Of the small expense at which the Bavarian soldiers are fed. Details of their housekeeping, founded on actual experiment. An account of the fuel expended by them in cooking.
It has often been matter of surprise to many, and even to those who are most conversant in military affairs, that soldiers can find means to live upon the very small allowances granted them for their subsistence; and I have often wondered that nobody has undertaken to investigate that matter, and to explain a mystery at the same time curious and interesting, in a high degree.
The pay of a private soldier is in all countries very small, much less than the wages of a day-labourer; and in some countries it is so mere a pittance, that it is quite astonishing how it can be made to support life.
The pay of a private foot-soldier in the service of His Most Serene Highness the Elector Palatine, (and it is the same for a private grenadier in the regiment of guards,) is FIVE CREUTZERS a-day, and no more.--Formerly the pay of a private foot-soldier was only four creutzers and a half a-day, but lately, upon the introduction of the new military arrangements in the country, his pay has been raised to five creutzers;--and with this he receives one pound thirteen ounces and a half, Avoirdupois weight, of rye-bread, which, at the medium price of grain in Bavaria and the Palatinate, costs something less than three creutzers, or just about ONE PENNY sterling.
The pay which the soldier receives in money,-- (five creutzers a-day,) equal to one penny three farthings sterling, added to his daily allowance of bread, valued at one penny, make TWO PENCE THREE FARTHINGS a-day, for the sum total of his allowance.
That it is possible, in any country, to procure Food sufficient to support life with so small a sum, will doubtless appear extraordinary to an English reader;--but what would be his surprise upon seeing a whole army, composed of the finest, stoutest, and strongest men in the world, who are fed upon that allowance, and whose countenances show the most evident marks of ruddy health, and perfect contentment?
I have already observed, how much I was struck with the domestic economy of the Bavarian soldiers. I think the subject much too interesting, not to be laid before the Public, even in all its details; and as I think it will be more satisfactory to hear from their own mouths an account of the manner in which these soldiers live, I shall transcribe the reports of two sensible non-commissioned officers, whom I employed to give me the information I wanted.
These non-commissioned officers, who belong to two different regiments of grenadiers in garrison at Munich, were recommended to me by their colonels as being very steady, careful men, are each at the head of a mess consisting of twelve soldiers, themselves reckoned in the number. The following accounts, which they gave me of their housekeeping, and of the expenses of their tables, were all the genuine results of actual experiments made at my particular desire, and at my cost.
I do not believe that useful information was ever purchased cheaper than upon this occasion; and I fancy my reader will be of the same opinion when he has perused the following reports, which are literally translated from the original German.
"In obedience to the orders of Lieut. General Count Rumford, the following experiments were made by Serjeant Wickenhof's mess, in the first company of the first (or Elector's own) regiment of grenadiers, at Munich, on the 10th and 11th of June 1795.
June 10th, 1795. BILL OF FARE Boiled beef, with soup and bread dumplins. Details of the expence, etc. For the boiled beef and the soup.
lb. loths. Creutzers. 2 0 beef[10] ... ... ... 16 0 1 sweet herbs ... ... ... 1 0 0 1/2 pepper ... ... ... ... 0 1/2 0 6 salt ... ... ... ... 0 1/2 1 14 1/2 ammunition bread, cut fine 2 7/8 9 20 water ... ... ... ... 0 ------- ------ Total 13 10 Cost 20 7/8
All these articles were put together into an earthen pot, and boiled two hours and a quarter. The meat was then taken out of the soup and weighed, and found to weigh 1 lb. 30 loths; which, divided into twelve equal portions, gave FIVE LOTHS for the weight of each.
The soup, with the bread, etc. weighed 9 lb. 30 1/2 loths; which, divided into twelve equal portions, gave for each 26 7/12 loths.
The cost of the meat and soup together, 20 7/8 creutzers, divided by twelve, gives 1 3/4 creutzers, very nearly, for the cost of each portion.
For the bread dumplins.
lb. loths. Creutzers. 1 13 of fine semel bread 10 1 0 of fine flour ... 4 1/2 0 6 salt ... ... ... 0 1/2 3 0 of water ... ... 0 -------- ------ Total 5 19 Cost 15
This mass was made into dumplins, and these dumplins were boiled half an hour in clear water. Upon taking them out of the water, they were found to weigh 5 lb. 24 loths; and dividing them into twelve equal portions, each portion weighed 15 1/3 loths; and the cost of the whole (15 creutzers), divided by twelve, gives 1 1/4 creutzers for the cost of each portion.
