Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/164

 120 THE WINTER TKOUBLES. CHAP, seems right to impart a full knowledge of the ' means provided for their subsistence, and even to do this with completeness by descending into homely details. The food of the English army was a subject of anxious and ceaseless care to its chief. The ' Queen's Eegulations ' directed the Commissar- iat Department to furnish each soldier serving abroad with either a pound and a half of leaven bread, or one pound of biscuit, and one pound of fresh or salt meat ; (^) but at that point the accustomed obligations of the Commissariat ceased, and all the other articles of food which the soldier might require were left to be provid- ed for him at his own expense, through the mechanism of regimental arrangements. Lord Eaglan, however, perceived that this last part of the accustomed plan was inapplicable to an army in thinly populated countries having little or no retail commerce ; and when our troops began to advance in front of Varna, he directed the Commissariat to supply daily to each soldier as part of his ordinary ration, one ounce of coffee, and one ounce and three quarters of sugar. (^) Some weeks later, when the health of the iirmy became seriously affected. Lord Eaglan, upon the advice of the Medical Department, directed that there should be temporarily added to the daily food of the soldier, two ounces of rice or Scotch barley, an extra half-pound of meat, and, above all — this was cordially appre- ciated — a free ration of ' spirits.' (*) After landing in the Crimea it became neces-