Regulations respecting the Supply of Meat to the Army. His Majesty's Warrant of the 25th May 1797* directs, that the Soldier is to defray, out of his Pay, the Expence of his Meat, except when Meat of the Quality proper to be provided for him shall exceed the price of Six Pence per pound; in which Case, the Excess of Price shall be allowed to him upon a Quantity not exceeding Three Quarters of a pound of Meat per day. General Officers on the Staff are enjoined to exert their utmost Endeavours to prevent this, His Majesty's most gracious Bounty, being attended with any unnecessary Expence to the Public: It is to their personal Interference and Care that His Majesty looks for the Establishment of such Regulations in the Purchase of this Article, as will effectually guard the Interests of the Public from any Imposition, and at the same time provide, in a suitable manner, for the Comfort of the Soldiers. The General Officers are required to signify to the Commanding Officers of Regiments, and to instruct them to explain, in the clearest and most explicit Manner, to the Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers, that although Care is to be taken that the Meat provided for the Soldiers shall be at all times good and wholesome, yet it is not intended to burden the Public, with the Excess of Price for Meat of a Quality superior to that usually supplied to Soldiers, or which they *For Copy of the Warrant of the 25th May, 1797, see the Collection of Regulations issued from the War-Office in April, 1807, Page 11. would would purchase for themselves if the Extra Price were not allowed to them, much less is it intended to authorize the Purchase of the Prime Pieces exclusively : The Carcase, the Side, or Quarter, of the Beast (as circumstances may require) should be purchased together, the excess, if any, being of course charged on the Average Price of the whole. Accounts of the Extra Price of Meat are to be rendered to the Secretary at War (in conformity to a Form, and at the Periods, prescribed), and the Commanding Officers, Adjutants, and Paymasters, are required to certify, that the Non-Commissioned Officers, Trumpeters, Drummers, and Privates, on whose account a Charge is made, were effective and present, and were not victualled by Innkeepers, nor in Hospital, at the periods specified in the Accounts; that the Quantities of Meat, as stated, were actually delivered to them according to the Rates and Prices charged; and that every possible care has been taken to obtain the Meat on the most reasonable Terms, and in strict conformity to His Majesty's Regulations. The Certificates in support of the Charges made for the Excess of the Price of Meat, are to be authenticated In all Regiments serving in Brigade, or in Garrison, or Cantonments, by the additional Signature of the General, or other Officer Commanding. Regulations Regulations respecting the Supply of Bread to the Army. His Majesty's Warrant of the 25th May, 1797*, directs, that the Soldier is to defray out of his Pay the Expence of his Bread, except when Bread of the Household Quality shall exceed the Price of Three Half-pence per Pound, in which case the Excess of Price shall be allowed to him upon a Quantity not exceeding One Pound per day. The Supply of Bread to the Troops in Great Britain, and the Islands in the Channel, is made under the Direction of the Commissary in Chief. The Bread supplied to the Troops is to be of the same quality, that is, made of Meal, the produce of good marketable Wheat, and well dressed through a Twelve-Shilling seamed Cloth. In order to secure to the Soldiers the full effect of His Majesty's gracious Intentions respecting the supply of Bread to his Troops, it has been found expe dient to enter into Contracts with Persons for the Supply of that Article throughout the Kingdom: the Advantages arising from this Arrangement, when the Price of Bread exceeds Three Half-pence per Pound, are very evident; and in order to guard, as far as possible, against these Contracts being attended with any, even temporary, disadvantage to the Troops, in the Event of the Price of Bread being under Three *For Copy of the Warrant of the 25th May, 1797, see the Collection of Regulations issued from the War-Office in April, 1807. X Half Half-pence per Pound, the Commissary in Chief is required to renew the Contracts from time to time, in order that the lowest possible Price may be charged to the Soldier. Whatever, therefore, may be the Price of Bread, that which is delivered to the Troops is to be of the Quality before specified :-When the Price exceeds Three Half-pence per Pound, the Excess will be defrayed by the Public:When the Price is less than Three Half-pence per Pound, the Soldier is to be charged no more than the Contract Price, The Monthly Contract Prices to be paid for Bread in the several Counties of Great Britain and in the Islands, being determined by the Commissary in Chief, will be communicated by him to the Principal Officer of the Commissariat Department in each District, who is to make a timely Report of the same to the General Officer Commanding the District, with a view to the Contract Prices being announced in General Orders to the Troops in the District, previous to the 23d of every Month. Commanding Officers of Regiments and Detachments are responsible that no greater quantities of Bread are drawn from the Contractors, or their Agents, than are warranted by the Number of effective Non-commissioned Officers, Trumpeters, Drummers, and Privates, excluding those who are Sick, and whose Diet is issued under the orders of the Regimental Surgeon, those on Furlough, those who are receiving Rations of Provisions at the Public Expence, and those who are on the March, and who are victualled by Inn-keepers, &c. They are to sign Returns of |