-.^^ -5^ ^'^^4^/., < °^m^^ '^ ^^. v^^ x^^ ■''^- "'^'^ ,\>^' -V ■^, \0 ^.. ' ^ :'^, ^0 S vV -^^ '- * . o > ^^° ^- ,^ ^' A>^^' ^^' •:'*:.. . '■.\;^^*'. ,v^^'-. •'i'' % ,0 -^^^ ,x-^ ^A^ ,-0' oo' •^. ,<^^ .^^^ .^:^''% ',^' .V -^_ PO^ V v^^'~ . ,A^^ •^^' ,^N oS -n^ .-0 ■i^^ .--. .o^^^' -^i. J. o^ 0°'. ^^^ •^^.- \ %S^ \ ,<^^' s - ' " ^ ^'^\\-^ > s -n*-. - *^ 9-^ ,-0' HISTORY Military Canteen Lieut. -Col. PHILIP R^ADE Inspector General U. S. V. (Major 4th U. S. Infantrv) Published by authority of The Hon., The Secretary of War u '^ \K'- This is a piihUcatioii pcrinHicd by the Secrehiry of JJ'iir of reports made to the Inspector General of the Army, during the months of Sep- tember, October, and November, J goo, by Lieut. -Colon el Philip Reade, Jjispector General, U. S. V., ( Majof 4th U. S. Infantry), regarding the Regulation Canteen and other canteens presented for trial with refereftce to their ftness for use in the military service. AUG 18)908 PRINTED BY C. J. BURROUGHS, Chicago. l!y PHILIP READE. REPORT UPON ARMY CANTEENS LIEUT. CUL. PHILIP' READE, I. G., U. S. V., (.MAJOR 4TH r. s. infantry) Inspector General, Department of Dakota. At the beginning of the last century, and for some years after., the soldier's canteen was a wooden, drum-shaped affair, provided with a nozzle. (See cut p. 120.) To now return to that shape and adopt a hollow cylinder, modeled after a drum for packing figs in, would be an advance backwards. The history of mankind is the history of the development of weapons and equipment for war by improvements, in which one nation has overcome another and survived. Within a few months from now our military organization will have been readjusted. The arms and equii)ments to be neces.^itated by the increase in numbers of our permanent military establishment should be new and not of the nineteenth century pattern. l>y July, 1901, perhaps 6o,cxDO canteens now carried by, or in the l)ossession of, United States Volunteers and Regulars will have been turned in. Some of these canteens will be suspended by the returned volunteers beside the obsolete muzzle-loading firearms of the civil war period, and some may find their way into the museums for the col- lection and display of archaic military weapons and equipments. Froni being an inconsequential article of a soldier's personal equipment the canteen has become, in fact, one of the most impor- tant articles, because connected with hygienic considerations ; in other words, because it carries water and because the majority of our troops are in localities where good water is of prime considera- tion to health. Those wdio live a comparatively fixed life can hardly weigh aright the importance of a good canteen. Since the microbe or germ theory has come into the discussion of hygienic conditions, wc have learned why it is that bad water is the most dangerous liquid one can drink ; that the denizen of places fitted with filtering devices, sterilizing appliances, faucets, hydrants, water valves, pipes, aqueducts, cooling refrigerators, icehouses, etc., can 3 4 lllSTORV OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. guard against inicro-urganisnis aiul temper the water to suit his palate; the soldier ean not so guard himself in the field or on cam- paign, or on the march. If the former could only get water hy journeying to the town pump, or well having a pole, or piece of timber, moved on a fulcrum or post, used to raise and lower a bucket in the well for laboriously drawing water by hand, he would feel it an annoying hardship. Wc have relegated the well-sweep, but hung on to the canteen of con- temporaneous antiquity. People who always live in houses and sleep in beds and walk on pavements and ride in street cars, and who get their food from butch- ers, bakers, grocers, or restaurants, and who always have access to unlimited quantities of good water, don't appreciate — they can't appreciate — water, because it is as free as air. The circumstances of their existence are too mathematical and secure. They are boarders in this world. Everything is done for them by somebody else. They live at second or third hand. They get their excitement out of the newspapers. If the weather is bad, they are snugly housed. If it is cold, there is a furnace in the cellar. If they are hungry, the shops are near at hand. They might as well be brought up in an incubator. r>ut where man abides in the fields, after the manner of soldiers in campaign, he learns that his best friends are his arms, his blanket, and his rations; the last nametl are not an\- more important than his filled canteen. Napoleon said: "There are five things from which the soldier must never be separated — his gun, his cartridges, his knapsack, his provisions for at least four days, and his pioneer tool. Let the knap- sack be reduced to the smallest size ; let him carry in it a shirt, a pair of shoes, a stock, a handkerchief, a tinder box, but let him have it always with him, for, once separated from him, it never returns." It is submitted that a man will retain things for the preservation of his own life longer than he will retain things for the taking of life. Hence he will hold on to his provisions longer than he will retain implements, such as his gun, cartridges, knapsack, pioneer tool, or even his "stock." In other w^ords, the soldier wall include his canteen as one of his best friends. He is never prodigal with his water when inured to war experiences. City dwellers who know that there is always plenty more in the pipes do not appreciate this last fact. A soldier in barracks, with water closets and baths, requires 25 gallons of water per day. Without w^ater closets and baths he HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. f\ktr£»fhni Mi ./rfS-ffH ConnectiQut ^cvtfuari.n?6-tTS). l/lS/ftAftiry man i ftnrth'Kf orcUr, /OSi. 6 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. requires lo gallons of water per day. In stationary camps. 5 gallons per head for all purposes is required. A soldier requires on the march, for drinking and cooking, 6 pints a day, increased in a hot climate to 8 pints, and an equal amount for washing the person. The foregoing are the lowest figures. The hygienic preparations for a campaign, either for the foot or mounted soldier, include a con- sideration of many rules and precautions that are unavoidably broken or impaired by war, but the three requisites of a camping grounds are water, fuel and forage. Bad water is the most dangerous liquid one can drink. The soldier is not dressed or outfitted in obedience to caprices of fashion, but in accordance with the rules of hygiene. All camping grounds are not near to running streams, or water. Marches must be limited to the human strength and necessities, both as regards travel and rest, rations and water. During the period immediately following the capitulation of Santiago, July, 1898, the Fifth Army Corps obtained its water from the San Juan river, less than a mile away, by means of canteens. Stalwart, fever-stricken men went thirsty because they shrank from the physical exertion involved in walking down a hill a few hundred yards and then stagger back with a load of filled canteens. Aching heads and flushing faces were relieved by water, but the fluid appli-, cation was a costly one. Soldiers, insane from heat, exhaustion and fatigue, reeled into any kind of shelter and would there lie prostrate and gasp, their canteens by their side — empty. Sights like these, and personal deprivation, quicken one's conception and appreciation. General Viscount Wolseley in his "Soldier's Pocket liook for Field Service," edition 1886. includes in the list of articles to be worn on the person a drinking cup and water bottle. He says : "The best water bottles are those made of ebonite and covered with felt. Those holding a little less than i ys pints weigh, when empty, 13} otmces ; when full, 2 pounds 7,1 ounces. Our regulation water bottle, that is of wood, holds I and 1-3 pints; weighs when empty, t pound and i ounce; when full. 2 pounds 10 ounces. Leather water bottle used in Nile expedition, weighs 2 pounds. ^Moving across a desert, the first and greatest difficulty is water, ^'ou must provide for the carriage of at least i gallon per man per diem, with a surplus of spare water of 25 per cent, or whatever your calculation amounts to. In calculating the quantity of water required per man for drinking and cooking, it may be ])ut down as six pints in temperate, and eight HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 7 pints ill tropical climates. On desert journeys in summer, when hot winds blow, a man requires two gallons a day, but in autumn or winter three pints a day are sufficient." At Tientsin, China, July 13, 1900, where Col. Emerson H. Lis- cum, ninth infantry, was killed, Lieutenant Abraham Loeb reports that the regiment lay all day in salt water, mud up to their waists, under a hot sun. "Water gave out," he states, "and the men in their frenzied attempts to quench their burning thirst, would drink that dirty salt water, supplying it in short mouthfuls, as it eddied about their forms." Regarding the lack of water at Tientsin, the New York Sun's correspondent reports : "One thing this day should teach the Ameri- can army, one little thing of great importance. I have seen six different breeds of man go into battle today. Every one of them except the American had some contrivance for getting extra water to the field. It has been a fearfully hot day and the men have suf- fered greatly for water. Our men are notoriously prodigal of the contents of their canteens. They hadn't been on the line two hours before they were running out, and the cry went up for more. But there was no way to get more. The British, French, and Japanese had their donkey carts or mules packed with breakers, but the Americans had nothing and their men had to suffer and stand it as best they could. It is no very great reform to make, but it counts afield." j\Iajor William D. Beach, Inspector General U. S. V., (Captain 3d U. S. Cavalry), Inspector General Dept. of Southern Luzon, P. I., states that "officers and some old soldiers will make their can- teens of water last for twenty-four hours if necessary, or else go without ; but the average soldier can not be made to do it, and sick- ness results." It is an axiom in our service to never start on a march or field exercise without filling all canteens. Company commanders inspect before starting to see that this essential is complied with by all. The importance of the canteen as an article of the soldier's equipment in the field cannot be overestimated. Its value in garrison is not generally appreciated, because of the ease with which water can be obtained. A canteen is defined by Webster as being a vessel used by sol- diers for carrying liquors, water or other drink. In the English service the canteen has been made of wood and held three pints. In the L^nited States it is a tin flask. Col. H. L. Scott, in his Military Dictionary of 1864, defines a can- 8 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. teen as a small tin, caoutchouc, or circular wooden vessel, used by soldiers to carry liquor, etc. Captain Thomas Wilhelm, in his Military Dictionary, 1881, says that a canteen is a tin vessel used by soldiers to carry water on the march, or in the field. It is usually suspended by a strap from the shoulder. In the British service the canteen, he says, is made of wood and is called a water bottle. Worcester in his dictionary defines the canteen as a small tin or circular wooden vessel which each soldier carries and uses for water. Chambers" Encyclopedia, edition of 1879, defines canteen as the name given to a vessel used by soldiers to contain whatever beverage may be obtainable on the march or in the field, made sometimes of tin, sometimes of wood. In the British army, the canteen is a wooden vessel holding about three pints, painted blue, and inscribed with the number, or designation of the regiment, battalion and com- pany to which the soldier belongs. The following are stated to be the specifications for the regula- tion U. S. Army canteen, viz. : Made of XXXX tin, circular in shape, 7f inches in diameter, sides oval and smooth ; thickness through, three inches, with a triangular wire loop T soldered on each side to tin loop ; mouthpiece with a rim ; cork capped with tin ; iron wire stem riveted through cork and attached to canteen by a brass chain three inches long, with a ring closed on mouthpiece. Covered first with gray "Petersham," and afterwards with drab duck. The weight of the complete canteen is 12.6 ounces; of the canteen haversack strap, as used by the in- fantry, 6.3 ounces, and of the cavalry canteen strap, 3 ounces. The Commandant, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, (Major S. E. Blunt, Ord. Dept.) furnishes the following information in regard to the manufacture of canteens at that arsenal : "The present regu- lation canteen is made up of sheet tin ; the two halves of the can- teen being formed under presses, soldered together and separate mouthpiece soldered thereto, the triangles for the strap soldered on, and then the canteen covered, first with felt and then with dyed duck of the same material as used for the haversack. After this the cork and chain are added. Inspections are made at each different stage of manufacture and when finally completed before the canteens are packed and transferred to store. The only 'test' made during manufacture is to determine whether the soldering is complete. This is accomplished by placing the nozzle of an air compresser into the mouth of the canteen, plunging the canteen under water, and then HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 9 forcing air into it. If there are any leaks they will he discovered by air hubhling in the water. It leaks are found the cante&n is resoldered and again tested." In the matter of canteens we have not kept pace with other na- tions nor yet with the development and improvements made by in- ventors and industrial establishments in the United States, and which have been made evident by the open air tests made by me and here- inafter described. The canteen now and for many years issued by the Ordnance Department, is a poor affair, inconsistent with the improvements made in other articles of the soldier's equipment issued by the same department. I have found, in the possession of the ist Cavalry or of the 8th Infantry, canteens made of X tin, of XX tin, and of XXX tin. Owing to this lack of uniformity in material, difference in weight and of durability exists. Some of the army canteens vary in capacity four or more ounces, the minimum being 42 fluid ounces. Difference exists, also in the weight, thickness and quality of the felt superimposed upon the flask. These variations are visible to the eye and have been further proven by immersion in water and by flame tests. The present service canteen is defective because it will not pre- serve fluid at a palatable temperature, in either very high or very low temperatures. A cause of this defect is that the tin flask is not covered by enough non-conducting material, viz., good, thick, all- wool felt. First Lieutenant F. L. Knudson, 8th Infantry, a soldier of nearly twelve years' experience in infantry service, says: "The canteen at present issued to the army is very poor. Its shape is such that it is inconvenient to carry, and its covering not sufficiently thick to keep the water cool. The stopper should be fashioned by having its chain secured on the inside of the canteen, because the present method of fastening it is not solid enough and causes the chain to slip off the neck of the canteen and the stoppers are very often lost. The canteen should be made of material that will not rust." Captain F. H. Sargent, 8th Infantry, says : "Noticed defect in canteen, wdiich should be of such shape as to fit close to the body and should be covered with a good felt, much thicker than the cover now in use, which is of poor material, shoddy and thin." Captain W. H. Hart, Brigade Quartermaster, N. G. S. I^Iinne- 10 HISTORY OF THE MILIT, MOftt Mach IIISTORV OF THI-: MILITARY CAXTEEX. II sota, writes: "The Government canteen cover is of tiimsy material and cannot absorb nearly as much water as a canteen cover of fine piano all wool felt." Not to change and improve the present army canteen is to run counter to the workings of what clearly is the trend of development in the higher w^alks of business, science and the profession of arms in other countries. The service canteen should be a combination of a flask to con- tain fluids, provided with a cover to keep the contents of the flask at a palatable temperature ; that is, a condition with respect to heat or cold in zones, localities or temperatures other than ordinarily preva- lent in the temperate zone. It seems hardly necessary to dwell upon the fact that a canteen flask and its coverings must be separately, as well as unitedly, con- sidered. The canteen, per se, is a flask to contain forty-eight or more fluid ounces of water. It is in no wise responsible for the failure of its cover to protect its contents adequately from extreme varia- tions of temperature. The flask should be so made, or of such ma- terial, as to resist such treatment as a soldier might give it during a campaign, or the march, or in the field. Respects in Which the Care and Storage of Water in a Can- teen Resemble Storage Methods of Transporta- tion OF Food Products, It is not inappropriate to consider water as a food product, and, in hot weather, the canteen as a cold storage house. When the tem- perature ranges above 90 degrees, it is injurious to water as a food product. The Subsistence Department, U. S. Army, has to consider tem- peratures injurious to food products in storage or transportation, and methods of protection from the same. It is claimed that water is perishable when congealed, or when so hot as to be nauseating. It is also unfit for human consumption when unsanitary from any cause. Protection from excessive heat or cold is as necessary for drinking w'ater as for fruits, vegetables, dairy products, milk, green meats, poultry, game, fish, oysters, clams, malt and hop liquors, wet, canned or bottled groceries, ink, mucilage, proprietary medicines, mineral waters and drugs having water, in- stead of alcohol, as a base. Hence, in the construction of a canteen and its components, also in the transportation by the soldier of its perishalilc contents, primal objects to be attained are: 12 IIISTUKV (H" THE MILITARY CAXTEEX. 