The meat, soup, and dumplins were served all at once in the same dish, and were all eaten together; and with this meal, (which was their dinner, and was eat at twelve o'clock,) each person belonging to the mess was furnished with a piece of rye-bread, weighing ten loths, and which cost 5/16 of a creutzer. --Each person was likewise furnished with a piece of this bread, weighing ten loths, for his breakfast;--another piece, of equal weight, in the afternoon at four o'clock; and another in the evening.
Analysis of this Day's Fare.
Each person received in the Amount of cost in course of the day Bavarian money.
In solids. In fluids. lb. loths. lb. loths. Creutzers. Boiled beef 0 5 ... ... ... ....... 1 1/6 In the soup. Rye-bread 0 3 7/8 ] Sweet herbs 0 0 1/12 ] Salt ... ... 0 0 1/24 ].... 0 7/16 Pepper ... ... 0 0 1/24 ] Water ... ... 0 23 1/2 ] ---------- --------- ] Total 0 4 2/24 0 23 1/2 ]
In dumplins. Wheaten-bread 0 3 3/4 ] Ditto flour 0 2 2/3 ] Salt ... ... 0 0 1/24 ].... 1 1/4 Water ... ... 0 7 1/12 ] ---------- --------- ] Total 0 6 11/24 0 7 7/12 ]
Dry bread. For breakfast 0 10 ] At dinner 0 10 ] In the afternoon 0 10 ].... 2 1/2 At supper 0 10 ] ------ ] Total 1 8 ] ------ ---------- General total 2 24 13/24 0 31 1/2 which cost 5 17/48
The ammunition bread is reckoned in this estimate at two creutzers the Bavarian pound, which is about what it costs at a medium; and as the daily allowance of the soldiers is 1 1/2 Bavarian pounds of the bread, this reckoned in money amounts to three creutzers a-day; and this added to his pay at five creutzers a-day, makes eight creutzers a-day, which is the whole of his allowance from the sovereign for his subsistence.
But it appears from the foregoing account, that he expends for Food no more than 5 17/48 creutzers a-day, there is therefore a surplus amounting to 2 31/48 creutzers a-day, or very near ONE-THIRD OF HIS WHOLE ALLOWANCE, which remains; and which he can dispose of just as he thinks proper.
This surplus is commonly employed in purchasing beer, brandy, tobacco, etc. Beer in Bavaria costs two creutzers a pint, brandy, or rather malt-spirits, from fifteen to eighteen creutzers; and tobacco is very cheap.
To enable the English reader to form, without the trouble of computation, a complete and satisfactory idea of the manner in which these Bavarian soldiers are fed, I have added the following Analysis of their fare; in which the quantity of each article is expressed in Avoirdupois weight, and its cost in English money.
Analysis.
Each person belonging to the mess received in the course of the day, Cost in English June 11th, 1795. money.
lb. oz. s. d. Dry ammunition bread 1 8 76/100 0 0 10/11 Ammunition bread cooked in the soup ... ... ... 0 2 4/10 0 0 23/264 Fine wheaten (semel) bread in the dumplins ... 0 2 3/10 0 0 10/33 ---------- Total bread 1 13 46/100
Fine flour in the dumplins 0 1 65/100 0 0 18/33 Boiled beef ... ... ... 0 3 1/10 0 0 72/198 In seasoning; fine herbs, salt and pepper ... ... 0 0 13/100 0 0 2/33 ----------- Total solids 2 2 34/100
Water prepared by cooking. In the soup ... ... ... 0 14 52/209 In the dumplins ... ... 0 4 32/100 ----------- Total prepared water 1 2 84/100 ----------- Total solids and fluids 3 5 18/100
Total expense for each person 5 17/48 creutzers, equal to TWO PENCE sterling, very nearly.
But as the Bavarian soldiers have not the same fare every day, the expences of their tables cannot be ascertained from one single experiment. I shall therefore return to Serjeant Wickenhof's report.
11th of June 1795. Bill of Fare. Bread, dumplins, and soup. Details of expenses, etc.
