON THE BRAIN." "Much of the imported food of the country may depend on this case," was a statement made by Mr E. Wild, K.C., appearing for retail traders summoned by the Westminster City Council for selling, as received from the wholesale trade, liquid eggs containing boric acid compound, alleged to bo injurious to health. Mr McCall, K.C.. representing the City Council, said tne proportion of the adulterant, used as a preservative, was very large—varying in different samples from 60 to over a 100 grains per pound of liquid egg. The drug was unquestionably injurious, particularly to children and invalids. Mr Wild said that Westminster and Kensington seemed to have "got borax on the brain." Tho use of the preservative had for years been recognised and sanctioned by the Local Government Board. These liquid eggs came from China, and ns they twice went through the tropics—tho journey being via the Cape—they were bound to contain preservatives. _ The. defence was that they were not injurious v to health in any kind or way. The case, in which many experts are to be called, was adjourned. PREPARING FOR A GERMAN ' INVASION. Food hoarding summonses, with the sequela? of fines and confiscation, are still a feature of the papers daily. In the case against Mr W. E. Allen, of Chipperfield, the Bench inflicted a "fine of £350 and costs £112. and ordered tho confiscation of 90 per cent, of the goods, with the exception of home produce. There were IS summonses, of which two (relating to tea and jain, respectively) were withdrawn. An inspector of the local Food Control Council, who searched the premises, said he found in various parts of tho house— including the sitting-room, dining-room, basement, bedroom, storeroom, and a passage—l34lb of sugar, 3521b of bacon, 561b of cocoa, 60lb of biscuits, 4201b of oatmeal, 2971b of rice, 961b of pearl barley, 311b of macaroni, 411b of lentils, 321b of gelatine, 981b of syrup, 23 tins of condensed milk, 174 packets of turCte soup food, 19 bottles of chicken essence. Mrs Allen, in defence, said there were twelve persons in tho household, and

that she procured the bulk of the food in 1915, because she fearea a German invasion. If this took nlaco supplies ■would be cut off, and she intended to do what she could for the unfortunate poor people of the district. She hud been in correspondence with the Ministry of Food, and had given full details as to her stock. _ In August an inspector from the ■Ministry went down and was shown the stores in the house. He said he thought the purchases were very moderate, considering the size of the* family. She thought she must not touch the goods after the inspector's visit, holding them at the disposal of the 'ministry —who have taken possession of 90 per ccnt.