1. The protection of the contents from frost or excessive cold. 2. The protection of the same from excessive heat. The temperatures at which drinking waters are hable to damage vary according to their condition when canteened. length of expos- ure, whether kept continually in motion, etc. The degrees of cold to which drinking fluids within canteens may be subjected \\ithout becoming impaired depends upon the time of exposure, whether allowed to stand, whether partly emptied, and the duration of the exposure, as well as the intensity of the cold. in the transportation and exposure of the food products, etc., named, concurrence of opinion and method exists as to the modern methods involving the efificacy of cars, etc., specially l)uilt, variably ventilated, properly lined and contents carefully packed in straw, hay, oat chaff, moss, sawdust, paper, etc. In the case of the canteen, the lining is properly represented by the cover, or outer jacket. Just as in the former case, a factor to be observed is the tempera- ture of the produce when put into the car, so the temperature of the fluid or water when th.e canteen is filled is a factor in determining the merit of the flask covering. If the fluid has been exposed to a low temperature for a considerable time before being canteened, it is in a jKior condition to withstand cold, and its original temperature must be taken into account. It is -also certain that even a car load of produce, like potatoes, will stand a lower temperature when the car is in motion than when at rest, so it is with a canteen's contents \\hen jolted. Cars are classed as ordinary refrigerator cars, salamanders and extraordinary refrigerator cars of the better class. Canteens may also l;e so classed. Some are simply water carriers; others are so protected as to assist in the process of refrigerating their fluid con- tents. Car loads of fish, etc., are protected by bins built into the car and thoroughly iced. The modern canteen has its non-conducting cover built on to the outside of the flask, and in hot weather the fluid contents of the flask are protected by moistening the absorbent inner cover. The relation between the outside air temperature and the tem- perature within the car varies largely, depending on the kind of car, whether an ordinary freight or refrigerator car, whether lined or not, whether standing still or in motion, and also on the weather, whether windy or calm, warm or cold. In shipping long distances in summer, it is necessary to rr-ico the cars, HISTORY OF Till: MILITARY CAXTKEX. 13 When tlic old soldier can, lie will, in hot weather, ininierse his corked canteen in water in order to resupply the absorbent inner cover with moisture and so retard the subsequent evaporation by keeping the outer cover tightly laced. It is important to note that in shipping fruits, etc., many of the precautions taken in packing to keep out the cold will also keep in the heat, there being really more danger in some instances from heating, steaming, cooking, etc., by process of decomposition than from cold. In cold weather the knowing old soldier who wants to keep his canteen full of coffee, tea, etc., hot, puts the fluid into the canteen when it is hot, and he does not wet the felt cover. Cars containing perishable goods are sometimes, when a south wind is blowing on the prairie, covered with canvas on the south side. They are lined, have padded doors, sides are protected by heavy paper tacked to the walls, also by the addition of an inner board wall a few inches distant from the outer one ; produce sur- rounded by straw, cars warmed by steam from the locomotive when in motion, and by stove when steam is not available. Lined cars are lined with tongued and grooved boards on the sides and ends and bulkheadcd. Cars, after being loaded, are carefully inspected as to temperature within ; their destination considered, etc. Cars were not thus equipped, packed and constructed, etc., i)rior to the construction of our transcontinental railways and cold storage establishments. Twenty-iive years ago shijipers used ordinary cars. The development and evolution of the canteen in the U. S. Army has not been such as to justify retaining any longer in service the army canteen now used by our soldiers. The development, improve- ment and evolution of the service canteen has not kept pace with the progress of the cold storage cars. In the modern method of storing water in a canteen, the recom- mendation is made that a modern canteen be used. That is to sav, one protected by felt instead of "Petersham," having superimposed an openable canvas cover made of some close woven textile fabric, the pattern of the cover being such as to facilitate the moistening of the felt. The best method of covering for a canteen known to me is the Lanz method. It does not necessarily quickly produce a low tem- perature in hot weather, but it keeps the contents of the canteen at a uniformly palatable temperature lietter than any other practicallv practicable device suited for the military service and personal trans- portation by the soldier in the open. 14 II IS Torn' or Tin-: m unitary caxteex. Efforts are hciiii^;- eonslaiitl} nuulc U) reduce liie load of the fool soldier to a iiiiiiinnini. He solves the (|nestion ior himself in the field l)y discarding;- non-essentials and so enhances his fii^htint; and niarchin*^ powers, hut retains his canteen whether afoot, nionnletl or moving- hy wagon, transport or train. The canteen is not included Ijy him m the list of unnecessary impedimenta. A soldier must have water, and he luust have an a])i)liance to carry water. That canteen is the hest canteen which is the most per- fect non-conductor of heat and cold. In a report dated January 20, 1899, froni Headquarters ist Di- vision 2d Army Corps, Camp Mackenzie, Augusta, Ga., recommenda- tion was made that canteens should he covered with felt, or wool, not bare canvas. I now know that a llannel co\-er, unprotected, over a canteen, makes eva])oration too eas}- : that a leather covered canteen stops evaporation entirely ; that a canvas cover over felt retards evaporation and gives the hest results, viz., palatable water of low temperature for troops in the field in the sunimer season, or anv season in our tropical possessions. It is believed that the function of a canteen is to carry and ef- fectually preserve the temperature of water, either in hot or cold weather. The present U. S. canteen, as issued b}- the (Ordnance Depart- ment, does not satisfactorily preserve or maintain lluid at a ])alat- able temperature in either very high or very low temperatures. Every question in war should be considered in the aspect of what soldiers can do, and will do, when fatigued. A veteran soldier knows the value of a canteen. The three articles that he will hold on to longest are his rifle, his canteen and his blanket. If he has no am- munition for his rifle he may abandon it, but hang on to his canteen and blanket. He will never part with his canteen. Its value as an article of equipment is attested to by this fact. The material used to cover the canteen flask, now in use by the U. S. Army, is practically useless as a means for preventing the con- tents of the canteen from becoming frozen in cold weather. A method of preventing in hot weather the contents from be- coming unpalatable, by reason of high temperature, is to apply a layer of non-heat conducting material to the body of the flask, moistening this material so as to prevent the air from gaining access to the wetted material, thus retarding the process of evaporation. A method for effecting the desired end, in cold weather, is above HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CAXTEEX. I5 (lescril)C(l, c-xccpl that the layer of iiuii-hcal-conchictiiii^- maurial ajiplied to the hody of the llask shoukl not lie moistened. Old soldiers of the V. S. Army know that a woolen sloeking- leg- pulled over a eanteen helj^s to keep the contents cool, and they also know that, in tropical regions, the evaporation is retarded and the canteen contents thus kept palatable, especially if a dry cotton stock- ing leg is pulled over the wet woolen one. The veteran soldier, plainsman, scout or hunter, will, during hot weather, "dip" his canteen whenever opportunity offers. The body of the metallic flask used as a canteen should be thor- oughly covered with all wool felt, or other non-conducting absorbent fabric, material or substance, or by a combination of such. The better the felt, the better its absorbent properties, and the better are the results attained in any open air temperature to which the can- teen is exposed. There is a kind of felt, so-called, used for lining horse boots for wear, for padding saddles — "hair felt" it is called. Hair felt is sometimes wool mixed with hair of goat, ox, hare, rabbit, musquash and cotton or jute. Saddler's felt may be some wool mixed with any serrated edged, jagged or notched hair, the barbs of which point to the tip of the hair. The piano felt used on one pattern of the Lanz canteen heretofore mentioned is unwoven, clear, all-wool, and weighs about three (3) pounds to the square yanl. It is of 1-8, 2-8, 3-8, 4-8, etc., thickness, but the thickness alone does not indicate weight. It can be made of any reasonable thickness. It is said by piano manufacturers to be made in different weights, from one (i) to five (5) pounds per square yard. Another type of the Lanz canteen is protected by a wool sponge woven felt fabric ; a new departure, made in Amsterdam, N. Y. Its efficacy as a canteen flask cover has not yet been fully determined. Over the non-conducting material on the body of the flask should be superimposed an openable cover of some close woven textile fabric. An advantage of the partly openable duck, or canvas, cover, is that it facilitates moistening of the felt. When the cover is laced up over the moistened felt, evaporation is retarded and the contents of the canteen kept at a palatable temperature for a much longer period of time than if the present service canteen is used. It is fully recognized that the determination of the best canteen should rest upon their use in the field, and not l)y experimental tests in the hands of officers not serving with troops. Durability, corro- i6 HISTORV ()1- llli: .Mir.lTARV CAXTEEN. ly the /,an7i Ca/?tee/? Co., C/?/ca^o,I7/. Tce of ^ales /yfeta/Zia /^/!a5^, shaded, to At t^e pzrso^ , >z^rt7r JStiUomi to/o *vA/cA corff7ot ieconre detac?ieai . Capacity ^33 f/uifcl/ 9(4 nce^. <3Mimiitcd iy iJit lany;: Cay7iief7Co.t 2t3 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. We guarantee every one of ours to Ije water-tight, and even soldering can be done on them." The Preston Field Ration Mess Kit. (ira(hially the armies of the world are adopting ahunintim for mess kits, and the Ordnance Department of the U. S. Army has for a number of years been testing the qualities of aluminum for this ])urpose. Owing to the Cuban and Philippine wars, these tests have Ijcen somewhat delayed, but during the last year the department has issued to the service, for trial, one thousand sets of the Preston Mess Kit. This kit was patented March 3, 1896, by Lieutenant Guy H. Preston, U. S. A., and is made by the Scovill Manufacturing Com- pany, Waterbury, Conn. The retail price of same, complete, is $4.50. A glance at the illustrations will demonstrate the improve- ment in compactness and convenience over any kit now in use. Being made wherever possible, of aluminum, it has the additional advantage of increased lightness, and strength as well. Its weight, with cover, is 2 lbs. 5 oz. The only metals used in any way are aluminum, tin and iron, so that no injurious salts can be formed by corrosion. Following is a description of articles of which the kit is com- posed : The Canteen Proffer. — This has a capacity of little over three pints. It is made of hca\ily coated tin, soldered at its joints. Tin is used rather than aluminum, because as yet no satisfactory solder has been found for aluminum, and the canteen could not well be made without joints. The cork has a cap of aluminum to keep the corners from crumbling when inside, and cannot be lost because of a chain and bar which hang on the inside of the canteen. Frying Pan. — This is made of aluminum with a heavily tinned steel handle, which, when packed, swings back on a hinge and lies flat on the bottom of the pan. A very ingenious and durable device with a sliding pin, which cannot be lost, is used for holding the handle in position when in use. The pan is about i inch in depth and fits over the side of the canteen when in the canvas cover. This frying- pan has a cover, which is its counterpart in size and shape, and fits over the other side of the canteen when inside of the canvas cover. This may be used as another cooking pan or serving dish. It has no handle, but may l)e locked tightly over the top of the frying pan, thus making a case for carrying rations or may 1)e slijiped loosely over the frying pan, thus making a fine baker. Cup or Sauce Pan. — This is made of aluminum with a heavily HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 27 tinned steel handle, which, when packed, closes within the cup. When in use, a small gravity catch keeps the handle in its proper position. The cup is strongly reinforced where the handle is riveted on, so that the weight of its contents will not work it loose. This cup, when packed, slips over the bottom of the canteen, which it fits snugly. Canvas Cover. — This is very strongly made of the best brown canvas. A strong canvas strap with an adjoining buckle is securely sewed about the bottom end of the cover. This cover may also be furnished with D rings, when desired, to take the regular cavalry carrying strap issued by the Quartermaster's Department. The top of the cover is laced tight about the canteen, leaving but the neck exposed. Inside is a double lining of gray felt, which is secured to canvas. This is to keep the water cool. The aluminum pans are also a help in this respect, as aluminum is a bad conductor of heat. A pocket is sewed to the inside of the canvas to hold the knife, fork and spoon, which are made of steel, very heavily tinned and silver plated. Being made of steel they are strong and can easily be kept sharp, and being tinned they do not become rusty. Captain W. C. Brown, First U. S. Cavalry, is quoted as stating that : "The Preston Mess Outfit is very convenient and suitable for officers' use, but the aluminum sheet used for the frying pan and plate, are rather too thin to withstand the rough usage which they will get in the hands oi enlisted men." Tin: Cowf.KS Caxteen. Name of inventor, John T. Cowles, 224 East Washington street, Chicago, 111., alleged to have assigned same to Mr. George Lanz, 183 Lake street, Chicago, a manufacturer of leather goods, and who has furnished ordnance leather equipments to the Ordnance Department U. S. Army, also to English forces now in South Africa. This invention relates especially to army contracts for the use of foot and mounted soldiers, but may be adapted as well for large water receptacles, such, for example, as may be used for carrying a temporary supply of water for horses in cavalry and artillery service. The object of the invention is to provide means for more effectu- ally preserving the temperature of water either in hot or cold weather. For individual use, the flask of the canteen is of the usual double convex type. It is a canteen in combination, basing its merits, in part, upon the physical principle of convection. A covering of fib- rous material is applied to the flask and impregnated with a non-heat- conducting material. There is a filling of corrugated fibrous paper interposed between the fibrous covering and spaced apart from an 28 IIISTOKV OF Till': MILITARY CANTEEN. outer rigid shell, which encloses the whole. The walls of the shel have rigid supports. The shell has a textile cover. The canteen is provided with the usual nozzle and chained stop- per. The materials used to impregnate the felt, or other fibrous material used as a cover to the flask, are said to be sulphate of alum- inum, common salts, and sulphate of ammonia, or the three mixed. It is stated that the inventor does not desire to be limited to these particular substances, as there are many materials which may be applied to a fibrous carrying substance with greater or less efficiency, the process being to conveniently impregnate the fibrous material b}- saturating it with a solution of the substance and then drying it out. The covered flask is encased in a shell of sheet metal, spaced apart from the fibrous cover, so as to leave an air chamber. To the case there is applied the usual fibrous jacket, and this, in turn, is enclosed by means of a canvas cover which is openable through a portion of its circumference, the seam along the edge of the flask being permanently stitched from the nozzle in each direction for a short distance and through the remainder of the circumference of the flask being closed by lacing, so that the canvas cover may be opened for the purpose of admitting moisture to the fibrous material, whereby the cooling eflfect, due to evaporation, is secured. See "Lanz Canteen" for this form of laced canvas cover. The shell has a cross-rib support applied to its inner face central as to the sides of the flask and bearing against the fibrous cover, so that the shell will not be easily indented. The corrugated paper used as filling is impregnated with a non-heat-conducting material. One form of the shell of the Cowles canteen is corrugated, the corruga- tions being arranged meridianally as to the shell and being of maxi- mum depth across its equator and disappearing at its polar portions. The inventor claims that by the use of the outer covering of felt protected by a close woven fabric, such as canvas, the benefit is secured of the long continued efifect due to slow evaporation, the felt having been saturated when the canteen is full. The canteens heretofore made have proved inadequate as to means for keeping the water sufficiently cool to be palatable in hot climates. For this reason the expedient named is supplemented in the canteen forming the subject of this mention, by the metallic casing- enclosing the flask in such manner as to form with the w^alls thereof an air-space. The advantage gained by this construction is decidedly augmented by the layer of fibrous material applied directly to the flask, and by but partially filling the air-space between it and the casing, this fibrous material being itself a good non-conductor of heat, but being rendered far more efficient in this regard by being iii.ST(_)K\' ()i- Till': Mii.iTAUv c A \ ri:i;\. 