Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/475

APPENDIX. 431 It was also at that time announced — it had not been so in the previous winter — that the soldiers, by paying for them, might obtain in the State magazines rice, haricot-beans, sugar, coflee, potatoes, and sometimes onions. — Ibid. For the allowances of rice, sugar, and coffee, the State was to be reimbursed. — Ibid., p. 16. The relation of a Frcncli ' gramme ' to a pound avoirdupois is decimally represented by the figures 0.0022040; and 100 grammes are equal to ahout 3^ oz. The extra allowances granted to the men during the winter of 1854-55 will be shown post in Note 17 to chap. viii. p. 439, Note 2. — The stoppage of pay for this supply of bread and meat was 3^d. Note 3. — For this addition to the ration there was to be an additional stoppage of Id., so that for his bread or biscuit, his meat, his coffee, and his sugar, the soldier would be charged altogether 4^d. The change, although sanctioned by a ' Board ' assembled for the consideration of the subject, was one that could not be made strictly lawful without obtaining the consent of the Treasury ; but Lord Raglan, in the interest of the soldier's health and welfare, took upon himself to direct that it should come into force at once, and did the like also with respect to the other variations above detailed. Note 4. — The thirty-second part of a gallon. Note 5. — The ultimate direction was that when fresh meat could be obtained, the soldier's daily meat-ration should weigh a pound and a quarter. Note 6. — Mr Filder, a veteran campaigner and an excellent judge of such things, said, speaking of the effect of the rum upon the men during the sufferings of the winter, ' nothing seemed to ' do them so much good. ' Note 7. — Lord Raglan also ordered an addition of one-third of a pound to the ration of biscuit, but — after an interval of three weeks — he was obliged to discontinue that increase, because the Commissary-General represented that if subjected to a demand so largely augmented, his supplies would not hold out. Note 8. — Sailing vessels at that time of the year proved wholly unfit for the transport of cattle across the Black Sea, and it was only occasionally that the Commissariat could for this pui'pose command the use of a steamer. — See ante, chap. v. sec. 3.