THE NAVY'S FOOD AND CLOTHING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 263, 26 July 1918, Page 5

THE NAVY'S FOOD AND CLOTHING

ASTONISHING FIGURES. Tho work of feeding and clothing the Navy in these times is immense. In tho early days of tho Navy the bluejacket lmd much to complain of. ■In btuart times the King's service ivas denounced as "worse than galley slavery," and all through tho great ware weevily biscuit, putrid pork, ond mouldy ale wero tJis subject of loud lamentation. Under ths recent and existing system there has been no 0110 better fed than the men 111 His Majesty's ships of war. .Everything that concerns the personal wants and to sonio extent the mental occupations of tho seamen is in the care of the Victualling Department of the Navy. The war had profoundly affected the work. Immense demands for tho armies in the field sapped the sources of supply, but the Department. was equal to tho occasion, and new sources were obtained and developed, ■in important new victualing yard was oncned in tho vicinity of the Grand Fleet, and many depots for local rcquireInonts were organised. Tho scarcity of shipping, duo mainly to tho prodigious requirements of armv transport, mado necessary a resort to a larger extent to lfn-vs of 'inland transport. Great mobility of supplies became necessary, and has been achieved. Even tho constant movement- of ships has. never left them short of supplies. All Ote S ships now havo bakenis on boaid, ana fresh bread is supnliel to the flotillas from their parent snip?- The old hard tack" is now little uscii. ' From (ho principal victualling yard a large part of the fleet is fed and clothed. i few figures showing tho .turnover at this vnrd alone will indicate tho character of the supply. The issue of hugai in 1917 was 23.000,0001b., of tea 3,o00.0«U lb., and of chocolato 2,500,0001b. tho weight of jam supplied was 5,200,Wb., of raisins 1,0ff7.0001b.. of marrow f. peas 4,000,0001b., of tinned salmon ~401),0001b., and of rabbit (which is made up irth mnons into a savoury dish caueci "hoosh") 1,300.0001b. The requirement of condensed milk has increased enormously, and the issues from the principal J; aid reached in 1017 not less than a t0t..1 of I!,500,0001b. It is now nearly all made in rum is famous, and the rum is supplied from this yard for Army i.sj» in th > trenches. The total issue m i 917 was 1,000.000 gallons. There is storage in hugo vats of 250,000 gallons, and one vat alono contains 32.817 gallons. In a .rnglo year the issue of leaf and strip tobacco amounts to 3,000.0001b.. and of manulacturod lobteco 2,500,00011).. making together 5,300.f109H>. As to meat, the principal victualling yard supplied 5,-00,000 lb. of preserved meat and ?ajt pork in 1017, but there aro great additional meat supplies at the other yards locally provided. Tims the Royal William \ard nt TVvnnport sunplied in 1017 over 4,000,0001b. of fresh and frozen meat. Frcdi veiretnbleo at this part in 1017 were 7,°°0,2111b. It would be impossiblo to give any idea of the immense quantities of clothing of every sort and land issued io tho licet by the Victualling Department or of the mess traps ana miscellaneous supplies. But in sp'te of immense totals there is strict regard for economy in the Navy.