29 impregnated with the suhstaiices named, whieh possess \'ery low conductivity. By supplementing these features with the corrugated paper placed with the air-space named, a further marked advantage is secured, not only because of the efficacy of the paper, especially when impregnated with the materials named above as non-conductors, but because of the sub-division of the air-space into numerous cells, thereby preventing the circulation of air and the consequent trans- mission of heat by convection. The principle of the invention is not limited to this, or any other canteen form, but is equally applicable to a flask or tank (^f any shape. The Laxz Canteex. Name of inventor, William Lanz. and manufacturer. Mr. George Lanz, 183 Lake street, Chicago, 111. The canteen is one of the few articles of equipment that the prop- erly trained soldier will never part with. Every question in war should be considered in the aspect of what men can do, and will do, when fatigued. ]\Ir. George Lanz is a reputable wholesale manu- facturer and contractor for leather goods. He has made a large number of saddle bags, pistol holsters, etc., for the Ordnance Depart- ment, U. S. Army, and for the British service. This invention relates to army canteens and the like, and its object is to provide such a cover for the sheet metal flask, of which such articles are usually composed, that it will more efifectually prevent changes of temperature of the contents than has heretofore been accomplished. The usual reliance for acomplishing this object has been a jacket of a substance called felt, or of a mixture of cotton or jute mixed with wool, called felt, covered with canvas, which jacket is so intended that by the process of evaporation the contents of the flask will remain cool. This means for preventing the contents of the flask from becom- ing warm has been inadequate because the outer covering of the can- teen has usually been of finely woven canvas, or like fabric, which is very nearly water-proof, and hence, although water may have been poured upon the canteen, or the latter may have been dipped into water, the moisture would not penetrate the canvas covering, and hence the inner lining of cotton and jute mixed with wool felt would remain dry. The form of construction now in use by the U. S. Army also is, of course, practically valueless as a means of preventing the contents of the canteen from becoming frozen in cold weather. 30 TITSTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. One form of the Lanz invention consists in covering the flask with a material, or a layer of material, having- a low heat-conducting character, and placing- over the layer an envelope of water-proof material, so that the inner layer will never hecome wet ; upon this envelope is superimposed the usual jacket, or jackets, of fibrous material, such as felt, and this in turn is covered with canvas or sim- ilar textile fabric, closely woven, so that it is almost impervious to water. This outer cover is openable, its seam being in part formed by lacing, so that it may be readily opened for renewal or for the pur- pose of permitting moisture to freely enter the felt jacket when the canteen is immersed in water. The invention consists further in making the canteen with one of its sides flattened or slightly concave. Drawings illustrating this invention, side elevation, edge view and transverse section, are in the possession of the inventor at No. 183 Lake street, Chicago, 111. (See page 31.) The flask is the usual rounded double convex form, except that one of its sides is made slightly concave, so that it may rest more easily upon the hip of the user when slung from the shoulder. The flask is provided with the usual nozzle closed by a stopper provided with a chain and ring. A layer of non-heat-conducting material is applied to the body of the flask, preferably granular cork is used for this purpose, and it may he secured to the canteen by first coating the latter with a suit- able cement and then sprinkling the cork upon it while the cement is moist ; or the cork may first be molded into a shell adapted to fit snugly against the side of the flask. Other forms of the Lanz can- teen omit this layer. This layer of material is enclosed in an envelope of water-proof material. F^ir this purpose oilcloth is preferably used, though any material which will prevent water from gaining access to the cork will serve. L^'pon the envelope is superimposed a layer, or layers, of fibrous material, jireferably felt, and this, in turn, is encased in felt, wool, canvas or other fabric. This cover is made in two sections, one applied to each side of the flask, the two being joined by a seam which may be permanently and closely stitched from the nozzle part way round the canteen ; but through a considerable portion of this seam, preferably exceeding one-half of the circumference of the canteen, lacing is used. In use, the lacing is, or may be, opened after the flask is filled. IIISTOKV OF Tlir. Mir.lTARV CANTEEX. G 3- IITSTORV OF Till'. .MILITARY CANTEEN. and the caiUccn, if the water or wcatlior ])c warm, is then immersed in water so that the felt jacket may liecome thoroughly saturated. The lacing is now drawn tightly so as to prevent the air from gain- ing access to the felt, and thereby the process of evaporation is greatly retarded, so that under ordinary circumstances the felt will continue moist for a numhcr of hours. The layer of cork, or other material, prevents the heat from pass- ing through the walls of the flask when the temperature of the felt jacket is raised above that of the contents of the canteen, so that the water remains cool and palatable for manv hours after the flask is filled. The ofifice of the water-jM-oof envelope is to prevent the layer of non-heat-conducting material from becoming weighted, and hence, in time, foul, and also to prevent the metal of which the flask is formed from corroding. In cold weather the felt is, of course, not moistened, and, being, when dry, an efifective non-conductor of heat, it, with the inner layer of cork, or similar material, will prevent the liquid within the can- teen from parting with its beat for a consideral)le period, so that he danger of freezing is greatly lessened. While the construction heretofore mentioned may be preferable to any other, the w-ater-proof layer of non-heat-conducting material may be omitted and the jacket of fibrous material be applied directly to the l)ody of the flask, enclosing it within the canvas cover whicb is openable for the purpose of admitting moisture to the felt, and may then be closed by lacing, so as to greatly retard the process of evaporation. Many of our old soldiers have learned that a woolen stocking leg pulled over a canteen helps to keep the contents cool. An English patent of 1884 describes a canteen witb a felt cover- ing and a leather cover laced over it. An Italian patent of 187 1 refers to a felt and flannel laced cover for a canteen. It is claimed that neither of these can accomplish what is claimed for the canteens made by j\Ir. George Lanz, 183 Lake street, Chicago, 111., viz.: Re- tard the evaporation. Experimental tests have been made by Mr. Lanz demonstrating varying and relative results, using a canteen witb a leather cover, with a flannel cover, with a canvas cover. The merits of the Lanz made canteen are that it will keep cool water at a low temperature, reduce higb temperatured water to a drinkable temperature, or warm liquid at a high temperature, longer than any other canteen now in use by any military power. These results are accomplished by enveloping or casing the can- HISTORY Oh- im-: military canteen. 33 teen with a non-comlucting snl)stancc, such as wool, felt, cork or granulated cork, sometimes in conjunction with a certain cement. Another device of his manufacture is to encase the protected can- teen hy an outer shell of metal, there being an air-space between the shell and the enveloped canteen. The shell is held away from the canteen bv two beveled cork bufifers. These buffer heels also protect the canteen. The whole is then covered. It is designed that each soldier shall carry one, suspended by a strap from the shoulder, to carry cool water, hot coffee, or whatever beverage may be obtainable on the march or in the field. It is claimed that the drinkable properties of the hquid continue for a longer period than by any other device patented, or used, by any army. The Lanz canteen is not a tin flask enveloped with a thin mixture of cotton, wool or jute, then canvas covered. The patentee makes the canteen of aluminum, and also of various other metals, or combinations of metals; likewise of wood, paper pulp, caoutchouc, etc. In shape, the circular form is generally preserved, but one face is convex, the other being concave. When slung, the concave face is next to the body of the wearer. A filter may be fastened to the noz- zle or mouth, if desired. The capacity may be from three pints upward, same as model. Ordnance pattern, U. S. Army. The cavalry model canteen is of larger capacity than the one designated for the equipment and transportation of foot soldiers. The weight of the Lanz canteen is about six (6) ounces in excess of the U. S. canteen of the same capacity, forty-six (46) fluid ounces of water, being twenty (20) ounces of avoirdupois. The following tests are reported by him, five (5) canteens being used : First test. No. i, U. S. canteen, as issued by Ordnance Depart- ment. No. 2, Lanz canteen. No. 3, another Lanz canteen. Tem- perature of hydrant water with which each canteen was filled, fifty- fiv^ (55) Fahrenheit. Exposure at rest, 115. Time of exposure, 6 hours. Results: No. i. U. S. canteen, 94. No. 2, Lanz canteen, 76. No. 3, Lanz canteen, 72. Second test. No. i, L"^. S. canteen, as issued by Ordnance Depart- ment. No. 2, Lanz canteen. No. 3, Improved Lanz canteen. Tem- perature of water at time of filling each canteen, 55 Fahrenheit. Canteens suspended at rest and exposed for 5 hours to a temperature of 135. The exterior surface of each canteen was dry before, and 34 UISTOKV ()1- THE MILITARY CANTEEN. n?/iieci iy the Larr^ /rrQMufacii^f/^f Co.^ Oh/ca^o j7/. 36 IIISTUKV (JF TJIi: .MlLllAKV CAXTEEX. moisture in Imi wrallicr. Iiciu\' (-onlrnts of canteen lieeonie unpala- table. Air. ( icori^e Lanz claims : 1. In combination, a tlask, a layer of low-heat-conducting char- acter covering- the flask, a waterproof envelope for such covering ; a jacket of fibrous material superimposed upon the envelope and an openable cover of close woven textile fabric for the jacket. 2. In a canteen, in combination, a flask, a layer of granulated cork covering the flask, a waterproof envelope for such covering, a jacket of fibrous material superimposed upon the envelope, and a canvas cover for the jacket, such cover being composed of two sec- tions joined together, in part, by lacing. 3. In a canteen, in combination, a flask, a jacket of uninter- rupted absorbent material therefor, and an openable cover for the jacket made of close woven fabric. 4. He claims the herein described method of retarding the rise of temperature of a liquid in an environment of a relatively higher temperature consisting in enclosing the liquid in a flask moistening the exterior of the flask and retarding the evaporation of such moisture. Some of his canteens are protected by felt 1-8 of an inch in thickness : some by 2-8-inch felt : some by 3-8-inch felt ; some by 4-8- inch felt. Some have i -8-inch layer of granular cork; some 2-8-inch cork; some 3-8-inch cork layer next the flask. Some have both felt and cork of varying thickness over the flask — Init all of the patterns of Lanz canteens have outside, the canvas laced up, openable cover. He claims to use only the best imported piano felt. At Camp Lake View, Minn., during the week 19th to 27th July, 1900, some tests of the Lanz canteen as compared with the U. S. canteen as at present issued by the Ordnance Department, U. S. A., were made by Asst. Surgeon Asa Friend Goodrich, Medical Corps, N. Ci. S. M., and ist Lieut. Wm. Arthur Carleton, ist Regt. Infantry, N. G. S. M. The Lanz canteen was the property of Capt. Wm. H. Hart. Brigade Quartermaster, Minnesota National Guard. I was present at some of the tests and loaned what I call my Arizona canteen to be tested with the other canteens named. One of the tests involved carrying a canteen attached to the saddle and carried for several hours in a liot sun on a horse in such a manner as to receive warmth from the bodv of the horse. HISTORY UF THE MILITARY CANTEEX. 3/ The following is a copy of the endorsement of the Lanz canteen by Capt. W. H. Hart. Reports were also made by Dr. Goodrich and Lieut. Carleton : "Camp Lake View, Lake City, Minn.. July 29, 1900. Mr. George Lanz, Manufacturer and I'atentee Lanz Canteen. 183 Lake Street, Chicago, 111. Sir: I am satisfied that when a metal tlask containing water is covered with felt that has been saturated with water and the felt then covered with canvas that is laced up tight so as to minimize the access of air, the retarded evaporation operates to keep the con- tents of the flask palatably cool for a longer period, and at a lower temperature, than by any other process known to me. The higher the atmospheric temperature the better, so long as the felt is kept moist. "You sent me for test and trial one of your canteens. The flask held about forty-five (45) fluid ounces. It had a layer of granulated cork stuck on to canvas and varnished, I think. Over that layer was a felt cover about a quarter of an inch thick. Over that was an open- able canvas cover laced up like Colonel Reade's. "The Government canteen cover is of flimsy material and cannot absorb nearly as much water as a canteen covered with fine piano all- wool felt. "I caused two officers of the Minnesota National Guard to con- duct a series t)f tests of your canteen at this place a few days ago. as compared with the U. S. Government canteen as issued by the Ord- nance Department, U. S. A. "Col. Reade's canteen, the one he used in June-August, 1898, in Santiago de Cuba, was borrowed for comparative test by these two officers. His canteen was covered with common saddler's felt covered with a laced canvas cover. "Every care was exercised to make the conditions uniform ; all canteens were filled at the same time ; quantity of water in each the same ; immersed fairly ; same exposure ; one thermometer used in testing. "My personal judgment is based upon the results of those tests, and you can refer to me as one who condemns the present Govern- ment canteen and would like to see it superseded by the Lanz canteen. "For what sum per hundred can you recover, by your process, the V. S. canteens now in the hands of the Minnesota National Guard? "<^^-^"^^-^ W.H.Hart, "Captain- and Brigade Quartermaster. "National Guard, State of Minnesota." 38 HISTORY OF Tin: .MILITARY CANTEEN. In witnessing these tests, several questions were ni mv mind : For use in tropical regions — 1. Did the inner cork jacket of one form of Lanz canteen do any good? 2. Did the waterproof layer (oilcloth, resin, cement, or varnish), whatever the substance might be, used to protect the inner layer, do any good? 3. Was the Lanz theory of having next to the tiask a layer of material having low heat-conducting properties covered with a water- proof substance in order to prevent water from gaining access to the cork jacket, correct? 4. If the inner jacket, so isolated, aided to keep the contents of the flask palatable, was it commensurate with the enhanced cost and weight ? 5. Would it not be better to discard this inner jacket ami sub- stitute a like amount in weight of fibrous or textile material, as in the Arizona canteen which has the felt material applied directly to the flask ? Using five (5 ) Lanz canteens, and two (2) L". S. A. canteens, as issued by the Ordnance Department, I have since witnessed the fol- lowing test : No. 1. Lanz canteen, cover 3-8-inch gran, cork ; also 3-8-inch felt and canvas cover. No. 2, Lanz canteen, cover i-8-inch gran, cork : also 2-8-inch felt and canvas cover. No. 3, Lanz canteen, cover 1-8-inch gran, cork : also 3-8-inch felt and canvas cover. Xo. 4, Lanz canteen, co\-er. no gran, cork : 3-8-inch fell and also can- vas cover. No. 5, Lanz canteen, cover, n(i gran cork ; 1-2-inch felt and also can- vas cover. Nos. 7 and 8, U. S. Government canteens as issued at present. The seven canteens were filled with water of the same tempera- ture — 66 degrees F., and at the same time. Quantity of water in each Lanz canteen, one 45, one 46 ounces. All seven canteens were immersed in water for the same length of time — about fifteen minutes — after the lacing of each of the Lanz canteens had been loosened. The laces in the Lanz canteens were then tightened up again and all seven canteens suspended above the roof of a four-storied build- ing, where full circulation and exposure to air, light and heat, with- out contact, was maintained for six (6) consecutive hours. Reside HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CAXTEEN. 39 cacli canteen hung a thermometer, from which liourly readings were taken and outside temperature noted and recorded. At 9 o'clock a. m., temperature was 90 degrees F. At 10 o'clock a. m., temperature was 94 degrees F. At 1 1 o'clock a. m., temperature was 93 degrees F. At 12 o'clock m., temperature was 97 degrees F. At r o'clock p. m., temperature was 98 degrees F. At 2 o'clock p. m., temperature was 99 degrees F. At 3 o'clock p. m.. temperature was 99 degrees F. After these six (6) hours' exposure, the contents of the canteens showed temperature as follows (a thermometer had been inserted in each canteen) : Lanz canteen. Xo. i. "j-j degrees F. Lanz canteen, No. 2, 78 degrees F. Lanz canteen No. 3, 78 degrees F. Lanz canteen. No. 4, 78 degrees F. Lanz canteen, No. 5, 'j'j degrees F. L^. S. canteen, 100 degrees F. \j. S. canteen. 102 degrees F. On another occasion, three (3) canteens were tested, viz.: Lanz canteen. No. i. Lanz canteen, No. 4. \j. S. Government canteen as issued. These three canteens were filled with water, 66 degrees F., and placed on the roof of a high building, so that one flat side of each canteen was exposed to the sun for seven (7) consecutive hours, from 8.30 a. m. to 3.30 p. m. A thermometer was placed beside each canteen and also inserted into each one after the seven hours' ex- posure. The temperature was noted as follows : 8.30 a. m., outside temperature, 95 degrees F. 9.30 a. m., outside temperature, 105 degrees F. 10.30 a. m., outside temperature, 115 degrees F. 11.30 a. m., outside temperature, 120 degrees F. 12.30 p. m.. outside temperature. 125 degrees F. 1.30 p. m., outside temperature, 125 degrees F. 2.30 p. m.. outside temperature. 120. degrees F. 3.30 p. m., outside temperature, T15 degrees F. 40 l-llSTOKV OF THE MILITARY CAXTKEN. IIISTOKV OF THE MILITAKV CANTEEN. 41 I have personally made the following tests, conducting same from my olfice, Army Building, St. Paul. Minn. TEST No. 1. Kind of Canlcc Weight of Canteen. No. I, U. S. Government.. No. 2, " " No. 3, Lanz, single cork and |-inch felt, can- vas outside No. 4, Lanz, |-inch felt, canvas outside No. 5, Reade, Arizona, saddler's felt, canvas outside Dry I Wet 118/2 25 i4o 24/^ 40 82 Temper- Absorb- ature of Holds ent Water ounces. Capac- when ity. placed in Canteen. 