For the dumplins. lb. loths. Creutzers. 2 13 wheaten bread ... ... 14 0 16 butter ... ... ... 9 1 0 fine flour ... ... 4 1/2 0 11 eggs ... ... ... ... 3 0 6 salt ... ... ... ... 0 1/2 0 0 1/2 pepper ... ... ... 0 1/2 3 16 water ... ... ... ... ------- ------- 7 30 1/2 Cost 31 1/2 creutzers.
This made into dumplins;--the dumplins, after being boiled, were found to weigh eight pounds eight loths, which, divided among twelve persons, gave for each twenty-two loths.--And the cost of the whole (31 1/2 creutzers), divided by 12, gives 2 15/24 creutzers for each portion.
For the soup. lb. loths. Creutzers. 1 14 1/2 ammunition bread ... 2 7/8 0 6 salt ... ... ... ... 0 1/2 0 1 sweet herbs ... ... 1 12 0 water ... ... ... ... ------- ------- 13 21 1/2 Cost 4 3/8 creutzers.
This soup, when cooked, weighed 11 lb, 26 loths; which, divided among the twelve persons belonging to the mess, gave for each 31 1/2 loths; and the cost (4 3/8 creutzers), divided by twelve, gives nearly THREE-NINTHS of a creutzer for each portion.
For bread.
Four pieces of ammunition bread, weighing each ten loths, for each person,--namely, one piece for breakfast--one at dinner--one in the afternoon,--and one at supper; in all, 40 loths, or one pound and a quarter, costs two creutzers and a half.
Details of expenses, etc. for each person.
lb. loths. Creutzers For 1 8 dry bread ... ... 2 1/2 For 0 22 bread dumplins ... 2 15/24 For 0 31 1/2 bread soup ... ... 0 3/8 --------- ----- 2 30 1/2 of Food Cost 5 1/2 creutzers.
The same details expressed in Avoirdupois weight, and English money:
For each person lb. oz. Pence 1 8 76/100 dry ammunition bread 0 10/11 0 13 6/10 bread dumplins ... 0 693/792 1 3 1/2 bread soup ... ... 0 36/264 ------------ --------- 3 9 86/100 of Food Cost 2 pence.
June 20th, 1795. Serjeant Kein's mess, second regiment of grenadiers.
Bill of Fare.
Boiled beef--bread soup--and liver dumplins. Details of expenses, etc. For the boiled beef and soup.
lb. loths. Creutzers. 2 0 beef ... ... ... 15 0 6 1/2 salt ... ... ... 0 1/2 0 0 1/2 pepper ... ... 0 1/2 0 2 sweet herbs ... 0 1/2 2 24 ammunition bread 3 1/4 17 0 water... ... ... ---------- ------- 22 1 Cost 19 1/2 creutzers.
These ingredients were all boiled together two hours and five minutes; after which the beef was taken out of the soup and weighed, and was found to weigh 1 lb. 22 loths; the soup weighed 15 lb.; and these divided equally among the twelve persons belonging to the mess, gave for each portion, 4 1/2 loths of beef, and 1 lb. 8 loths of soup; and the cost of the whole (19 3/4 creutzers), divided by 18, gives 1 31/48 creutzers for the cost of each portion.
Details of expenses, etc. for the liver dumplins.
lb. loths. Creutzers. 2 28 of fine semel bread 15 1 0 of beef liver ... ... ... 5 0 18 of fine flour ... ... ... 2 1/2 0 6 of salt ... ... ... ... 0 1/2 2 24 of water ... ... ... ... --- -------- -------- Total 7 12 Cost 23 creutzers.
These ingredients being made into dumplins, the dumplins after being properly boiled were found to weigh 8 lb.--This gave for each portion 21 1/3 loths; and the amount of the cost (23 creutzers), divided by 12, the number of the portions, gives for each 1 11/12 creutzers.
The quantity of dry ammunition bread furnished to each person was 1 lb. 8 loths; and this, at two creutzers a pound, amounts to 2 1/2 creutzers.
Recapitulation.
For each person lb. loths. Creutzers. 0 4 1/2 of boiled beef, and ] ... 1 31/48 1 8 of bread soup ] 0 21 1/4 of liver dumplins ... ... 1 11/12 1 8 of dry bread ... ... ... 2 1/2 ---------- --------- 3 9 5/6 of Food Cost 6 3/48 creutzers.
