EQUIPPING OUR CONTINGENTS. SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 116, 13 November 1900, Page 5

EQUIPPING OUR CONTINGENTS. SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.

From a tabulated return which,, has just been brought under our notice we glean some very interesting figures pertaining to the equipment of ouir'iive contingents for South Africa. If the public wero not already aware of the great amount of, work done by the Defence Stores' staff in this connection, the return before us would enlighten' them. There are 160 separate articles particularised in the list, and tlie total of these served out runs into fully seven figures. Some idea of the quantities handled will be given in the items we quote : — Agraaadi total of 244,540- rounds of .303 ammunition was served out to the Contingents, the First taking 10,000 rounds, tie Second 173,540, the Third 9000, the Fourth 32,000, ajid the Fifth 20,000. The Second Contingent had 6610 rouinds of blank ammunition, and tho Fourth 6000 ; and) Major Cradock's men received of Maxim animuiniti'on 5000 rounds of blank and 6300 of ball. The officers of the five Contingents had a total of 17,072 revolver ammuinition. The swbrdl bayonqts, kca'bbairds, and ■ carbine© served out totalled 1188 of each. Tne following figures show the number of accoutrements served out: — Infantry waist-belts 1178, brakes 1138, water-bottles und straps 1134, oil-bottles 1114, canteens and covers #1614, haversacks 1194, pouches (40-rouhds capacity) 2186, slings 1177. There were 682 saddles served out complete with all accoutrements to the first four Contingents, 1362 pairs of spuirs, and 1627 stable head- stalls. The nosebags totalled 1484, horse-blankets 1466, body and dandy brushes 1325, currycombs 1297, forage, cords 1581, canvas horse- covers 718, 1626 pairs forage nets, and 3237 horse-shoes. Tho uniform and underclothing department ran into heavy numbers, as^- these totals show;: — 2590 pairs men's and officers' boots, 1527 great-coats, 1492 felt hats, 2879 khaki jackets, 1340 jerseys, 2854 pairs cord pants, 2571 pail's canvas shoes, 1355 pairs serge trousers, 3827 cholera belts, 3909 pairs drawers, 4116 grey shirts, 2856 underskirts, 4413 pairs sox. Besides all these there were a multitude of other items in tie kit and equipment.