45 ly, 76 46 3/2 76 45 15 76- 46 15/2 76 86 42 76 Temper- ire of Water at Conclii- of St. 78 Outside temperature: Canteens suspended over roof. The exterior cover of tach canteen was wet before making the test. Time of exposure, at rest, six (6) hours. 9 a. m., 75 deg 10 " 86 " II " 92 « ¥. 12111., 94 " I p. m. 76 " '.,• 3 " 89 " TEST No. 2. Weight of Canteen. No I No 2 No 3 No. 4 No. 5, U. S. Government ji6 .- 15 Lanz, single cork and ^-inch felt, No. 3, canvas outside. Lanz, %-\r\c\\. felt, canvas outside . . Reade, Arizona, saddler's felt, can- vas outside Lanz, XXX tin, singlecork, ^g-inch with waterpoof covering, ^-inch felt. (Loaned by Dr. A. F. Good- rich)..: Lanz, XXXX tin, ^-inch felt, no cork, canvas cover. (Loaned by Dr. A. F. Goodrich) 25 24^ 18K 34 J^ Holds ounces Absorb- ent Capac- ity. Tempera- ture of Water when placed in Canteen. 64 64 64 64 64 64 64 Tempera- ture of Water at Conclu- sion of Test. 89 76 80 Outside temperature: — g a. m.. So deg. F. 10 " 74 11 - S3 1 2 m. , 90 Canteens suspended at rest, above roof, where free circulation and exposure lo sunlight and heat, without contact, was maintained for six (6) con.secutive hours. The outer, or canvas, cover was saturated before making the te.st. F. I p. m. , 90 deg. F F. F. F. 2 " 93 " F. 3 " 92 " 1- IIISTOKV OF Tllli -MILITAKV CANTEEN. TEST No. '3. Kind of Canteen. Weight of Canteen. U. S. Government . No. I, No. 2, " No. 3, Lanz, 1 No. 4, " I No. 5, Reade, j- Ai No. 3, Lanz, | No. 4, " ] :iibed in Test No. 2; As ii Absorb- Holds I ent ounces. Capac- IVmpera- ture of Water when placed in Canteen. S a. ni. 76 deg. F. I 1 ,_ in. , 93 'l^k'- 1- 9 " 82 " V. 2 92 " F o " qo " F. 3 " qo " F I " 02 " F. 4 " 88 " J^ 2 m.. 93 " y- Outiiuu C'anlcens siis])ended at re^t above roof, where free circulation and exposure to sunlight, without contact with one another, was maintained for eight (8) consecutive hours. Covers were wet before making test. TEST No. 4. No. I, U. S. Government No. 2, " " " No. 3, Lanz, ] No. 4, " I No. 5, Reade, [- As described in 1 est No. 2 N ). 3, Lanz, | No. 4, " ) Weight of Absorb- Canteen. Holds Capac- iiy. Dry Wet ozs. ozs. iVs in Test No. 2. ■|'einpera- ture of Water when placed in Canteen. Tempera- ture of Water at Conclu- sion of Test. npcraturc of watcr (Uu-ing Test No. 4. Outside 8 9 o I I 3 4 c ANlEtN No. 2. No. 3. NO... 7«^ 78 78 76 78 78 75 7« 78 76 76 76 79 77 7b 86 76 76 91 76 76 92 77 7b 93 77 76 Canteens suspended at rest above roof, where free circulation and exposure to sun- liglit, williout contact with one another, was maintained for eight (8) consecutive hour^. Covers were dry before making test. HISTOKV OF MILIT.VRV CAXTEEN. 43 TEST No. 5. Kind of Canteen. Weight of Canteen. Holds ounces Absorb- ent Capac- ity. Tempera- ture of Water when placed in Canteen. Tempera- ture of Water at Conclu- Dry ozs. Wet sion of Te.st. As 14 14 in 20 20 Test 48 48 No. 2. 6 6 6 6 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 85t 85t 85t 85t 104 101 No 2 " " No. 3, Lanz, | No. 4, " 1 No. 5, Reade, [- Asdcscribcd in Test No. 2. No. 3, Lanz, | No. 4, " J^ So 81 80 80 90 90 86 No 2A " No. 3A " " X Tin Flask (not covered) .92 'Contents spilled before conclusion of test. tThese canteens were exposed one hour only, from 3 to 4 o'clock p. m. ICanteen No. 3 A, is a U. S. Government canteen having a leg of a woolen stocking pu over its covering. Outside temperature, and temperature of water, eacli hour, in each canteen, during Test No. 5. Hour. Outside No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. 'lin I'emp. I. 2. 3- 4- 5- 4- I A. 2A. 3A. Flask 8 a. ni 79 80 80 80 So So So So 9 " .... 84 78 78 79 80 80 79 78 10 " 88 78 78 78 80 So 79 78 II " 91 80 79 80 80 So So 80 12 m 94 81 83 80 82 Si 81 82 I p. m 100 100 100 102 103 82 82 8i 81 8S 8S 8S 8S 4 " .... 97 104 103 80 81 80 80 90 90 86 92 Wind, ten miles an hour during this test. Canteens were in constant motion. Four ounces of water taken from each canteen every hour for the first four hours. TEST No. 0. Kind of Canteen. Weight of Canteen. Holds Absorb- ent Capac- ity. ■J'empera- ture of Water when placed in Canteen. Tempera- ture of Water at Dry Wet ozs. sion of Test. No. I, U. S. (Inveniinent No. 2, " " As give No 1 . n in T ests s. 2 an d 5. 1 76 98 76 1 98 76 j 82 76 i So 76 1 80 76 82 76 82 76 1 98 76 98 76 ' 84 76 98 No. 3, Lanz, | No. 4, " 1 No. 5, Reade, ;- As described in Test No. 2 No. 3, Lanz, | No. 4, " J No 2A, " No. 3A, " " Tin Fla.sk (not covered) . 44 ISroKV OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. Outside temperature, and temperature of water, eacli hour, in each canteen, during Test No. 6. Outside CANTEEN. • Hour. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. J^o. No. No. Tin 2. 3- 4. s. 3- 76 4. 76 lA. .76 2A. 76 3A. Flask. S a. m. . . s;> 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 9 "... 7« 72 72 74 74 7.S 76 74 7« ■ 74 74 80 lO " ... 82 72 72 74 74 7S 7S 7S 80 7S 74 84 II " ... 86 74 7S 74 7S 7=; 71 76 82 7« 74 86 12 m 86 7« 82 74 7S 7S 75 76 «S 82 74 86 I p. m . . . 90 84 84 76 76 76 76 77 86 86 76 89 2 " ... 92 «q 90 7« 7« 77 7« 79 qo 90 80 92 3 " ■ ■ • 94 Q4 Q4 80 80 7« 80 82 92 Q4 82 94 4 " - - - 92 98 98 82 80 80 82 82 92 98 84 98 During Test No. 6. all of the canteens were constantly in motion, due to the wind. Every hour each canteen was dipped and four (4) ounces of water poured out ; thus the quantity of water in each can- teen was hourly reduced in hulk. The advantage of the cork and felt comhined a^ opposed to an equal thickness of felt covering is scarcely appreciable. Further Experiment.xl Tests Made With thi AND the L.\nz Canteen. I'. S. CVNTEEN Tests by Secund Lieutenant \\ W. Healy, Eighth Infantry, and by A. A. Surgeon R. M. Fletcher, Jr. : Lieut. F. W. llealy. Eighth Lifantry, tilfed a canteen, patented by Mr. William Lanz, 183 Lake street, Chicago, 111., with water; temperature, 56 degrees F. The canteen was then placed against the wire fender, or spark arrester, screening the wood fire of the open fire-place, and allowed to remain there for ten (10) hours. At the expiration of that time the temperature of the water in the Lanz canteen was found to be 70 degrees. A Government can- teen, similarly exposed, had a temperature of 82 degrees. On the following day, Lieut. Healy tested the Lanz canteen, also a canteen, Ordnance pattern, issued to a member of Company D, Eighth L^. S. Infantry, in the following wise: Each canteen was immersed in water, temperature, 56 degrees F.. for about two minutes, and each canteen was then filled with water of the temperature named. The capacity of the Lanz canteen was 46 fluid ounces ; that of the Government canteen 47 ounces. They were then placed so as to receive in equal proportion the direct action of a wood fire Imrning in the fire-place of the cfuarters occupied by Lieut. ITealy. HISTORY OF THR MILITARY CANTEEN. 45 i5cc?/e ^ 3mi// 'marry ^/umn^m P/asTr , cpuered ly i^te La/>x /rrei^ad uriih '/g inch Amsie.rc/atn spon^ /kit ; a/aerfable catrvascover Cut >n three jo>act9, hi^)f Ce/fOf. Co/i9Q't^ 4-X /"/k/^ Of.., ttt .J?CA. IIISTORV 01' TirR Mri.ITARY CAXTEEX. 5 1 TisST N... 2. The canteens were llien replaeed in the incuhator at the same temperature as al)()ve, and at the expiration of another hour, tem- perature was as follows : ( iovernment canteen, 102 degrees ; Lanz canteen, 95 dei^rees. After another hour of similar exposure the temperature was: Government canteen, 132 de,q;rees ; Lanz canteen, 1 r8 degrees. Test Xo. 3. Both canteens dry, no immersion, were filled with water at a temperature of 147 degrees and placed in a cold storage room where the uniform temperature of 38 degrees F. existed. Observations — After first hour. Government canteen, no de- grees, F. .Vfter first hour, Lanz canteen, J 16 degrees, F. After second hour, Government canteen, 90 degrees F. After second hour. Lanz canteen, 108 degrees F. After third hour. Government canteen, 74 degrees F. After third hour, Lanz canteen, 97 degrees F. Test No. 4. Conditions — The canteens were filled with water, the tempera- ture of which was 50 degrees, and immersed until the covers were saturated. They were then placed in a hot air sterilizer, the door of which w^as kept open. The thermometer directly in contact witli the hot air registered a temperature of 127 degrees almost uniformly. The observations were as follows : After a lapse of one hour the temperature was. Government. 70 degrees ; Lanz, 66 degrees. After the lapse of two hours, the temperature was. Government, 78 degrees ; Lanz, 72 degrees. .\fter the lapse of three hours, the teniperature was. Government, 82 degrees ; Lanz, 76 degrees. Test No. 5. Conditions of this test A'ere as follows : Canteens were iiumcrsed in water till covers were thoroughly saturated. Forty (40) ounces of water of 56 degrees ¥. was placed in each canteen. The canteens were then suspended four inches al)ove a radiator in the hospital. Fort Meade, S. D., for eight (8) hours and the radiated heat maintained for that period i^etween 95 degrees F. and 98 degrees F. [^2 lllSTOm' OF TTTE MlLlTAin' CAXTEEX. F(ir tlif last tw't cx])()snr(.'s llic canU'cns wvw |)larr(l in direct CMiitacl with tlu' radiator, a nnifonn teiiiiK'ratnrr of <)<) . Ill thoe cxpcriiHCiUs the caiUeeiis wcix- jilaccd in an inLiibalcir ami ob^civalion made liDuiIy. Tlic avciai;e leniperaUne of llie in-.uhator, a closed box, \\ as tjodeg., I'" Tlic lesiills showed practically the same temperature at all hours for all canteens. EXPERIMENT No. G. . A Government canteen and a Lanz canteen were thoroughly wet, and filled with water, temperature 58 deg., F. They were placed side by side on blocks 01 wood in an oven of the kitchen range, not touching the sides of the oven. The door was left open. The following observations were noted: — TKMl'ERATUKK. lime. Air. Go vt Canteen. Lanz Canteen. 300 324 284 1 58 1 88 5« 98 EXPERIMENT No. 7. Three Government canteens and one Lanz canteen, coverings, of all, dry, were suspended out of doors in a tree about thirty feet from the hosj)ital. At 10 o'clock a. ni., temperature of air 40 deg., F., they were filled with hot water, temperature 126 deg., F. Hourly observations were made as follows: — •JK.Ml'RKATURE. Time. Air. Covern No. I. men^an^ens. No. 2. No. 3. Lanz Canteen. ■ 40 41 42 3S 36 126 9^ 81 6S 5> 47 126 126 92 74 :6 i 58 62 1 47 55 ' 42 48 • 39 46 ! 37 126 106 , „l 90 77 70 62 , .c 58 IIISTOKV (JF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 55 TT ~Srnf/« jat'zce rrfciai, ti^rih s6zel rfrrva attichecC to an a/ufni^turrr, /uj, (^zolgA itvo p?eces) rrueiecC &oihe f/aik 6y mea/rs oFit^fo rit/e.i'&. ^uZmr^ecC Itf ihe LariA ^^. Co-, /t^ /£?/f-e 3^. Chr'cQjo.I//. CQpaC7i^.'4'f- f/c-eA iif. (n- /-"or. the OrJ..Oe/>fM.i*. W: Snap //eei. V: 5?iolLi7f Loop U: Black Collar Uaihei- S6 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. Ooeii Air Tests Made at Headquarters Dept. of Dakota, TEST No. 1. TEMPERATURE. Time. Air. Government Canteens. Lanz Canteen. No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. loa m .. . 40 41 42 3S 38 36 36 126 98 81 65 5<^ 51 47 126 76 66 46 126 74 58 47 42 39 37 126 100 12 m . - - - 90 77 2 " . .. 4 " 58 TEMPERATURE. Air. Government Canteens. Lanz No. 4- No. No. lA. No. 3A. Stocking Leg Over Canteen. 16 18 18 20 18 18 18 19 172 112 78 58 46 36 32 32 172 122 88 68 54 44 38 32 172 126 96 78 64 It 40 172 132 102 ID " II " . 90 56 50 2 " ^ " TEST No, 3. TEMPERATURE. ■ Dubuque U.S. Army Stamp. & German Lanz Lanz rime. Ord. Enamel Aluminum Aluminum Tin Pattern. Co., Par- Flask. Flask. Flask. Capacity ker Filter Capacity Capacity Capacity 430ZS.'* Capacity 500ZS.-" 250ZS.** 440ZS.** 360ZS.** Q a. m .. 5 4 6 175 126 175 104 50 32 17s 96 44 32 . r 175 154 138 112 175 156 122 78 50 34 34 32 32* 6 102 S 94 64 56 86 70 60 ^ a 9 10 J „ 4 50 '.Slush ice formed -frozen —withdrawn. "Fluid (Troy) ounces, not avoirdupois. A Preston Mess Kit was also included in T' 12 m 124 " 3 " -- ..lood .. 82 .. 70 F 58 dcy., K. history of the military canteen. 5/' Open Air Tests Made of Canteens and Canteen Flasks at Headouarieks, Dei'aktiment of Dafvota, Saint Paul. Minnesota. To facilitate reference, the follozeiiig alf^liabetical i)ule.v is adopted. A. — U. S. Army Regulation Service Canteen. Ordnance Pattern : Double Cover felt and canvas. Capacity, 43 fluid ounces, weight 14 ounces, avoirdupois. (See cut A.) A-i. — L'. S. Arni}- Regulation Canteen; Double Cover felt and canvas. Capacity. 48 fluid ounces. Weight, empty, covers en and dry, 14 ounces, avoirdupois. Weight, empty, covers on and wet, 20 ounces, avoirdupois. AA. — U. S. Army Regulation Canteen, manufactured at Rock Island Arsenal, 1900 : Double Cover ; inner of Petersham felt, outer of dyed duck or canvas. Capacity, 44 fluid ounces. Weight, covers on and dry, empty, 12 and f ounces, avoir- dupois. \\'eight of tin flask, without covers, empty, 9 and \ ounces, avoirdupois. B. — U. S. Army Regulation Service Canteen, Ordnance Pattern: Double Cover felt and canvas, having also a woolen stock- ing leg drawn over it. Capacity, 45 fluid ounces. Weight 16 ounces. (See cut 15. ) BB. — Three views. (See cut BB.) Combination Canteen and Filter. Canteen is the regulation tin flask and dou- ble cover, made at Rock Island Arsenal, October, 1898. with a specially wide mouth to accommodate the Mrs. Caroline Parker filter. Capacity, filter in, 42 ounces, avoirdupois. Fluid ounces, 40. Weight, filled, filter in, filled, covers on and dry, 59 ounces, avoirdupois. Weight, filter in, filled, covers on. after ten (10) minutes' immersion, 64 ounces, avoirdupois. Weight of the tin flask, no cover, empt}-, filter out, 9 and 'i ounces, avoirdupois. C: —Dubuque Stamping & Enamel Co. Canteen (with Parker Filter in) : No cover. Capacity. 50 ounces. Weight 22 ounces. CC— Seven views. (See cuts C. CC. CCC.) Enameled Metal Canteen Flask, bought by the U. S., January, 1900, from 58 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. Dubuque. Iowa, Enameling- Co. Capacity, 44 and f ounces. Weight, filled, covers on and dry, 64 and ^ fluid ounces, avoirdupois. Weight, filled, covers on, after ten (10) minutes' immersion, 75 ounces, avoirdupois. Weight of the enameled flask, empty, no covers on, 16 and ^ ounces, avoirdupois. D. — Karlsruhe, Baden, (iermany, Aluminum Flask: No cover. Capacity, 25 ounces. Weigiit, 5 ounces. (See cut D. ) E. — U;. S. Army Regulation Service Tin Flask, Ordnance Pat- tern, no cover. Capacity, 45 ounces. Weight, 12 ounces. (See cut E.) F. — .Vluminum Flask, circular, made in Newark, X. J. Covered by the Lanz method, double cover, felt and canvas. Ca- pacity, 44 ounces. Weight, 16 ounces. (See cut F.) G. — Lanz Tin Flask Canteen, circular. Covered by the Lanz method, ^ inch felt and openable canvas cover. Capacity, 36 ounces. Weight, 25 ounces. (See cut G, four views.) H. — Arizona Canteen. Covered with saddler's felt, also by several thicknesses of flannel, and an openable canvas cover, Lanz method. Capacity, 87 ounces. Weight, 34 ounces. (See cutH.) t, — Preston Mess Kit, Complete. Double cover, felt and canvas. Capacity, 46 ounces. Weight, 37 ounces. K. — Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany, Aluminum Flask. Covered by the Lanz method, f inch felt, and openable canvas cover. Capacity, 43 ounces. Weight. 15 ounces. (See cut K.) L. — Karlsruhe. Baden, Germany, Aluminum Canteen, with carry- ing strap. Covered by the German method, single felt. Capacity. 60 ounces. Weight, 14 ounces. (See cut L. ) M. — Newark, N. J., Aluminum Canteen Flask, circular. No cover. No solder said to lie used. Capacity, 48 ounces. Weight, 8 ounces. MM. — Newark. N. J.. Aluminum Canteen, oblong shape, no seams or solder said to be used. Weight of naked flask. 9 and :| ounces. Capacity, 42 fluid ounces. Weight, filled, cover on and dry, 56 ounces, avoirdupois. Removable single Hisroin' ()|- rill-; miliiarn" (.■.\\Ti':iix. ^ij cover, felt. laced i']) on one side only. Lanz method: lii,L;Ii collar. N. — Newark, X. J., Aluminum Circular Canteen I'lask. Xo cover. Xo solder said to be used. Capacity, 32 ounces. Weight, 6 and ^ ounces. NX. — Xewark, X. J., Aluminum Canteen, oblong- shape, no seams or solder said to be used, identical with "MM" except capacity. Weight of naked flask, 7 and | ounces. Capacity, 38 and ^ fluid ounces. Weight, dry. cover on, empty, cork in, 8 and ^ ounces, avoirdupois. Weight, filled, cover drv, 49 ounces avoirdupois. Single cover same as "MM." C). — Xewark, X'. [.. Aluminum Circular Canteen Flask. Xo cover. Xo solder said to be used. Capacity, 16 ounces. Weight, 3 and ^ ounces. (See cut O.) !'• — Reymond and Gottlob Aluminum Canteen. Single felt cover. Capacity, 29 ounces. Weight, 8 ounces. (See cut P, four views. ) U- — Lanz Tin Flask Canteen. Covered by Lanz method, -|- indi felt, and openable canvas cover. Capacity, 45 fluid ounces. Weight. 19 ounces. (See cut G, four views.) R. — Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany, Aluminum Flask. Covered l\v the Lanz method, 4-8 inch wool felt, and openable canvas cover. Capacity, 45 fluid ounces. Weight, 15 ounces. S. —Lanz Circular Canteen. Tin Flask. Covered by the Lanz method, 4-8 inch wool felt, and openable canvas cover. Capacity, 39 ounces. Weight, 19 ounces. (See cut G, four views.) T.— Lanz Circular Canteen. Tin Flask. Covered by the Lanz method. 4-8 inch Amsterdam sponge woven felt, and openable can- vas cover, three pieces canvas, high collar. Capacity, 39 ounces. Weight, 19 ounces. L^ —Karlsruhe, Baden. German\-. Aluminum Flask. Covered by the Lanz method, § inch Amsterdam sponge woven felt, and openable canvas cover, three pieces canvas, high collar. Capacity. 42 ounces. A\Vight, 17 ounces. (See cut I'.) '^^ — Regulation Aluminum Canteen, Germany Army Pattern, 1899. Manufactured by Carl Berg, Eveking, Westphalia, Ger- HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 3cok,' /^ HISTORY OF THE NnLITARV CANTEEN. 61 many. Covered with grayish felt clotli, single tiiiekness, provided with black leather loops and straj^s. Capacity, 25 ounces. \\'eight, 7 and | ounces. ( See cut \'. ) W. — Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany, Naked Aluminum Flask. Weight, 9 ounces. Capacity, 44 fluid ounces. Single piece metal, with steel rings attached to an aluminum lug (each two pieces), riveted to the flask by means of two rivets. ( See cut W. ) X. — Karlsruhe, Baden. Germany. Naked Aluminum, single piece flask. Weight, 9 ounces. Capacity. 44 fluid ounces. Pro- vided with stirrup shaped loops clamped to the flask bv means of four rivets. (See cut X.) Type of Wooden Canteen, used in the United States .-\nTiv, pat- tern of 1812, and during our second war with England. (From a tracing furnished by the Quartermaster General. V. S. Armv). One view. Tracing furnished by the Quartermaster General V. S. Army, of the type of tin flask canteen covered with cloth, used in the United States Army. 1848-1861. TEST No. 30. Outside Tempera- ture. TEMPERATURE OF WATER IN CANTEENS. Hour. Each Canteen Being Filled to its Capacity. A B C D E V G H ; 1 10 a. m... 11 " ... 