In Avoirdupois weight, and English money, it is,--for each person:
lb. oz. 0 2.78 of boiled beef, and ] ... 0 948/1584 1 8.91 of bread soup ] 0 13.19 of liver dumplins ... ... 0 276/306 1 8.76 of dry bread ... ... ... 0 10/11 ------- ----------- 4 1.54 of Food Cost 2 1/5 pence.
June 21st, 1795. Bill of Fare. Boiled beef, and bread soup, with bread dumplins. Details of expenses, etc. for the boiled beef and bread soup. The same as yesterday, For the dumplins.
lb. loths. Creutzers. 2 30 semel bread ... ... ... 15 1/2 0 18 fine flour ... ... ... 3 0 6 salt ... ... ... ... 0 1/2 3 0 water ... ... ... ... ------- ------- 6 22 Cost 19 creutzers.
These dumplins being boiled, were found to weigh 7 lb. which gave for each person 18 2/3 loths; and each portion cost 1 7/12 creutzers.
Dry ammunition bread furnished to each person 1 lb. 8 loths, which cost 2 1/2 creutzers.
Recapitulation.
Each person belonging to the mess received this day:
lb. loths. Creutzers. 0 4 1/2 of boiled beef, and ] ... 1 31/48 1 8 of bread soup ] 0 18 2/3 of bread dumplins ... ... 1 7/12 1 8 of dry bread ... ... ... 2 1/2 --------- ------- 3 7 1/6 of Food Cost 5 35/42 creutzers
In Avoirdupois weight, and English money, it is,
lb. oz. 0 2.78 of boiled beef, and ] ... 0 948/1584 1 8.76 of bread soup ] 0 11.54 of bread dumplins ... ... 0 228/396 1 8.76 of dry bread ... ... ... 0 10/11 ------- ---------- 4 0 of Food Cost 2 1/12 pence.
June 22d, 1795. Bill of Fare. Bread soup and meat dumplins. Details of expenses, etc.
lb. loths. 2 0 of beef ... ... ... 15 2 30 of semel bread ... 15 1/2 0 18 of fine flour ... ... 3 0 1 of pepper ... ... 1 0 12 of salt ... ... ... 1 0 2 of sweet herbs ... 0 1/2 2 24 of ammunition bread 3 1/4 2 16 of water to the dumplins ------ Cost 39 1/4 creutzers.
The meat being cut fine, or minced, was mixed with the semel or wheaten bread; and these with the flour, and a due proportion of salt, were made into dumplins, and boiled in the soup.--These dumplins when boiled, weighed 10 lb. which, divided into 12 equal portions, gave 20 2/3 loths for each.
The soup weighed 15 lb. which gave 1 lb. 8 loths for each portion. --Of dry ammunition bread, each person received 1 lb. 8 loths, which cost 2 1/2 creutzers.
Recapitulation.
Each person received this day
lb. loths. Creutzers 0 20 2/3 of meat dumplins, and ] ... 3 13/48 1 8 of bread soup ] 1 8 of ammunition bread 2 1/2 --------- ------- 3 4 2/3 of Food Cost 5 37/48 creutzers.
In Avoirdupois weight, and English money, it is,
lb. oz. Pence. 0 12.77 of meat dumplins, and ] ... 1 300/1584 1 8.76 of bread soup ] 1 8.76 of ammunition bread ... ... 0 10/11 -------- ---------- 3 14.29 of Food Cost 2 1/10 pence.
The results of all these experiments, (and of many more which I could add,) show that the Bavarian soldier can live,--and the fact is that he actually does live,--upon a little more than TWO THIRDS of his allowance.--Of the five creutzers a-day which he receives in money, he seldom puts more than two creutzers and a half, and never more than three creutzers into the mess; so that at least TWO-FIFTHS of his pay remains, after he has defrayed all the expenses of his subsistence; and as he is furnished with every article of his clothing by the sovereign, and no stoppage is ever permitted to be made of any part of his pay, on any pretence whatever, THERE IS NO SOLDIER IN EUROPE WHOSE SITUATION IS MORE COMFORTABLE.
