In many respects the usual rations of the British and American armies are very similar, but the latter army uses much more bacon than the former, which uses much more fresh beef.
The British military authorities always study out a ration for a particular campaign, and then issue it according to the different climates and zones. Major Louis L. Seamen, who has seen a great deal of military service in every part of the world, has devoted much study to this subject, and he claims that there is nothing more important in army subsistence than this adapting the ration to the temperature.
The ration adopted for the campaign in South Africa is:
1 lb. canned meat. 4 oz. bacon, as a change from meat. 2 oz. cheese. 1 lb. hardtack instead of 1-1/4 lb. bread. 1 oz. chocolate instead of tea or coffee. 1/2 oz. coffee, 1/4 oz. tea. 3 oz. sugar, 1/2 oz. salt, 1/3 oz. pepper. 1/64 gal. rum, 4 oz. jam, three times each week. 2 oz. condensed pea soup. 2 oz. rice instead of 1 oz. dried vegetables. 1 oz. dried vegetables. 1 oz. lime juice. 1 lb. fresh meat. 1-1/4 lb. bread.
20 oz. fresh beef or mutton. 12 oz. pork or bacon. 22 oz. salt meat, when no fresh meat is issued. 14 oz. dried fish, when no fresh meat is issued. 18 oz. pickled or fresh fish instead of fresh meat. 18 oz. soft bread, or 18 oz. hard bread, or 20 oz. corn meal. 16/25 oz. baking powder, when necessary in field to bake bread. 2/25 oz. beans or peas, or 1-3/5 oz. rice or hominy. 16 oz. potatoes, or 12-4/5 oz. potatoes and 3-1/5 oz. onions; or 11/15 oz. potatoes and 4-4/5 oz. canned tomatoes; or 16 oz. fresh vegetables. 1-3/5 oz. coffee, green; or 1-7/25 oz. coffee, roasted; or 8/25 oz. tea. 2-2/5 oz. sugar, or 16/25 gill molasses or cane syrup. 8/25 gill vinegar. 16/25 oz. salt. 1/25 oz. (black) pepper. 16/25 oz. soap. 6/25 oz. candles, when oil is not furnished.
The American army also has what is called a travel ration, issued on any transportation where it is impossible to cook more than coffee. It is also often used on quick marches, as it is a short but sufficient allowance. It consists of:
1 lb. hard bread. 3/4 lb. canned beef. 1/3 lb. baked beans or tomatoes (canned). 1/8 lb. coffee. 1/15 lb. sugar.
It was this ration that we used throughout the Santiago campaign, save that most of the time we had bacon, instead of canned beef, and we very seldom got the beans or tomatoes. I found it adequate for the entire time, even with all the hard work we went through. No one found fault with it, except some of the volunteers, and they were dissatisfied with the ration because they did not understand how to use it to advantage. A regular soldier can make about fourteen distinct dishes with that ration, each one very palatable.