12 m 1 p. m... 2 " ... 1 8 8 8 5^ 32 54 1 54 48 1 32 36 i * 54 32 54 r 54 44 34 32 54 44 36 32 54 52 44 $ .\3 54 46 41 34 32 32 TEST No. 31 Outside Temp. 9:00 a.m. +10 iq:oo " .. 10 10:30 a. m. 10 1 1 :oo " 10 11:30 " 12 12:00 m... 12 12:30 p. m. 12 'I'emperaiure of Water in Canteens. Each canteen being filled to its capacity. 52 D E F G H I ^ 52 52 52 52 52 52 S2 42 3b 42 42 3b 36 36 38 42 36 36 36 38 40 32 33 32 37 35 32 32 32 34 33 32 32 32 32 32 32 *Leaky . 62 HISTORY <)1 11 F. MILTTARV CANTEEN. 'I'cmpciature ofWatei-in Canteens. I -.30 p 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 Outside j Temp. 8:45^ o;4.s 10:45 1 1 :45 12:451 1:45 2:45 3:45 I.eaky. Uiantity of water (36 ozs.) .same in each canteen. H I i K S6 56 56 48 i 38 44 i 42 38 39 36 36 34 32 32 32 TEST No. 33. Temperatureof Water in Canteens. Quantity of \ (36 ozs.) in each canteen. G H K 112 88 68 56 48 42 I 38 34 TEST No. .'{4. I'emperature of Water iu Canteens 8:45 a. m 9:45 " 10:45 " 1 1 :45 " 12:45 p. m 1 :45 " 2:4.S '' 3 ••45 " Outside Temp. Quantity of water same in each cinteen. 90 I 94 TEST No. 35. Temperature of Water i 8:40 a. 9:40 ' 10:40 ' 11:40 ' 12:40 p. 1:40 ' 2:40 ' 3:40 ' 4:40 ' Outside I Temp . Quantity of water (36 ozs.) same neach canteen. 1! C D E F G H I K ii6 116 116 116 ti6 116 116 90 66 9S 100 94 98 96 76 SO 82 88 84 86 82 04 42 72 79 74 75 72 S8 40 64 72 68 67 64 S2 41 ss 66 62 62 59 SO 41 S4 62 S« 56 56 48 40 .S2 ,ss 54 52 .52 44 3« 48 54 52 50 49 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 63 TEST No. 36. Temperature of Water in Canteens. J. our. <;'j't-d. lemp. 8:30 a. m +25 9:30 " 26 10:30 " 28 " =30 " 30 12:30 p. m I 32 1:30 " 32 2:30 " 32 3:30 " 32 4--30 " I 32 Qu antity A 13 C ii6 116 116 72 86 56 54 70 40 44 60 34 3« 52 ^2 36 46 32 35 40 32 34 40 32 32 3t) 32 of water [-!,6 ozs.) in each canteen JLL F 1 G 1 H I 1<. 116 n6 ii6 116 116 94 96 92 92 qo 80 84 80 80 76 68 74 70 70 68 60 64 62 62 68 54 60 56 54 54 48 54 52 50 48 44 50 48 46 44 42 48 46 44 42 TEST No. 37. |Outside I Temp. 8:35 a. m 9:35 " 10-35 " 11:35 " 12:35 p. m 2:35 " 3:3s " 4:35 " 'J'emperature of Water in Canteens and Flasks Each Canteen and Flask filled to its capacity. *Leaky. [16 116 56 60 38 40 36 38 38 38 38 38 40 40 40 40 40 40 F G H I K 116 116 116 u6 116 *q6 94 103 99 91 84 82 92 84 78 72 72 86 74 70 66 66 78 66 62 60 62 74 62 5S 58 56 72 58 56 54 54 06 56 52 52 52 64 52 50 TEST No. 38. 8=35 ^- "1- 9:35 " ■ 10:35 " . 11:35 " . 12:35 p. m. • 1:35 " - 2:35 " ■ 3:35 " ■ 4:35 " ■ Outside Temp. Temperature of Water in Canteens and Flasks Each Canteen and Flask filled 1 TEST No. 39. 8:15 n. m. 9:15 " . 10:15 " . 11:15 " . 12:15 p. ni . 1:15 " . 2:15 " . 3:15 " - _4^i5 j; J *Leaky. Outside Temp- Temperature of Water in Canteens and Flasks. Each Canteen and Flask having 36 ozs. hot water. D 64 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. TEST No. 40. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Outside Temp. ' Quantity of water (36 ozs.) same in each canteen. S:4S a. m 9:45 " 10:45 " 1 1 :45 " 12:45 p. m I =45 " 2:45 " 3:45 " 96 96 96 12 68 74 42 14 48 .SO 32 14 3« 4b 32 14 32 32 32 14 32 32 32 14 32 32 32 13 32 32 32 TEST No. 41. 8:30 a. m . 9:30 " . 10:30 " . 11:30 " . 12:30 p. m . 1:30 " . 2:30 " . 3:30 " . 4:30 " . *Leaky. Outside Temp. Temperature of Water Quantity of water (36 ozs ) same in each canteen. 98 , 98 68 74 52 5« 40 46 98 98 78 80 66 66 56 54 48 48 42 44 40 40 38 38 36 36 TEST No. 42. Out- side Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. Quantity of water 36 ozs., exceptin flasks "N" and "O," in the main filled to their Tern. caoacity. A B ^ D E !•' G H I K L IM N 8:15 a. m. + 24 Q4 Q4 04 1*94 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 04 9:15 " 24 68 74 48 1 78 82 76 78 76 64 44 44 36 10:15 " 22 52 60 34 66 70 66 66 68 48 32 32 32 11:15 " 22 40 50 32 5b 62 5b 5b 58 40 32 32 32 12:15 p. m. 22 36 42 32 48 54 50 50 50 34 32 32 32 1:15 " 22 32 40 32 42 50 44 44 44 32 32 32 + 2:15 " 22 32 32 32 38 44 40 40 40 32 32 32 3:15 " 22 32 32 32 34 42 3^ 5b 3b 32 32 32 4:15 " 26 32 32 1 32 ' _32_ _3b_ 38 _32_ 32 _3_2__ 32 32_ 'Leaky. + Frozen. HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. TEST No. i:;. 65 Out Temperature f Wat er in Canteens. Quantity in each (36 ozs ) the same, except in Flasks "N," "O" and "P," which v /ere - filled to their capacity. A H c D E F ^ " I K L M N P a, m. «:i5 + 4 94 94 94 +94 94 94 94 94 94 94 94 94 94 Q:I5 b 04 70 42 7b 7b 72 7^ 74 bo 42 42 32 b2 10:15 8 4b 52 32 60 64 62 b2 bo 42 32 32 32 44 11:15 p. m. 12.15 8 34 42 32 48 54 50 50 50 32 32 32 34 8 32 34 32 40 48 44 44 42 32 32 32 32 1:15 8 32 32 32 32 40 30 3(> 3<^ 32 32 * 32 2:15 10 3^ 32 32 32 34 32 32 32 32 32 32 3'i5 12 32 3^ ^>^ 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 4:15 ,2 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 TEST No. 44. Out ^iide Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. Conditions same as in Test No 43, except Flasks "D", "N". "0"and "P" which werefilled. A 1! c D E F H I JL i> _^ N P a. m. 8:15 +14 lod 106 1 06 106 106 106 106 106 106 106 106 106 106 106 106 9:15 IS 72 78 .so 50 .S4 t8o 86 84 86 84 68 48 46 38 66 10:25 22 S4 b2 34 32 bb 72 72 72 70 SO 34 S2 32 SO 11:15 p. m. 12:15 2b 44 52 32 32 32 56 64 b2 b2 b2 42 32 32 32 42 30 40 36 32 32 32 50 58 56 .S6 .S4 38 32 32 32 38 1:15 32 3<3 42 32 32 32 4b .S2 .S2 .S2 .SO 3b 32 32 33 3b 2:15 34 3b 40 32 32 32 42 .SO 48 48 46 36 32 32 32 3b 3:15 34 3^ 3^ 32 32 34 40 48 48 48 46 36 32 32 32 3b 4:15 34 3^ 3!^ 32 34 34 3S 4b 44 44 42 3b 33 33 32 3b TEST No. 45. Out side T. lemperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. Conditions same as in Test Xo. 44. A B 1 C 1 D E F H I K L M N P a.m. 8:25 -TO 100 100 100 ICO 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 9:25 8 68 72 36 40 32 t74 80 80 78 .Sb 36 36 32 58 10.25 6 42 S2 32 32 S6 66 64 62 3b 32 32 40 11:25 .S 32 38 32 42 54 52 48 32 32 32 p. m. 12:25 4 32 32 i * 32 44 42 38 32 32 32 1:25 4 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 2:25 2 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 3:2s 2 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 4:25 2 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 *Leaky. tFrozen. G6 iii.roin- OF Till-: Mii.ri-AKV caxtf-RN. cfce -5 -»^/rt // c/je/7i/^ Infuse nc^L S'arth Har/sruAe ,JBaelen . ^efmaf^i/ ' ^<^^^ /f/n/rr//nn. (See illustration ). TEST No. 17. Temperature of Water in Ca (^uaiuity (45 fluid ozs.) being the same in each, e.xcept in "D," "K," "G I "N" and "O," which were filled. M' \ 34 52 32 42. 32 40 32 Z^' 32 34, 32 32 32 32i 32 |8o \ 72 i 64 I 58 i 52 ! 48 I 46 I 44 I 40 *Leaky. tFrozen. TEST No. 48. 8:io a. ni g:iO " 10:10 " 1 1:10 " i2:iO]). m. 1:10 " . 2:10 " . 3:10 " . 4:10 " . Out- side Temp + 14 14 Quantity of water (45 fluid o "F.-'-G," -xN. Temperature of Water in Canteens. ). same in each canteen, except in "A," "D" "O" and '•P," which were filled. 1^1 I I K I L j M N I O 80 80 80 80 * 70 68 72 68 60 ci8 62 56 S2 50| 52 48 44 44I 4b 42 36 40i 40 32 34 3(^138 f 32 34 3^ 32 32^ 32 80 80 8oi 80' 70 £;6 58 42 34 32 50 4-' 38 32 24 32 36 * 32 32 32] 32 32 32 32 80 80 *l * 32' 46 .32 34 + i 32 32 32 ,32 32 32, 32 32! 32' tit 'Leaky, t Frozen, 68 HISTORY 01- Tin-: MILITARY CANTEEN. TEST No. 10. S:00 a. g:00 " io:oo " 1 1 :oo " 12:00 m. 1 :oo p. 1 2 :oo " 3 :00 " 4:00 " Temperature of Water in Canteens. Out- Conditions same as in Test No. 48. Snow fell during about two hours of side Ten.p. the time occupied in making the test. A 15 C|D E F 1 G H I K L M 1 N p Q 1 — — — + 8 I SO n,o 1301130 no 130 130 130 130 I. 10 130 130 130 130 130 130 8 86 Q% * S6 * 100 q6 104 98 80 48 " " * 102 10 62 72 50! 32 60 104 84 82 86 80 .S6 32 32 32 50 84 12 46 S8 32; 32 34 84 68 68 72 66 40 32 32 32 32 72 '4 ^,6 48 32, 32 32 t 32 68 60 5« 62 56 34 32 r r 32 t,4 16 ^2 40 32 Sb SO S4 S4 50 32 32 32 ^? 16 32 36 32 32 .SO 46 46 46 42 32 32 32 48 18 32 32 32 32 42 40 40 42 38 32 T 44 iS 32 32 321 32 3«' 3f' 36 _3H 26 32I 1 ' i40 Leaky. 1 Frozen. TEST No. 50. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Every canteen and flask filled to its capacity. 8:00 a. m. ... 9 ;oo " . . . - 10:00 " .... 11:00 " .... 12:00 m 1 :oo p. in 2:00 " .. ... 3:00 " 4:00 " » Leaky tFi was 30 o!s. Temp. A 1; c D E V G H I K L M N ^ i — + 4 SO SO so so SO so SO •^° 50 50 50 50 50 50 6 40 42 *S2 + *.2 *42 42 48 42 42 38 32-32 r 8 32 34 32 32 3b 3H 44 40 34 32 32 32 1 12 32 32 32 f 32 32 40 34 32! 32 F 32 16 32 32 32 32 32 36 32 32 32 + 32 i 18 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 22 32 r r 32 32 32 32 r 32 32 22 + + 32 32 32 32 32 32 1 24 § 32 32 32 32 32 tliursted. §At starting had a capacity of 25 ozs. ; at the finish! 50, 50 34; 42 32 3"^ 34 32, 321 32 32 32 32 32 32J 32 321^32 capacity TEST No. 51. Out. side Temp. 1 emperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. Every canteen and flask being filled to its capacity. A B ^ U E ; F G H I 1 K L M N P y S T ... - 1 a.m. 8:00 + 16 S6 S6 ,6 S6 S6 56 40 56 .S6 56 56 56 56 56 f 56 56 56 56; 59 9:00 10:00 •1 ^6 40 32 : ^2 42 SO 44 42 3*^ 32 32 + 32 42 42 42, 40 10 32 32 32 32 34 38 48 38 3« 32 1^ 32 32 36 36 36 34 1 1:00 10 r 32 32 t 32 32 44 32 32 32 t 32 t 34 32 34 32 12 m. 10 32 32 *32 32 3^ 32 32 t 32 32 32 32 32 p. 111. 1:00 8 l2 r 32 32 34 32 32 t * 32 'f 32, 32 2:00 ^ + 32 32 32 32 32 F t 32, 32 3:00 4:00 * 32 32 1 32 32 _r + _^ 1 t 1 t "Leaky. HISTORY OF Tilt: MILITARY CANTEEiV. TEST No. 52. 69 o,„. side Temp. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. Every canteen and flask filled to its eapacity. " B c D 1 E 1 F G H I K L M N " P Q R[ .S T a.m. 8:00 + 2 'J^ 178 178 1 1 t 178 178 178 178 178 178 178 + + + + + 178 178 1 178:178 178 9:00 2 *4b loS *4b 60*98 138 138 124 I. SO 106 *40 134 134 136 n2 10:00 4 S2 74 32 32, 80 no 1 10 04 1 02 76 32 108 108 no 102 11:00 8 11 56 32 ■ ! F 62 90 98 78 80 54 + 90 88 90 86 12 111. 10 42 32 1 1 48 76 86 62 66 40 76 74 76 70 1:00 12 ,32 36 t 38 66 74 52 54 34 64 62I 64 60 2:00 12 32 32 32 S6 66 44 44 32 56 54 56 50 3:00 14 32 32 32 46 58 38 38 32 48 46 48 44 4:00 14 32 32 + 32 3^ 54 34 34 32 42 40I 42 40 "^Lcaky. fFrozen. t'^urs's'l. TEST No. 53. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. side Temp. Conditions same as in Test No. 52. A B c D E •^ G H I 1 K ^ M ■^^ C) '■ Q R|S T am. 8:00 + 18 168 168 1 68 168 168 168 168 168 i68'i68 .63 168 168 I6S 168 1 68 168 168 168 9:00 20 108 126 + 86 U2 138 140 1.S8I138 124 + + + + + + 140 1401.38 140 10:00 22 78 106 56 90' 1 20 126 118118 100 122 i24'ii8 lib 11:00 24 58 86 38 72 102 112 102: 98 80 106 104102 98 12111. 24 48 70 34 60 90 100 8Sl 86 68 94 92 90 86 p. m. 1:00 28 42 62 32 52 78 92 78J 76 58 84 80 78 74 2:00 26 36 52 32 44 68 84 68 64 50 74 72 70 66 VOO 24 34 46 32 40 62 76 66 58 44 66 64 62 60 4:00 24 32 44 32 38 5(5 72 56' 52 42 62 60 58 54 TEST No. 54. Out- side Temperature of W.iter in Canteens. 1 lour Same canteens, conditions, etc., as in Test No. 53, except that 1 snow storm lemp. prevailed most of the time covered by the test. - B c \) E K G H I K L M N " ^' (2 j R j S T a.m. 1 8:00 +22 170 170 170 170 170 170 170 170,170 170 170 170 170 9:00 24 116 132 106 146 140 150 138 I3b|i28 146 144 146 142 10:00 26 82 104 70 114 120 132 116 114 104 124 126 122 118 u:oo 26 66 88 52 94 102 120 102 98 88 no uo 106 1 104 12:00 28 52 74 42 78 90 uo 88 86 72 98 96 94 90 i:oo 30 46 66 38 68 80 102 80 78 64 88 86 84 80 2:00 30 40 58 36 58 72 92 70 68 56 80 78 74 70 3:00 30 38 52 32 50 64 84 64 62 50 72 70 66 64 4:00 28 36 48 32 44 60 80 58 56 46 66 64 60 58 70 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. T^t/^fold ^ 6oi6ioi A/umrhu/n Ca*fiee>r. Sf^f/e ^e/t coc/er. Capacity Sf of. f/uid measure, JferyAi d ok Avetrdvpcis >ca/e : ^ HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. TEST No. 55. 71 Out- side Temp. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. Each canteen filled. A B| C u E F G H I K L M N U P Q R s ■r a.m. 8.00 tl2 i^ 52: 52 i^ 52 52 52 S2 52 S2 52 S2 S2 9.00 8 t •'^ + '42 42 42 42 38 42 42 42 42 10.00 8 32' 3b 36 36 34 32 36 36 36 34 11.00 8 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 12.00 10 32 32 32 32 32 t 32 32 32 32 p. m. 1.00 14 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 2.00 16 32 32 32 32 t 32 32 32 32 3.00 18 + F 32 32 32 32 32 r 32 4.00 22 1 1 32 t t ! i t 32 32 "Leaky, ft'rozen. tBursted. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Out. side Hour. Each canteen filled. A B c D E|K G H • K I. M N 1' Q|K s T a.m. 750 *24 .SO 50 50i 50 .SO SO SO SO so so SO SO 8.50 26 40 42 36,*46 4b 4b 4b 42 46 46 46 44 9-50 26 34 40 32 42 44 42 42 38 42 44 42 42 10.50 30 34 3b 32 40 42 40 40 3b 40 42 42 40 11.50 p. m. 12.50 32 34 34 32 38 40 3^ 40 34 40 40 40 38 34 34 34 32 38 40 38 40 34 38 40 40 38 1.50 3t' 34 34 34 3« 40 3b 38 34 38 40 40 38 2.50 38 3b 34 3b 3b 38 3b 38 3b 38 38 38 38 3- 50 3-^ 3b 3J 3(^ ^ 3« 38 38 36 38 38 38 38 *Leaky. Out- side Temp. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. It rained during part of the time. A!l canteens filled. A B|C D E F G H I 1 K L M N P Q R ^ T a.m. 7-4S +32 52 52 52 S2 52 52 S2 S2 S2 S2 S2 8-45 34 4b 44 40 *4b 50 52 4b 46 48 46 46 9 45 34 40 42 3b 42 4b 50 42 4+ 46 44 44 10.45 ^6 40 40 3b 42 44 4b 40 44 44 44 42 11-45 p.m. 12.45 38 40 38 38 42 44 4b 40 42 44 42 42 42 40 40 40 42 44 46 40 42 44 4. 42 1-45 42 42 40 40 42 44 44 42: 42 44 42 42 2.45 40 40 40 40 42 42 44 421 42 44 42 42 3-45 40 40 _J^ 1 40 42I 42 42 40' 42 42 42 42 •■ Leaky. 72 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. TEST No. 58. Out- side Tern. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour Every canteen was filled to its capacity. A }! C D K F G H I K L M M P y K b T u — — — — a.m. lAh •^12 S4 S4 S4 *=;4 S4 S4 .S4 54 54 54 54 54 i\:> 12 S4 S8 3^ 42 44 46 3b 1 42 42 42 42 42 •Mi. •14 1,2 T,2 t 3S 3B 40 32 3f 3^ 3^ 3<3 3^ lO.ii '4 1,2 T,2 V 32 34 32 32 32 321 32i .54 ll.4.i l6 32 32 32 32; 32 i ^' 32 32 32: 32| 32 p. m. 12.45 i6 S2 T,2 32 32 32 t 32 32 32I 32| 3^ 1.4S i6 ^^ t 32 3? 32 32 32 32, 32 32 2.45 i8 + 32 32 J! 32 32 32, 32 32 ;u5 i8 32 32 •1- 32 32' 32! 32 *I,eaky. fFrozen. TEST No. 59. Sde' Tern. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour All conditions identical with Test No. 58. A B C D E F G H I 1 K L M N p Q K .s T |U — — a.m. 7.50 -4 52 52 52 52 52 52, S2 •^0 52 52 52 52 36|36 S.50 4 r 32 r *i,6 3B 42 32 3« 3b 3b !t.5(l 4 t 32 32 32 1^ 32 32 32 32 32 10..5() 2 32 32 32, t 32 32 32 32 32 11.50 32 32 32, 32 32 32 3^ 32 p.m. 12.50 1 t 32 32 32 32 1.50 +2 32 32 .32 32 32 32, 32 2.50 2 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 :^.50 4 + 32 32 32 ! 32 32I 32' 32 'Lc^ky. tFi {Uursted. TEST No. (30. Out- side Temp. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. All the canteens were filled. Snow fell during a portion of the time covered by test . A 15 C V E 170 F 1 G i7o'i7o H I 170 K L 170 M N P Q 170 R 170 S 170 T 170 u 8.00a.m. + 2 170 170 9.00 " 2 108 104 138,136 136 128 13^1142 13^^ 13b 142 10.00 " 10 70 64 108 112 114 94 iiSiiiS 114 114 lib 11.00 " 14 52 42 86 q6 Q4 74 100 100 q8 94 100 12.00 m. 18 40 32 72 82 80 60 86 86 84 80 86 1. 00p.m. 20 34 32 60 70 70 50 74 74 7b 70 74 2.00 " 22 32 32 48 60 60 42 64| 64 52 bo 64 3.00 " 22 32 32 42 54 52 36 561 56 5b 52 5b 4.00 " 20 32 32 _J8 ^ 46 32 50I 50 50! 46 50 Memorandum made of the fact that Canteen was measured prior to Test No. 37. Owing to wa.s 64 fluid ozs. wlien Te; No. 60 was made. •L" held 60 tluid oz.s. when capacity la t ion due to freezing, its capacity IIISTUKV UF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. TEST No. 61. 73 Temperature of Water in Canteens. Out- side Temp. Hour. All the canteens were filled. A B C D E 172 V 172 G 172 H 172 H L 172 M N _ P Q 172 R S 172 172 r 172 II 7.50a.m. 172 172 8.50 " + 2 qo 6b 1.36 i.^o 1.32 112 «.38 13^1.34 134 i.^*^ 9.50 " 4 S2 32 102 108 104 78 106 loS I Ob no 10.50 " 8 S4 1,2 80 86 84 .SO 92 86 8b 86 88 11.50 " 12 ^2 32 bo 70 66 40 7b 70 72 b8 70 12.50P. in. 14 7,2 32 4S 60 Sb 34 64 58 b2 .S8 bo 1.50 " iS 32 + 38 .SO 48 32 54 50 ':2 50 SO 2.50 " 20 S2 32 44 40 32 4b 42 44 42 44 3-50 " 20 32 32 38 36 32 _42 38 40 38 38 TEST No. 62. Out- side re„p. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour. All the canteens were filled. A B C D 168 F 168 G H 168 K L M 76S~ N 1" Q 168 R S 168 168 1]!^ 8.00 a. 111. +20 168 168 168 9.00 " 20 108 90 1^6 138 i>6 124I 140 138140 140 138 10.00 " 20 74 S4 108 u6 112 94| 118 ii8 118 114 118 11.00 " 20 S2 36 82 q6 Q4 72 I Ob 98 98 96 98 12.00 111. 20 40 32 64 80 80 ^^ 86 M 82 80 84 20 32 32 SO 68 68 48' 7b 72 70 70 74 2.00 " 22 32 32 42 60 S8 40 bb b2 b2 60 64 3.0D " 22 32 32 32 4b SO 34 5tJ 54 54 ^'t 5b +.00 " 20 32 1 32 32 46 _^^ 32 50 48 1 48 48 bo TEST No. 6;J. 1 Temperature of Water in Canteens. H iVd: All the canteens were filled. JT. A V, Ct E G H I T Q R s T u V w X — a. m. 8:00 +14 184 184 184 184 184 184 184 184 184 184 9:00 lb 100 90 144 144 1.30 150 144 144 140 148 -.6 70 S4 122 122 100 126 122 122 120 124 1 1 :oo ^S 54 40 102 102 80 10b 106 104 100 106 12 m. 30 44 34 88 8b bb 94 88 88 8b 92 1:00 32 40 32 78 76 S6 82 80 80 76 82 2:00 1:co f" t S 68 S8 b8 56 46 72 66 T 64 bo 64 68 62 V2 66 4:00 36156 36 58 56 ; 44 i 62 60 1 60 5b 60 — 74 isroKV ()i- Till-: MlLl'l^\R^• cw'TiiiiN. TEST No. C>4. Temperature of Water in Canteens. Hour, side Each canteen was filled. '■ A I! C E (1 H I L| Q R S 1 T U V w X a. 111. 7-45 +26 48 48 48 48 48 4S 48 48 48 48 .S.45 30 40 40 44 44 44 44 4b 44 44 4b 9 45 .14 38 36 42 42 40 42 42 42 42 44 10. .5 .1^ 38 38 42 42 40 42 42 42 42 42 11.45 ]>. 111. 12.45 3-^ 38 38 42 40 40 42 42 42 42 42 36 36 33 40 40 38 40 40 40 40 42 I 45 34 3b 3b 40 38 38 40 40 40 40 40 2-45 U 34 34 3> 38 '36 40 38 38 38 S8 3 45 32 3^ 34 3b 36 34 38 3b 38 3b 38 TEST No. G5. Out- side Temp. Temperature of Watc inC "anteen. Hour. Each canteen was full. A B C E 1 G H I 1 L 1 Q 1 R 1 s T U V j w X • . — S. 15 a. m 0.15 " +38 162 162 162 162 i62'i62 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 162 38 102 82;i36 I.S8 1321181138134134 132 132 100 76 74 10.15 " 40 7b 56II4 124 114 92;il8 U2II4 112 74 52 50 11.15 " 40 62 46 100 112 100 78 104 98 100 98 98 64 44 44 1.2. 1 5 p. m 42 5b 44 QO 102 88 68 92 86 90 8b 88 5b 44 42 42 50 44 80 94 76 60 82 78 80 76 78 52 44 42 ^ [ - " 42 4S 44 70 88 70 54 76 70 72 70 72 50 42 42 3 '5 " 4 '5 ' 40 44 42 66 84 64 50 68 64 66 (.4 64 4b *40 *40 38 42 40 60 76 60 46 62 60 60 60 60 42 40 40 ^Leaky. — Leakage in "W and "X" occurred at points where lugs were riveted to the flask. TEST No. GG. Each canleen was full. A .severe bno\\.stoiin coiUimiuii.siy iirevailed during this test. All canteens were susjiended from a trestle and exposed to a high wind which kept them in motion. 1 1. 00 a 12.00 1 2.00 I 3.00 4.00 Outside 'J'emperature. Temperature of Water in Canteens. E G 5050 3650 3b 1 40 32|3b 321. >4 HI I I L IQiR S 50 50I50 50 50 50 50.5o;48,46 44 44 441401364038,38 42:36,343613434 403213234134134 5050 46 46 38138 34134 .