Though the ammunition bread with which he is furnished is rather coarse and brown, being made of rye-meal, with only a small quantity of the coarser part of the bran separated from it, yet it is not only wholesome, but very nourishing; and for making soup it is even more palatable than wheaten bread. Most of the soldiers, however, in the Elector's service, and particularly those belonging to the Bavarian regiments, make a practice of selling a great part of their allowance of ammunition bread, and with the money they get for it, buy the best wheaten bread that is to be had; and many of them never taste brown bread but in their soup.
The ammunition bread is delivered to the soldiers every fourth day, in loaves, each loaf being equal to two rations; and it is a rule generally established in the messes, for each soldier to furnish one loaf for the use of the mess every twelfth day, so that he has five-sixths of his allowance of bread, which remains at his disposal.
The foregoing account of the manner in which the Bavarian soldiers are fed, will, I think, show most clearly the great importance of making soldiers live together in messes.--It may likewise furnish some useful hints to those who may be engaged in feeding the Poor, or in providing Food for ships's companies, or other bodies of men who are fed in common.
With regard to the expense of fuel in these experiments, as the victuals were cooked in earthen pots, over an open fire, the consumption of fire-wood was very great.
On the 10th of June, when 9 lb. 30 1/2 loths of soup, 1 lb. 28 loths of meat, and 5 lb. 24 loths of bread dumplins, in all 17 lb. 18 1/2 of Food were prepared, and the process of cooking, from the time the fire was lighted till the victuals were done, lasted two hours and forty-five minutes, and twenty-nine pounds, Bavarian weight, of fire-wood were consumed.
On the 11th of June, when 11 lb. 26 loths of bread soup, and 8 lb. 8 loths of bread dumplins, in all 20 lb. 2 loths of Food were prepared, the process of cooking lasted one hour and thirty minutes;--and seventeen pounds of wood were consumed.
On the 20th of June, in Serjeant Kein's mess, 15 lb. of soup; 1 lb. 22 loths of meat, and 8 lb. of liver dumplins, in all 24 lb. 22 loths of Food were prepared, and through the process of cooking lasted two hours and forty-five minutes, only 27 1/2 lb. of fire-wood were consumed.
On the 21st of June, the same quantity of soup and meat, and 7 lb. of bread dumplins, in all 23 lb. 22 loths of Food were prepared in two hours and thirty minutes, with the consumption of 18 1/2 lb. of wood.
On the 22nd of June, 15 lb. of soup, and 10 lb. of meat dumplins, in all 25 lb. of Food, were cooked in two hours and forty-five minutes, and the wood consumed was 18 lb. 10 loths.
The following table will show, in a striking and satisfactory manner, the expense of fuel in these experiments:
Date of the Time employed Quantity Quantity Quantity Experiments. in cooking. of Food of Wood of Wood to prepared. consumed. 1 lb. of Food.
June 1795. Hours. min. lb. loths. lb. 10th 2 45 17 18 1/2 29 11th 1 30 20 2 17 20th 2 45 24 22 17 1/2 21st 2 30 23 22 18 1/2 22d 2 45 25 0 18 1/4 -------- ----------- ------- Sums 5 12 15 111 0 1/2 100 1/4 -------- ----------- ------- Means 2 23 22 0 1/5 20 1/20 10/11 lb.
The mean quantity of Food prepared daily in five days being 22 lb. very nearly, and the mean quantity of fire-wood consumed being 20 1/20 lb.; this gives 10/11 lb. of wood for each pound of Food.
But it has been found by actual experiment, made with the utmost care, in the new kitchen of the House of Industry at Munich, and often repeated, that 600 lb. of Food, (of the Soup No. I. given to the Poor,) may be cooked with the consumption of only 44 lb. of pine-wood. And hence it appears how very great the waste of fuel must be in all culinary processes, as they are commonly performed; for though the time taken up in cooking the soup for the Poor is, at a medium, more than FOUR HOURS AND A HALF, while that employed by the soldiers in their cooking is less than TWO HOURS AND A HALF; yet the quantity of fuel consumed by the latter is near THIRTEEN TIMES greater than that employed in the public kitchen of the House of Industry.
But I must not here anticipate here a matter which is to be the subject of a separate Essay; and which, from its great importance, certainly deserves to be carefully and thoroughly investigated.
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