FoodNet

Manual for army cooks

1896

Page 12

Presented as published in 1896. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Articles of tableware and kitchen utensils lost, damaged, broken, or destroyed, through the care- lessness of enlisted men, should be charged on the muster rolls to the men at fault, and a ' ' statement of charges," on the prescribed form, should be filed as a voucher with the return from which any article so charged is dropped. Breakage of china and glassware not due to care- lessness is usually replaced on requisition, at the public expense, provided it does not exceed 5 per cent per quarter of the total value of the outfit of china and glassware to which a mess is entitled. The value may be determined by prices stated in the price list of clothing and equipage published annually to the Army, and articles so replaced should be destroyed and dropped from returns, on proper MANUAL FOR ARMY COOKS. 39 certificates or affidavits, under paragraph. 697 of tlie Regulations. Breakage in excess of 5 per cent per quarter of the value of china and glass outfits should be replaced on requisition only under extraordinary circum- stances, or when the value of the articles has been charged against enlisted men. Requisitions therefor should clearly set forth the extraordinary circum- stances, or that the value of the articles to be replaced has been charged against enlisted men, stating to whom charged and upon what roll. Estimates and requisitions calling for articles other than china and glassware necessary to maintain a mess equii^ment, should show clearly the necessity and propriety of such renewal, and if to replace articles lost or stolen, should be accompanied by the proceedings of a board of survey, except in cases where the value has been charged against enlisted men. Estimates for tableware and kitchen utensils should be made quarterly, commencing with the one for the fourth quarter of the present fiscal year, and should cover such articles only as, with those on hand, will complete the mess outfit as established by this order. To meet emergencies, special requisi- tions may be made, wherein shall be set forth the circumstances causing such emergencies. MESSING. In camp or barracks, where companies are not joined in a general mess, a comj^any commander should supervise the cooking and messing of his men. He should see that his company is provided Avith at least two cojiies of the Manual for Army Cooks, and that suitable men in sufficient numbers are fully instructed in managing and cooking the ration in the field; also that necessary utensils in serviceable condition are always on hand, together with the field mess furniture for each man. At a 40 MANUAL FOR ARMY COOKS. post Avhere all the companies are joined in a general mess, tlie jjost commander should see that the in- struction above mentioned is given. At such a post a company commander confines his supervision of the mess of his company to observation and to noti- fying the officer in charge, in writing, of anything requiring remedy. Should this officer fail to apply proper remedy, report may then be made to the post commander. A department commander should see that each company of his command has the necessary field practice each year.