•^4 '34 5o!5o 3634 32 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 75 Aft. /Ol/a, Cei/tr ajtai cariifrz Aock. nr/theui cover. Afo. //s/b Tourist Flask trii^ fiiZt Coucr and. surive-Z- . /Vo. /oiy Jrtitatt ArmtfSoii attat, hcutyiny strap. /V4>. //O. Flaalc for SoldLurs MmmJtum. FlaahS ^m Urt, Lanx y^'/jr. Co., Ciica,yo.M,fir?$«6es im/nersio/t, OMoirc^uaori ?S cu^c«s>. IIISTORV OF '11I1-: MIl.riARV CAXTEEX. 51 lid. The whole is held together with a stniii strn]> and tonus a most cunvenient ])arcel tnr transjioil. A variety of (Jther similar eaiiteen> and mess tins in aluminum are being made accordin-g to the various requirements of different regimental officers, but the above has been turned out at the rate of some hundreds per week during the last four months, and the demand is as great as ever. Some of the larger regimental messes of the various army corps as they left England went so far as to adopt aluminum entirely in place of copper, iron, tin, porcelain, earthenware, glass, etc. I mean by this that not only were the kitchens equipped with aluminum utensils, but the officers used aluminum exclusively at the mess table. Wine glasses, decanters, milk jugs, teapots, candlesticks, trays, in fact nothing but aluminum was taken so long as makers could be found who had a stock of such articles in aluminum or could make them in the short time required. I have had frequent conversations with officers on their return from various campaigns, both from India, Egypt, and West Africa, during the last few years, who have taken out and used aluminum kits, and they have assured me that they have no fault to find with the metal and failed to conceive why the metal was not adopted at once throughout the service. There is every prospect for a further demand and use of alu- minum, for military purposes. The British-Boer War in South Africa has stimulated a demany slioiild l)r provon more su|)i'ri(-.r ihaii llic i)urc aluinimuii. Wc understand that the ( iovcrnnicut canndi undciTake In L;ive a contract before the article is made and tested. 1)nt is it not possible that the Government can advance a small amount, say $200, to pro- duce some samples for a test ? We would then be willing- to stand the rest of the expense, know- ing that we would have some prospects of obtalnino- the contract. We do not care to spend time for experimental purposes and finally only have competitors to meet on exceptionally low rates, and have the same tendency to use thinner metal and price cutting evolved that always takes place on new articles. If this is the case, we would not care to give you any figure on the same and would not bother with them. If you will advance money on the experimental work, will go ahead after the article has developed. So far as we see, these canteens have not been made in the United States. If we did not know what difficulties were invohed we would not ask you to show us consideration if we undertake these experiments and make up tl:c tods for tlie article. \\'e certainly can make the can- teens; it is onl}' a matter of cost for the tools. Cast aluminum will not stand the wear. It will corrode. The flasks will have to be spun, not of al)solutclv pure alumimmi." The economy attending the use of aluminum as a substitute for tin in flasks of canteens intended for use in the military service of the United States cannot be now dwelt upon for various reasons, one of which reasons is that no canteen flask made of aluminum or its alloys, made in the United States, has yet been presented to me that compared favorably wdth the German made canteens loaned me for trial by the Lanz Canteen Co., of Chicago, 111. The aluminum canteen flasks furnished me by the firm last named were probably spun ; they were single piece ; they did not leak ; the Lanz Canteen Co. did not quote their cost or selliiig jiricc. All of the aluminum canteens from the New Jersey Co., four in number, leaked. The same defect, viz.; leakage, existed in the trials made of the aluminum canteen submitted for test by the Broadway, X. Y. City, firm. So far as my tests are concerned, no flask made from more than one piece of aluminum or aluminoid has withstood, without disjunc- ti(nis and leakage, the variations of temperature ranging from minus 10" V. to plus 125° F. Blueprints accompanying this report show graphically that the flasks submitted for test by the Jersey Aluminum HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 85 ArtxorfOL Caxie^n cov*rance, Russia, (jermany, England, and Mr. Steinmetz states, recommended certain canteen improvements to cer- tain military authorities. I le alleges willingness to have his foreign agents secure from military depots aljroad. canteens more sanitary than the present regulation flask canteen, of which Mr. Steinmetz writes as follows: "The jiresent I'. .^. Armv tin canteen, which is practically the same, with its rough edges and aljominablv inserted, separate, neck piece, which prevents the canteen e\er l)eing drained or cleaned, is, without doul)t, a worse (leath-l)ree(ler in our army thai all the combined opposing forces that we have e\er met in battle, is a matter of cheap economics. * ■■'■ ■■' Then, too, the expense of making up a lot of samples which would naturally be expected to be donated, is not to be considered from a business point of view, but the matter of the canteen lias interested me very much indeed. The canteen you ha\-e in nund will certainly cost more than the pres- ent //;/ death-trap." The Wagner Aluminum Manufacturing Co.. Sidney, Ohio, ad- vertises that its combined production of hollow-ware cast alumiimm, two factories, is the largest in the world. 1 am in recei])t of two letters from this company and extract as follows: "We should be glad to experiment and see what could be done in the line of aluminum canteens. \W' do all kinds of cast aluminum work and believe it could ])e made much more durable, as the metal can be alloyed to give it strength. When we wrote \i)\\ before, we were under the impression that it would be possible to cast them in one ]Mece, lint, after studying the matter over, we have come to the conclusion that it wiudd be almost impossible to successfullv make them in one ])iece. •= ■' '■■ \\'e are sorry that we cannot see our way clear to experiment and see what can 1)e done with them. HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CAXTKRX. 8/ We arc mailing you a copy of our catalogue and think possibly vou mav see something in our line of aluminum cooking utensils that could be used in the army, or possibly you could suggest some special patterns that could be made for army use. All of our goods are made of cast aluminum and give the hest of satisfaction even when used very roughly, and are a great deal more durable than any stamped or spun aluminum. We believe if cast aluminum was adopted for cooking utensils in the army, they would give a great deal better satisfaction than what is being used, for they, no doubt, would be much more durable and lighter to carry." The Pittsburg Reduction Co., Pittsburg and A'ct*.' Kcnsiiigstoii, Pa., and Niagara Falls. N. ]'., Manufacturers of Aluuiinuui. — This organization has purchased the aluminum plant of the Hill, Whit- ney & Wood Co., in Waltham, ]\Iass., and will move it to New Ken- sington, Westmoreland Co.. Pa., as the nucleus of an aluminum finishing department. Lieut. Col. Henry H. Whitney, Aide-de- Camp to General ^liles. and ^Nlajor ^^'m. C. Brown, ist U. S. Cavalry, are acquainted with the Secretar}- and General Manager — Arthur \'. Davis. Reports regarding aluminum articles for Army equipment have been made by the Officers named. The Company bought a number of German canteens sometime ago, two of which are now in m\- possession. They are made of a solid piece of aluminum, by, I am told, Carl Berg, whose works are at Eveking, Westphalia, Germany. See Cut \'. Air. A. W Davis says, regarding single piece, spun aluminum llasks : "The process of manufacture is the usual process of first spinning and afterwards pressing by means of inside pressure. The latter corresponds in general to an ordinary stamping ]irocess except that the steel mould forming the shape is on the outside rather than on the inside. The half formed utensil is put into the die and pressure, usualK- 1\v means of water, is applied to the inside of the utensil until it swells out and conforms to the shaped outside and retaining mould. This companv expects to take up tlie manufacture of single piece canteens, provided there is a possibility of introducing such into the Armv. the object, of course, being profit to itself alo'-'e. Tn a recent comnnmication the General ^Manager also says: "Tn regard to cast aluminum, we think it has both commercial and me- 88 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. chanical objections. Cast aluminum, like any other cast metal, is more or less porous, and wc take it that chances of leaks in defect- i\c utensils should he permittcfl. Furthermore, lo make a cast utensil requires at least a thickness of i-iO inch and usually ^IJ inch, and this runs the weight and consequent expense to a high figure. "In regard to the use of tin. we take it that the objections are not at all on the score of corrodibility. but on account of the me- chanical quality of softness. A canteen made of sheet-tin (I sup- pose, of course, you mean pure tin and not tin plate, the rusting objections to which are ol)vious ) wonld be too soft for practical purposes. It would be nearly as soft as if made of lead. Further- more the weight and price of tin as comj^arcd with aluminum would be about three times as great." A'ttl' Jersey Aluuiinnm Company. — Mr. C A. Kryttschnett, Manager of the New Jersey .Muminum Co.. Newark, N. J., writes: "We take special note of your remarks that the German canteens have surpassed anything of American manufacture ; allowing this to l)e so, we do not believe the .American could not do equally as well if we were all given another chance. We have probably all made the same mistake of trying to produce something cheap in- stead of something strictly of first class quality, and, speaking for ourselves, we did not know to what these canteens might be sub- jected, but we knew that they would hold water : in fact, it was hnng up here in our establishment for six months without any leak- ages ; but such tests as you have given them are more severe than anything we could have thought of. This is why we wrote vou as we did that your tests would be valuable to the manufacturers of canteens. We should very nnich like to have another trial at it, and, if possible, to have you send us one of the German canteens; per- haps we might even improve on the same. Furthermore, we believe it only to be fair and just t(» American manufacturers for Uncle Sam to patronize home industry. Wc {cc\ confident that canteens can be made in this count r\- that will meet ;dl requirements.'" Cast, T'.s". Slaiiiped, . lliimiiimn. — The Griswold Alanufacturing Co., Erie, Pa., for the production of the "Frie cast aluminum ware; New York warerooms, 294 Pearl .St., writes as follows: "We do not make anything in the way of an aluminum fiask. This would naturally be made of our stamped ware." The firm claims as a few points of merit of its hollow aluminum HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. 89 cast ware as follows: "Eaoii |)ieco is cast solid in one piece, leavin.t;- no seams or points to leak. IJeing cast, it is strong and stiff and cannot be annealed 1)\ lieat. while thin stamped aluminum ware warps and becomes soft after being heated. Aluminum as a metal leads for cooking utensils. The "Erie' ware does not tarnish and can be kept bright b\- cleaning same as silverware. It is solid, without plating ; no plating or enamel to wear off ; no poisonous metal ; they are absolutely pure and will last for ever ; cast all in one piece; no seams or rivets to leak; no enamel to flake off; rivets are cast on the outside of the piece, leaving no marks inside ; light and strong; either polished or satin finish; fruit acids do not affect it ; will not tarnish ; no solder used ; no rust ; practically incorro- dible ; no cracking or shelling off, all of the porcelain, agate and enameled ware of various kinds shell off, the cause being that the latter (like the Dubuque Stamping & Enamel Co. canteen) are a combination of mineral and metal, one expanding under conditions which make the other contract, and vice versa, resulting in a gen- eral disintegration of the whole." The firm claims that the superiority of the "Erie" cast alum- inum ware over the stamped aluminum ware is manifest b\- the following physical property of the metal : Aluminum hardens remarkabl}- when it is being w orked by press- ing, forging, rolling, stamping, or other similar treatments. The working imparts stiffness or temper, same as in high brass or copper. A vessel made from sheet aluminum, stiffened as above, when it is put over the fire and heated and then allowed to cool, is annealed ; after heating a few times it becomes soft like lead, whereas the metal in the cast ware is melted and chilled in the mould and cannot be annealed. Again, to make a casting, it is three or four times thicker than the stamped, therefore it is stronger, holds and con- ducts the heat better and is less liable to l)urn or scorch. Lastl}', much better shaped vessels can be made by casting than b}- stamp- ing. Cast ware, though higher priced at first than stamped, is cheaper in the end. An extraordinary feature of aluminum is its heat-retaining or non-radiating attributes. Aluminum discoloration can be prevented with one-half the care bestowed on other metals by using liquid solerine to clean with. Aluminum solder for Canteens.— A satisfactory solder for use on any metal should fulfill the following requirements: i. It should fuse readily. 2. It must alloy easily with the metal, in common parlance it must "bite." 3. It must be tough. 4. It must not disin- 90 HISTOK^■ or lUl". -MII.ITARV CANTEEN. use o/^ ^cu/tteaCC/F/ctrs USA 3ca/e : /^ lilSTOKV OF TUli MILITARY CANTEEN. 9I tegrate. 5. It must liave the same color as the metal. (). It should uot discolor with age. 7. It should not he too expensive. 8. It must flow into a joint, y. For joining aluminum, it must stand \ery near aluminum in the electro-chemical series, i)articularly zinc, and carry its own flux. Since aluminum has hecome a common metal, numerous invent- ors and metallurgists have endeavored to produce a solder which would unite pieces of the metal in the same way that hrass, tin, and other metals can be joined by a tin-lead solder. Most of the solders l^roduced have required the use of a blowpipe, or special tools or fluxes, which are not handy for metal workers. All have disinteg- rated after the canteen flask has been filled for five or six days with water. Most of the solders contain lead, tin, bismuth or phos- phorous, and discolor with age. The "Aluminum World," published at 218 William St., X. Y., is authority for the statement that, although there are a number of solders in the market, and one new one which promises good re- sults, no solder has yet been produced that is valuable for canteen purposes, the defect being that they did not hold when the joint got wet, there being a galvanic action started between the aluminum and the solder. The Hill, Whitney & Wood Co., 115 liacon St.. Waltham, iVlass., manufacturing specialists in "Aluminoid," also pure Aluminum, either cast, stamped, or spun, write as follows: "We do not know of any real practical solder or method of soldering aluminum can- teens. There are two or three dilTerent solders, but none of these work satisfactorily, or are practical for work of that kind. Rich- ard's solder, sold liy Janney & Steinmetz. Drexel Building, Phila- delphia, and Green's solder, sold by Edward N. Cook, 144 Pine St., Providence, R. I., are the best we have used. A new solder has come out recently called the "AlcAdamite Solder" (W. A. Mc- Adams, 987 Kent St., IJorough of Brooklyn, N. Y.). We have never tried this, l)ut have a sample in our office which we will try at the first opportunity. "None of the solder we have ever had will run (ir flow into a joint readily, and therefore it makes a very difficult operation to solder anything, and we avoid it as much as possible. "We make a flask in two sizes, half a pint and pint, of one piece of metal, which, of course, is much better than could possibly be made of two pieces. We have experimented a little on the line of making a canteen from one piece, but have not as yet completed our experiment, ^^'e feel ({uite confident we can do it all right, although 92 TTrSTORY Or.TTTr: MrLITAR^' CAXTEEX. we mi^lil 1)0 cnnipclled lo clianj^c tlic sliajie a link- fnim the rc^ula titni shape iidw used liy llie army. W'c shall CDiUiniK' mir cxpcri iiiciuiiii;, and. if successful, will advise you laler. "W'e shall not consider an experiment with anything- hut a seam- less canteen, as we do not think there is any solder that is reliahle for aluminum. "In regard to an aluminum canteen, we do not feel confident that it would he altogether satisfactory, for the reason that it dis- colors whisky after standing in it for' some time. "There is, however, un poisonous or injurious suhstance in the metal, but possibly there would not be so much whisky drank if it should be slightly discolored from the metal. I do not know that it afTects the taste in the least. W'e have sold quite a number of flasks, and have pe'oj^le report to us that it discolored whisky. "It would certainh- be ver\- much lighter than anything else used and would not rust or corrode like tin or enameled ware. "AV'e see no reason why this metal should m t be all right for canteens. AVe know that the German army are, or ha\e been, using aluminum flasks and canteens, but do not know with what suc- cess, nor whether they are made in one jiiece or soldered together. They can be made in that wa}-, but it is hardly practicable." Janney & Steinmetz, Drexel Building, Philadelphia, Pa., Alum- inum Merchants, state that Dr. Joseph Richards, of Lehigh I'niver- sity. Metallurgical and Chemical Department. School of Analytical Chemistry, invented a solder recommended b\- Mr. J. C. Ashton. General Manager of the Illinois Pure Alumimun Co., the largest manufacturers of aluminum cooking utensils in the world, b'ur- ther tbat the Richards' solder is pronounced satisfactory by the Aluminum Industrie Actien-Gesellschaft, the greatest aluminum manufacturing company in the world. Also tbat the T^ittsburg Re- duction Co. uses it. Also that Xaval Contractors and Pay Ins])ect- ors. C. S. Xavy. have ordered su])plies of it after careful ;;nd in- telligent experiment. "It is known," say Janney cK: .Steinmetz. "tliat either ]ture tin or pure zinc will join aluminum, and it is a \ery common fault to note that the bulk of the so-called solders are composed chiefly of those metals, but the use of these worthless solders has caused heavv losses to manufacturers of aluminum goods." The lack of an easy solder more than anything else retards the use of aluminum as a material for canteen flasks in the Ignited States. On the other band, the German Arms and .