[Ladysmith by H. W. Nevinson]@TWC D-Link bookLadysmith CHAPTER XXI 9/16
1,864,223 and a large amount of medical comforts, such as spirits, wines, arrowroot, sago, beef tea, &c. In addition to the above we had rice, _ghi_, _goor_, _atta_, &c., for the natives of the Indian contingent.
(_Ghi_ is clarified butter; _goor_, unrefined sugar; _atta_ is whole meal.) At the beginning of the siege the scale of rations was as follows:-- Bread, 1-1/4 lb, or biscuit, 1 lb. Meat (fresh), 1-1/4 lb., or preserved meat, 1 lb. { Coffee, 1 oz., { or { Tea, 1/2 oz. Sugar, 3 oz. Salt, 1/2 oz. Pepper, 1/36 oz. { Vegetables (compressed), 1 oz., { or { Potatoes, 1/2 lb. Cheese, bacon, and jams were frequently issued as an extra, in addition to the above. REQUISITIONING. The above quantities of articles, large as they appear, would not have sufficed to supply our wants for the long siege.
The military authorities therefore very wisely determined at a very early date to make use of the Requisition.
This power of seizing at a certain price from their owners all articles required by the troops has to be used very carefully and tactfully, as otherwise the people hide or bury their goods.
A civilian, commanding the confidence of the people, was appointed by the local authorities to fix the prices in co-operation with a military officer, who represented the interests of her Majesty's Government.
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