In accordance with the provisions of section 40 of the act entitled "An act to increase the efficiency of the permanent military establishment of the United States," approved February 2, 1901, which authorizes the President to "prescribe the kinds and quantities of the component articles of the Army ration, and to direct the issue of substitutive equivalent articles in place of any such components whenever, in his opinion, economy and a due regard to the health and comfort of the troops may so require," the Executive order of April 2, 1908, prescribing the Army ration is revoked, and the following is promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned, to take effect March 1, 1911.


The kinds and quantities of the component articles of the Army ration and the substitutive equivalent articles which may be issued in place of such components shall be as follows:


1. Garrison ration.

Component articles and quantities. Substitutive articles and quantities.
Beef, fresh...ozs..
20
Mutton, fresh....ozs..
20
Bacon[1]....ozs..
12
Canned meat, when impracticable to furnish fresh meat....ozs..
16
Hash, corned beef, when impracticable to furnish fresh meat....ozs..
16
Fish, dried....ozs..
14
Fish, pickled....ozs..
18
Fish, canned....ozs..
16
Turkey, dressed, drawn, on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas, when practicable....ozs..
16
Flour.....ozs..
18
Soft bread....ozs..
18
Hard bread, to be ordered issued only when the interests of the Government so require....ozs..
16
Corn meal....ozs..
20
Baking powder.....ozs..
.08 .............. ......
Beans.....ozs..
2.4
Rice....ozs..
1.6
Hominy....ozs..
1.6
Potatoes[2].....ozs..
20
Potatoes, canned....ozs..
15
Onions, in lieu of an equal quantity of potatoes, but not exceeding 20 per centum of total issue.
Tomatoes, canned, in lieu of an equal quantity of potatoes, but not exceeding 20 per centum of total issue.
Other fresh vegetables (not canned) when they can be obtained in the vicinity or transported in a wholesome condition from a distance, in lieu of an equal quantity of potatoes, but not exceeding 30 per centum of total issue.
Prunes.....ozs..
1.28
Apples, dried or evaporated....ozs..
1.28
Peaches, dried or evaporated....ozs..
1.28
Jam, in lieu of an equal quantity of prunes, but not exceeding 50 per centum of total issue.
Coffee, roasted and ground..ozs..
1.12
Coffee, roasted, not ground..ozs..
1.12
Coffee, green....ozs..
1.4
Tea, black or green....ozs..
.32
Sugar.....ozs..
3.2 .............. ......
Milk, evaporated, unsweetened.....ozs..
.5 .............. ......
Vinegar.....gill..
.16
Pickles, cucumber, in lieu of an equal quantity of vinegar, but not exceeding 50 per centum of total issue.
Salt.....ozs..
.64 .............. ......
Pepper, black.....ozs..
.04 .............. ......
Cinnamon......ozs..
.014
Cloves.....ozs..
.014
Ginger....ozs..
.014
Nutmeg....ozs..
.014
Lard.....ozs..
.64 .............. ......
Butter.....ozs..
.5
Oleomargarine....ozs..
.5
Sirup.....gill..
.32 .............. ......
Flavoring extract, lemon.....ozs..
.014
Flavoring extract, vanilla....ozs..
.014
  1. In Alaska, 16 ounces bacon or, when desired, 16 ounces salt pork, or 22 ounces salt beef.
  2. In Alaska the allowance of fresh vegetables will be 24 ounces instead of 20 ounces, or canned potatoes 18 ounces instead of 15 ounces.

Note.—Food for troops traveling on United States Army transports will be prepared from the articles of subsistence stores which compose the ration for troops in garrison, varied by the substitution of other articles of authorized subsistence stores, the total cost of the food consumed not to exceed 24 cents per man per day, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas, when not to exceed 39 cents is authorized.


2. Haversack ration (for troops in the field in active campaign beyond the advance depot).

Bacon.....ozs..
12 .............. ......
or canned meat.....ozs..
16 .............. ......
Hard bread.....ozs..
16 .............. ......
Coffee, roasted and ground.....ozs..
1.12 .............. ......
Sugar.....ozs..
2.4 .............. ......
Salt.....ozs..
.16 .............. ......


3. Travel ration (for troops traveling otherwise than by marching, and separated from cooking facilities).

Component articles and quantities. Quanti­ties. Substitutive articles and quantities. Quanti­ties.
Ounces. Ounces.
Soft bread.....
18
Hard bread....
16
Beef, corned.....
12
Hash, corned beef....
12
Beans, baked.....
4
Tomatoes, canned.....
8
Jam.....
1.4
Coffee, roasted and ground.....
1.12
Sugar.....
2.4
Milk, evaporated, unsweetened.....
.5


4. Emergency ration.

An emergency ration, prepared under the direction of the War Department, will be issued, in addition to the regular ration, as required for troops on active campaign or in the field for purposes of instruction, and will not be opened except by order of an officer or in extremity. Company and detachment commanders are responsible for the proper care and use of emergency rations carried on the person of the soldier.


5. Savings.

All articles of the garrison and travel ration due a company, or other military organization, will be retained by the commissary and credit given to the organization for the money value of these articles at the current price of the articles; and the commissary will pay as savings to the organization commanders any excess in value of the stores so retained over those purchased by the organization.


6. Supplementing haversack ration.

When in the exigencies of the service troops are subsisted on the haversack ration, and it is found to be practicable to supplement these stores by local purchases or by shipments, the commanding general may direct, in written orders, the issue in kind, in addition to the haversack ration, of such available articles of food not in excess of the amounts allowed of corresponding articles in the garrison ration.

Signature of William Howard Taft
Wm. H. Taft.

The White House,

January 11, 1911.


This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).

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