\mmunition Factories. Berlin, Karlsruhe, write: "We will shortlv manufac- lliSTURV OF Tllli MILITARY CAXTELX. 93 Inrr an alnriiiniiiu llask No. 16, capacity 1.5 liter (50 oz. ) , with iini;s, and andllier one witli loops (or cars ) , as sainjilcs. Sec blue prints "W""" and "X," herewith. The date (on spccihcations ) fur- nished 1)\- you, regarding- the execution of the Hask will, as far as ])racticable, Ije taken into consideration, and, upon completion of the samples, we will communicate to you our experiences gained during the manufacture of the same. Later on, we will submit to you counter propositions. The cork (or stopper) can be fastened to the neck with a light chain." The soldering of aluminum is not easy ; cannot be done by a single modifications of old methods, such as soldering tinned iron. .Aluminum is like copjjcr and black iron, not like tinned iron, and the edges to be joined must be cleaned and hot and tinned (or coated) and otherwise prepared for soldering; no flux of any description, cither on the metal or on the joint, being used. The property of ahmiinum which renders soldering so difficult is ^•cry probably its easy oxidation. Although apparently resisting oxidation very strongly, yet this resistance is not a simple process. When a clean surface of ahuninum is cxi)Osed to the atmosphere it is instantly covered with a lilm of oxide, which, being continuous and unalteral)le, protects the metal beneath it from further oxidation. This film or oxide acts effectually to prevent any other metal from coming in close enough contact with the aluminum beneath to alloy w ith it, and thus soldering is prevented. The use of a flux to dis- solve the oxide has been tried under all conditions, but none known to the writer have been found practicable. The Richards' solder was made upon the conclusion that that solder should contain its' own flux, so that the instant the film of oxide was removed the solder proper would be simultaneously present to take hold of the aluminum surface at the same instant it was cleaned from oxide. A percentage of phosphorous was added to the alloy. Letters patent on the use of an oxidizing agent, such as phosphorous in solder, were granted in July, 1892 — No. 478,238. TJic McAdaniitc Solder for .lUiiin'nium or its Alloys. — Mr. W. A. McAdams, 978 Kent Ave., r)orough of Hrooklyn, N. Y., advertises as follows: "L^pon large articles it is best to tin or cover the articles with the solder by a copper soldering iron. Then to melt them together by a hand brazing l)low-])i]ie. This consists of two ]iipes, one for gas and the otlier for air, which combine into one mouthpiece for the blue flame. This to be blown by the mouth or foot bellows. This hand brazing blow-pipe is much used for brazing 94 .[-rARV CAXTEEN. hicvcles. Tliis l)l()\v-l)i|)c lU'cds lo Ix' iiiovrd by Ii.ukI al'ui^ or alM.iit llic joint or seam wliilc tlic wcrk reinains still. A X'ery neat way to do some kinds of Avork is to follow the iron in the act of tinning (to cover) with a cloth and wipe olif all the solder from the surface possible. When this is done on both the surfaces to be joined, la} in a piece of sheet solder and then melt the parts together by a nK;uth blow-pipe, or other means of heat- ing. This sheet solder will be sent at enough extra cost to cover the cost of rolling. "To solder a long seam edge to cdg<^. This is quite difficult to do because of the expansion and contraction of the sheet metal. First clean, and then tin the edges with the solder, lay the work, if pos- sible, upon asbestos board, and tack in i)laces along the seam by soldering and then fill in the spaces between. Use a soldering iron." "Do not use any fluxes. This solder contains its own flux. Let it l)e clearly understood that these solders do not flow into a joint or seam ; they must be jiut there. "All these solders are wonderfully strong and permanent. They are warranted to last as long as the aluminum itself. There is no decay or disintegration. They do not discolor by time. They are almost the same color as the aluminum, and take a good eye to see the solder in a finished ofi^ seam. There are no stains to remove. "These solders contain no lead, tin, bismuth, aluminum, or phos- phorotis. "They will solder aluminum to aluminum, or any of its alloys to each other, or all of thetii to brass or zinc, or brass to brass, or zinc to zinc, or all of them, whether they be cast or wrought, to each other indiscriminately, and do all of them strongly, permanently and well, provided that in the case of the aluminum alloys, the alum- inum is the largest part of the alloy. Brass to brass is more strongly soldered than by common tin and lead solder. "There are three grades of McAdamite solder: "No. I, melting at 430 degrees F., for very thin articles. "No. 2, melting at 550 degrees F., the best of the three for gen- eral use. "Xo. 3, melting at 6to degrees F., the strongest of them all. "Sent by mail at 25c per ounce, or $3.00 per lb., upon receipt of l-rice. Sent by freight or express at buyer's expense in ten pound lots at $2.25 per lb., or $22.50. No samples sent." The L. F. Altpctcr Solder.— L. F. Altpeter. 758 So. Halsted St., Chicago, 111., says in the "Aluminum World" regarding his hard IIISTORV OF Till-: .AtlLITARV CAXTEEX. 95 The La^TX Carry 36 ^ap fcrM'ai'ersac^s . ^ArrciMS 3M0H1 nfitfe the yveak poit?is ofthepreszTi^iiern o^ reytt/aiion Struice Aoirer-jackj are . ZAe /"unctton v^thr carrc^ strajv 13 to siKPfllreK and su/jnort the ^fao«.rsazk.) . g6 HISTORY OF THE :\iH,r!ARv canteen. .jnd soft solders, that a soldering iron, l")lo\v-pipe, or lamp flame can be used. He claims a ]irocess to solder co]ipcr, l;)rass and other metals to akiminum. Greene's .Uiiiniiiuin So/dcr. — Is adxertised as heiny mainifac- tured and controlled solely by Edward X. Cook, 144 Pine St.. Provi- dence, R. 1., and is alleged to be recommended by the Pittsburg Re- duction Compan}'. Eugene M. Totteii's Compound fur Soldering Aluniiuuui. — A new compound for soldering aluminum has been patented by Eu- gene M. Totten, of Buffalo, N. V. In the specifications of Letters Patent, No. 667,999, the inventor claims that he has produced a solder capable of ready and immediate use without the necessity of filing or scraping the parts and without the employment of a separ- ate flux. The compound is composed of the following ingredients in the proportion specified : Aluminum, 20 ]x'r cent ; tin, 38 per cent ; zinc, 40 per cent, and a hydnx-arbon, 2 \wv cent. "In the manufacture of the solder, aluminum and tin are tirst melted, then the zinc is added, and after the reduction of the metals while still in a molten state, and without additional heating, there is added 2 per cent of the hydrocarbon, which is mixed with the other ingredients into a homogeneous mass. This latter ingredient may be fat, wax, parafine, or any other species of hydrocarbon. It has been demonstrated that the addition of a hydrocarbon to the alloy, by increasing the amount of carlion reduces and removes the oxides, which would otherwise form on the melted metal, and in con- sequence the compound, when cool, is white and free from oxides when solid. It is tlie carbon alone which effects the reduction of the metallic oxides formed on the surface of the aluminum parts to be soldered, and the scraping of such parts is rendered unneces- sary, because of the non-presence of oxides in the soldering com- pound made." The James Gibson Slater Aluminum Solder. — Mr. James Gibson .Slater, whose residence is 793 Manning Ave., Toronto, Canada, showed some samples of soldered aluminum. Mr. Slater had joined with a one-inch lap, sheet metal, sixteen inches in length. The pieces were soldered with a copper soldering iron. From the appear- ance of the articles the solder seems to flow into the joint, and it is nearly of the same color as aluminum. Mr. Slater guarantees that it will hold under varying conditions. He can solder different HISTORY OF THF. .MILITARY CAXTEEX. 97 metals li> aluniimnn, and showed an aluniiiiuni faueet soldered to a lead pipe. Tie makes an alloy of aluminum, whieh he ealls "Lumi- noid." Tl\c Jiilicii Novel Ahiininiim Solder. — Julien Xovel, of 15 Rue (les Grottes, Geneva, Switzerland, has invented a tiux for soldering aluminum to aluminum, or to other metals, after the metals have heen tinned. The tinning and soldering fluxes are composed of stearic acid five i)arts. resin two parts, and oleic acid one part. The usual soldering metals are empl(\ved. such as silver solder, copper or hard solder, and tin solder. SOLDERTX(; ALUMINUM. Prominent among the peculiar characteristics of aluminum, as compared with other common metals, is its physical reluctance to (he acceptance of a fusihle alloy that will satisfactorily unite its surface or margins. Indeed, the lack of a perfect solder has seriously retarded the development and manufacture of articles made from sheet aluminum when their shape or contour is to be accomplished by the uniting of separate pieces in the evolution of the finished product. Aluminum is unique among tlie sheet metals of commerce in this respect, and a casual consideration of its physical properties will be necessary for an understanding of this difficulty. The reasons that aluminum is a refractory metal to solder are entirely physical. It is extremely difficult to expose a bare surface of aluminum to the action of a solder, although the mechanical difficulties of grease and dirt are quickdy and easily removed, and need not appear as features in the problem. Upon attempting, with any rrdinary solder, to join sheets of the metal, it is noticeable that the mixture does not take hold, but tends rather to run off. or perhaps it will chill, utterlv refusing to tin the sheets, and rarely adhering to the aluminum. The reason of this behavior is that there is alwa}'S present a thin continuous coatmg of oxide, which efl^ectually prevents the solder from getting to the true metal beneath. This thin, almost invisible skin of ahmiina. or oxide of the metal, is of instantaneous formation, and the surface of the metal may be scraped or filed without even temporary relief because of the immediate renewal of the coating. The use of fluxes and acids to overcome this difficulty have been lepeatedly suggested without securing satisfactory results, and a new theory tending toward the solution of the problem must needs be 98 IIISIORN ()|- JJIF. .MILITARY CANTEEN. approved. Dr. Joseph W . kicliards, of Lclii.^li rnivcrsily. Rcth- lehem, Pa., conceived the successful practice of ovcrconiiu!:;' tlie difficulty by incorporating' into the coniijosition of the scdder iui ingredient that would remove the i:xide film during the process of soldering, thereby preserving the surfaces clean until the union of the parts had been accomplished. The solder devised and patented by Dr. Richards carries in its make-up an alloyed flux of phosphorous in tin, the theoretical necessity of the simultaneous action of the flux and the taking hold by the solder being confirmed during many years by the satisfactory- results obtained in actual commercial practice. The high heat conductivity of aluminum is another characteris- tic of this strange metal, and the refusal of many solders to per- form their expected duty is traceable to it. The aluminum quickly and readily absorbs the heat from the soldering iron, and the tem- perature of the tool is thus so far reduced that the solder "freezes" at the joint and failure ensues. To overcome this difficulty, which arises in large \\ork ])articularl_\-. it is necessary to keep the solder- ing iron very hot, and oftentimes it tends to the betterment of the result to apply heat likewise to the parts to be joined. Aluminum is a highly electro-negative metal, and it is this property that, in addition to causing the instantaneous formation of the thin skin of oxide already mentioned, tends to operate in another way, quite as disastrously, by setting up a galvanic action at the joint, between the solder and the aluminum, inducing failure through rapid disintegration. Therefore, in devising a solder, it is plain that it should be composed of those metals nearest to alum- inum in the galvanic series in order to reduce this disintegrating action to a minimum. Accordingly zinc suggests itself as an excel- lent base. Almost any one can solder aluminum by such simple means as using pure zinc or pure tin. or both in combination, and joints of accuracy and strength have been thus obtained. Upon these results, which are at best but temporary, yielding soon to the disintegrating influences above noted, have rested the reputations of manv of the so-called aluminum solders of commerce. It is not the purpose of these remarks to schedule the propor- tions of the various metals in the many alloys offered on the market under the name of solders, but rather to show, in a general way, the reasons of their repeated failures, and to suggest lines of thought and experimental work most likely to be productive of sensible re- sults. To be a commercial success, anv solder must conform to the HISTORY OF TIIR MIF^TTARV CANTEEN. 99 f()ilo\vin,i4- U'f|uirLiiiciils : It iiuist take liold easily upon the altini- imini ; it must he conveniently handled without complicating- tools ( r sundry lltixes ; it should melt readil_\- ; it must he strong, malleable and tough ; it must nnt combine elements inviting disintegration ; it should be of the same color as alumimim and it should not tarnish with age. To all of these condition's. Joseph Allison Steinmetz says. Dr. Joseph Ivichards' solder conforms. IV. C. Hcracus' Process for Welding Alumimnn. — .Mr. Heracus has platinum works at Hanau, Germany. Agent. in U. S., Mr. Charles Englehard. 41 Courtlandt St., Xew York City. It is claimed for the Heraeus process of welding aluminum, that the seams are united so intimately that they disappear and can be further shaped by hammering. Soldering aluminum, apart from all other diffi- culties, has the disadvantage that its powers of resistance at the soldered places is weakened against the influences of the atmosphere and these of a chemical nature. This disadvantage is oliviated when the metal is welded. The process is applicable to sheet, wire, thick plates and heavy l;ars. Aluminum cannot be used where it would come in contact with alkaline substances that attack it. In the re- sistance it ofi^ers to acids it reseml)les copper. Sulplnu-ic acid has but little effect on ahnuinum. When copper is exposed to air and moisture. ])oisonous verdigis will form, which is not the case with aluminum. Repairs by the Heraeus welding process can be easily done. Certain waters and acids corrode aluminum, but the metal dis- ])laces copper when it comes in contact with neutral substances, as si)irits, sugar solutions, ether, glycerine, stearine, wax. beer, etc. RieJiards' Hardened Ahuninmn. — The Delaware Metal Refinery of Philadelphia ( i8th St. and Washington Ave.) are selling con- sideral)le quantities of hardened aluminum alloys, made after the fornndas and imder the direction of the superintendent. Mr. Joseph Richards. The principal constituents of these alloys are aluminum and zinc, in varying proportions, made from the purest metals, very thoroughly alloyed and carefully cast. The idea wdiich Mr. Richards had in view- in i)roducing them, is to provide a series of perfectly reliable and uni- form alloys, from a very hard rather brittle alloy, to a strong, tough softer alloy, thus forming a complete series adaptable for the nnxst varied applications. These alloys all approximate toward aluminum itself in weight, and duplicate the alloys from soft brass to the hard- est of the regular bronzes in strength and toughness. IITSTORV OF TliR MTLITARV CA XTl'.r.X. MetaZ/ic F'/ask. tviih ie/cscc/tic Cup and io/a conrii/ted. HISTORY OF THE MILITARV CANTEEN lOI Nine grades of alloys are made, numbered respeetively i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. No. 1 is the hardest. It looks Hke pohshed steel, takes a lirilHant poHsh and has a hard surface. It can scarcely be cut by a knife. It is ahnost as rigid as steel, and machines like a fine quality me- dium hard steel Its specific gravity is 4, or just half that of brass or bronze. It is the cheapest of the alloys, costing less than pure aluminum, and objects made of it cost considerably less than if made of brass or bronze. No. 4 is a milder alloy and probably the one of the series having the maximum of working strength. ALrMIXU.M I'TENSILS. Alumimim utensils arc claimed by manufacturers U) ])e the only ware tliat is unobjectionable in every respect. Arsenic and Lead in Enameled Ware. — Joseph Stanton has ex- amined in the laboratory of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, the iron enamel covered utensils so much used in the kitchen. On the Bo.ston market were found thirteen distinct brands of this ware. These, when tested, gave the following results: Eleven contained arsenic, two contained lead, and two were free from both arsenic and lead, l^he two that contained lead also contained arsenic. The ;;i)])roximate amounts of arsenic, as indicated by comparison of the mirrors, obtained with nu'rrors made from known quantities of metallic arsenic, varied from 1.3200 to 1.500 of a grain in each two grams of enamel. Professor r)aird in making this report (at the last meeting of the Massachusetts I'harmaceutical Association) said: 'Tn this connection it woidd be interesting to know whether the arsenic and lead are in such combinations as to allows their solubility in the fluids which come in contact with them in ordinary cooking. As the enamels seemed to be ([uite easily disintegrated by the mineral acids, it is quite probable that from them lliese poisonous metals would I'c found to dissolve in dilute fnut acids and dilute alkaline solutions, and that in this manner they ma\" become a source of arsenic and lead contamination."" It was also said in this report: 'Tn former years arsenic and lead were both ver\- common ingredients of enameled wares, especiall}' the latter metal. In fact, compounds of lead were used to such an extent that the lead could be extracted by boiling with dilute fruit acids, and lead poisoning from this source became so fre(|uent that certain countries made !n\\s restrict- 102 lilSTURV OF THE MlLiTAKV CANTEEN. ing the sale of enameled wares containing lead in soluble form." — "Druggists Circular and Chemical Gazette." The "Review of Reviews" says : "Probably the most important use to which aluminum will be put, at least in the immediate future, will be for culinary and household utensils. Besides being very light, and hence far less cumbersome than any other metal of equal strength and durability used in cooking, aluminuui is practically incorrodible. Professor Jamieson asserts that, no food nozv knozvn io man can effect this metal in the slightest degree. It is wholly free from every form of poison and zeill not taint food. These are qualities that are possessed by neither iron, copper, tin, nor lead. Furthermore, it is a l)ctter conductor of lieat tlian either of the other metals." "The poisonous substances in the enamels are said to be arsenic, antimony, and lead. Neither of these is nutritious, and food is better without them. It may be that some of the slight and imac- countable illnesses that have come to people especially after eating- sour fruits and vegetables boiled or stewed in these dishes — toma- toes, rhubarb, strawberries, compounds flavored with lemon — have their origin in disintegration of this enamel and in the absorption by the food of the arsenic or whatsoever else is employed in it. Even where the enamel is commonly applied with skill and under- standing it may happen that a workman ma\' spill an undue quar.cit}' of poison into the mixture, or that the fusing may hz imperfect; and it does not take much arsenic or lead to cause illness, while a succession of poisonings may result in lifelong stomach trouble." — "Brooklyn Eagle" Editorial. Enameled canteens were purchased by the United States from the Dubuque Enameling Co., in December, 1898, also in October, 1898, likewise in January. 1900. (h'cir description of the Dulni(|ue Enameling Co. canteen see page 9 of this monograph). They were issued for trial. No reports of results of trial, if made, have since reached the Rock Island Arsenal. The canteens made in October, 1898, at the Rock Island Arsenal had a special wide mouth t;) admit certain filters purchased from Airs. Caroline Parker. (See ])age 8, this report, under subhead "The Parker Canteen.") Tn August, 1900, some more filters were purchased from Mrs. Parker and from the Dubuque Enameling Co. a special canteen for them. These, too, were issued for trial. The Dubuque Enameled Canteen Co. is profiting by the facts advanced by the parties who recommend the Lanz method in this notable respect, viz ; They put Petersham felt on what was, at IIISTUKV OF Tilli MILITARY CANTEEN. IO3 first, a naked flask, and they not only place two pieces next the rtask, but they have added an extra piece of felt, forty-two inches long by one inch wide, as an inner band, thus increasing the ab- sorptive powers over those possessed by the regulation canteen. This adoption of the method and system whereof Mr. Lanz is the originator, exponent, advocate, and patentee, is an admission t)f much significance and highly complimentary tc Mr. Lanz. That the Ordnance Department and Board of Fortification and Equip- ment concur is evinced by the fact that so many of the enameled canteens have been purchased by the United States. As the enamel canteen with regulation cover is heavier than the regulation canteen ; further, as any enameled ware having arsenic, lead, or antimony in its composition is dangerous to health ; still further, as the enamel will chip off and the iron part rust ; there do not appear to be any jKjints of advantage favoring the further trial of the Dubuque, Iowa, Stamping & Enamel Co. Canteen, with a view to its adoption for use in the military service of the United States. Aluminuin Coated Sheet Steel. — The Aluminum Coated Sheet Steel Company, Connellsville, Fayette Co., Pa., claims that "this ])roduct is superior in all respects to galvanized. That it contains all of its merits with none of its defects. That it can be heated to a red heat without destroying its coating. That sulphurous gases, brine, salt, and acids do not affect it as readily as they do galvanized. That it can be soldered with common solder. That it will stand even severer tests than any coated metal. That no coated metal can be seamed or hammered dovvu fiat and then bent back straight without flaking. None but solid metal will do this. That, Aliiiniiniin Coated Steel Sheets eaii be bent or seamed in any way reepiired in actual work and the coating will remain intact on both sides. Ikit no coated metal can be bent flat on itself and return to its original shape without showing fracture in coating. This is not necessary and if Aluminum Coated Sheets are given the same work as galvanized they will prove in every w^ay superior and all we claim for them. That any intelligent metal worker will recognize these facts and will not expect impossibilities." This firm gives the following directions for flux to solder this metal : "Dissolve as much spelter as your muriatic acid will take lip. L'se the same without dihiting with water. Never add fresh 104 lUSTORV OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. acid to blacken your metal. Other Huxes. .such as rusin, and pahn oil, may he used with success." The following- is a copy of a communication addressed to the Patton Paint Company, Milwaukee. Wis. : It may be an advance 'backward to construct a soldier's canteen of wood. I enclose cut of a canteen carrietl by the L'. S. Army duriny; the period of our second war with England, 1812, by reference to which you will see that it was then composed c^f many pieces, like a barrel, tub, firkin, fig drum, etc. Could .you not get one constructed of suitable wood or indurated fiber or wood pulp, tm-ned m one piece, jiainted by your process insiile and out? The normal use of ihe canteen is lo carry water, cotiee and tea. Government does not c()ntenii)late furnishing the soldier with a water bottle, the lining of which should be capable of resisting the action of whisky or other alcoholic fluid. A wooden water bottle was carried for }ears in the English .\rmy, the exterior of which was painted blue ; but before I should feel justified in recommending a return to a canteen made of wood instead of sheet tin, J would have to be satisfied that one con- .--tructed of this material would meet the recpiirements of dura- bility, etc. I would be glad to iia\e _\()U institute a series (jf experiments whereof you write, looking toward covering l)oth the inside and the outside of the flask in such a wa;\- that it would resist the action (jf everything including distinctly acid fluids. Whatever canteen is adopted for ihv use of our soldiers will have to be provided with a non-conducting cover. To the above the Comi)any replies as follows: "We thank you for the blue|)rint received with }our letter, and hope soon to begin our experiments as to covering inside and out- side in such a way that the covering will be impervious to the action of everything except fluids which are distinctly acid or alkaline. "It is easy enough to begin a series of experiments, but it takes a long- time to complete them. We would not be satisfied to report on anything in the way of a test of permanency under six months or a year of constant use for the purpose required, as we carry on our experiments. "We will lei }-ou know from time to time how we are progressing rif STORY OF THE MILITAKV CANTEEN. 105 V 3>tj^ piece A/umini)m Carrfeerr tf^^/^of '^rmy 7fefu/aiio/f pattern /S99. MifuAicfurictC hy Carl Hero £re^t*rf. tVitsipkalia. , OerrrroHy Cot,en:i}t '' ' ^d c/oifi, Sirf^/e i^'cArtc33 ■ ^urntshcd tv/ih bkick /eather /oapi aitd stra/s} Cryf:>oc>*u , XS f/utel 01 . 106 lilSTUKV OF THE MILITAKV CANTEEN. ciHc! will hope to be in a position to make a definite statement as to what we ean do within perliaps eight months from tliis time."' Disadvantages of Aluiiiiiinin as a Material for Canteen Flaslcs, from ■ a Meehanieal Point of Vieie. After a metallnrgist has placed in the hands of the inventor a nK.'tal lighter than tin as a material for a canteen flask, the artisan encounters a mechanical difficult}-, to wit : In attaching ears, or side pieces, to the flask. There must be something connected either with the flask, or its cover, to fasten the canteen strap or sling to — unless the latter goes round the canteen as in the 1864 period of the U. S. A. There are two natural ways of slinging a canteen ; one w ay is from the shoulder, the other wa}' is from the belt. In either case, the strap must have a method of atLachmenl, as by a hook or snap, with the canteen flask or with some jj^rtion of the canteen cover ; otherwise the straj) must encircle the canteen. This attachment necessitates loops, rings or triangles. e_\es, open- ings, etc., on the canteen cover, or ears, metallic side-bar attach- ments, or other fastening device, directly connected with the canteen flask; hence attached to the latter by solder or rivet. A disadvantage of aluminuin as the material for a canteen flask is that with the present limited knowledge of this metal, it cannot be so soldered to itself as to resist water action. Galvanic action occurs between aluminum and any known solder wdien wet for a considerable period. Disintegration follow^s. This should prevent the adoption liy any army (if an aluminum canteen flask an}' of the ])arts vA whicli are joined 1)}' soldering. As solder fails to assure a ]K'rmanent tmion of aluminum to aluminum, rivets are resorted to in order to fasten the side-ears, or other metallic contrivance, to tlie aluminum flask. This is practical, but not believed to l)e enduring. Leakage follows. A method of reliably fastening ears to an aluminum flask is unknow^n to me. Tin as a material for a canteen flask does not present any of these disadvantaees. Reason Why Old Pattern Canteens Have Been Retained in U. S. Army Since 18/4 or iSyS. — Past attempts to improve, change or retire the army canteen have been blocked by two things, viz.: The representation by a Department head that there were already I n band a large stock of old canteens ; hence these unissued relics lIISTUkV OF THE MILITAUV CANTEEN. IO7 (if a past period ought, in economic interests, to be disposed of first. Second : The recommendation of the Commanding General that tlie old stock be disposed of before incurring the expense of a new, or later, pattern. Finally : The orders uf the Secretary of War directing that future issues of canteens be confined to existing patterns in stock, and prohibiting any expenditures for new patterns. This injunction applying also to other Infantry and Cavalry equipments. Efforts Made in i8/8-g to Change the U. S. Service Canteen. — \n General Orders No. 76. Headquarters of the Army, A. G. O., July 23, 1879, there were published extracts from the proceedings, embod3ing the conclusions, of the Board of Offtcers convened in Washington, D. C, by Special Orders on Nov. 11, 1878, "for the purpose of considering the whole subject of '•' * * the equip- ment of troops generally" ; together with the comments of the Chief of Ordnance, the General of the "Army, William T. Sherman, and the indorsement of the Secret.ary thereon. The Board found the weight of the canteen, half-filled, to be two (2) pounds eight (8) ounces. The recommendations of the Board were disapproved by the Chief of Ordnance, there being then on hand, left from the Civil War, 267,000 canteens which, in the opinion of General Benet, ought to be used up before others were provided. The recommendation of the General of the Army was : 28 "That no other ch.ange be made in the present infantry equipment, though a lighter canteen would be desirable."' General Sherman commented ( see page 40, G. O. 76, A. G. O., series 1879) : "The old pattern articles, that is canteens and such, can be issued till exhausted, and the new ones will then follow naturally and without sacrifice on tlie part of the United States, or of the officers and men who com- pose the army." The views and recommendations of the General of the Army were ap]irovcd July 19, 1879, by the Hon. G. W. McCrary, Secretary of War. who indorsed the recommendations made by the Board, the Chief of Ordnance, the Quartermaster General of the Army, and General William T. .Shcrmrui, as follows : "No change will be made at any time wliich involves expenditure not clearly within existing approjiriations, and great care will be taken to avoid a deficiencv." On Oct. 7. T873. the Chief .^f Ordnance, U. S. A.. Brigadier- 108 lllSTOKV OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. General A. B. Dyer, recommended that a Board of Ordnance and Cavalry Officers be assembled to consider "What changes," if any, .shonld be made in ■' * * cavalry equipments and accouter- ments, as published by G. O. No. 60, War Department, A. G. O., June 29, 1872. Board was convened by Special Orders Xo. 238, Nov. 29, 1873, modified by Special Orders Xo. 2^;^, War Dept.. A. G. O., Dec. 24, 1873. Report of proceedings made from Water- vliet Arsenal, West Troy, N. Y., May 5, 1874, by Colonel I. N. Palmer, 2d Cavalry, president of the Board. The Board consisted of the following: Col. Innis X^. Palmer, 2d Cavalry; Capt. J. J. Upham, 6th Cavalry; Capt. A. Mordecai, Ord. Dept.; Capt. Guy \ . Henry, 3d Cavalry, and Capt. L. H. Carpenter, loth Cavalry; also Capt. William Hawlc}', 3(1 Cavalry, in place of Major Henn-. re- lieved. The proceedings of the Board, with the action of the War De- partment thereon, were published in Ordnance Memoranda No. 18, 1874. Under the caption "Canteens," page 18. is found the follow- ing: "Canteen. It was discussed as to whether the canteen should be covered with two thicknesses, and felt was suggested as a good material." Xo other reference l)y title, to canteen is found in the published report, except, same page, the following: "A resolution was adopted requesting the commanding officer cf the Leavenworth Arsenal to make for the use of the Board the following articles after description furnished : ■■'■ "■ " One canteen with two cov- erings." And, on page 57, the following: "The Board is of the opiuion that to the accouterments should be added a canteen of ])attern and material like sample submitted." On page 18 Board expresses opinion that the regular equipments necessary for a cav- alry trooper are as follows : * * * One canteen " * * On page 69, it is stated that "A personal examination lias convinced the Pjoard of the superior quality of the manufacture and material of the articles furnished from the government w^orkshops over those obtained by contract, and it is earnestly recommended that, as far as possible, all stores issued to the cavalry by the Ordnance Depart- ment may be made in the Arsenals, believing that to be for the best interests of the service." On May 11, 1874, the Acting Chief of Ordnance, Col. S. A'. Benet, indorsed proceedings, concurring in recommendations of the IJoard, ])ut in carrying out the changes, alterations, and additions recommended, suggested "that the ]:\v^v ([uantity of stores on hand HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. IO9 of old patterns be utilized and the changes, etc., he made as rapidly as a due regard to economy will permit." On Ma\- 15, 1874, Gen. W. T. Sherman indorsed that he "felt hardly competent to pass judgment on the matter of cavalry equip- ment, and would be governed by the opinions of the cavalry officers who serve on the plains and have abundant experience. The present stock on hand could be exhausted gradually, leaving the new equip- ment to accumulate in store, ready for emergency, or for use after llie present supply is exhausted." On May 20, 1874, the Secretary of War, through H. T. Crosby, chief clerk, concurred with the General of the Army and the Chief of Ordnance that the stores on hand of all patterns should be utilized before issue of new patterns except in regard to horse shoes." The Chief of Ordnance, U. S. Army, in his annual report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1894, states under head of "Aluminum Equipments" : "Experiments with articles of equipment made of aluminum and its alloys have been continued during the year at various posts and at the Rock Island Arsenal, and very intelligent assistance has been given to the department by manufacturers. Successful results have been obtained in the manufacture of spurs, waist-belt plates, and several minor articles ; but in those cases in which, from their importance as articles of considerable weight, success was hoped for most — such as l)its, cups, meat cans, picket ])ins and horseshoes — the desired quality of metal has not }-et been olitained. A very promising canteen has been designed, but not yet tested by the department, and experiments will be continued as rapidly as possible." Recommendation That Canteens Nozv Disposable Be Sold. — Citation of Statute Permitting It. — Recommendation is made, under opinion of Assistant Comptroller Mitchell, and Section 1241 of the Revised Statutes, that all canteens not in the hands of troops be sold as unsuitable for the public service. One of the synonyms of "suitable" is "expedient." An article may be suitable as far as possibility is concerned, and not suitable because it is not expedient to transport it to the place where it might be used, or to the person who could use it. It is thought that the present stock of old pattern canteens are not suitable for militarv service. It is neither wise nor economical TIlSTOm' or TTIF. .Ml Meia//ic Cantec/r /^/us/c . cne /hce cc/^cai^e, c/yjostte face corrueii .■ dubmiited, ly the LanJ: Cafii^ei^ Co., Chicago, J^il. Ornantiittoi- tvarA, nrvwA tciye , lilSTOR^' OF Till': MILITARY CAXTKEN. Ill to rclain lln'in in j^ovcniiiuiU aiseiiaK. armories or (le])ols. They >lioul(l he sol(L It is sulMiiitled thai these aets justify this (hsposi- lion of these ohsolete articles of.e([uii)nient. They arc important as hearing upon the Assistant Comptroller's view : The first is the old law of March 23, 1825, upon which section 1241, Revised Statutes is based, and which is as follows: "That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to cause to be sold any ordnance, ammunition, or other military stores, or subsistence, or medical supplies, which upon proper inspection or survey, whenever in his 1 opinion the sale of such unserviceable stores will be advan- tageous to the public service ; that the inspection or survey of the unserviceable stores shall be made by an inspector general or such other officer or officers as the secretary of war may appoint for that purpose and the sales shall be made under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the secretary of war." The other act is that of March 29, 1894, wdiich provides that in- stead of forwarding to the accounting ofificers of the Treasury De- partment returns of public property intrusted to the possession of officers or agents, "the quartermaster general, commanding general of subsistence, and other like stafT officers in any department, by. through, or under whom stores, supplies and other public property are received for distribution, or whose duty it is to receive or ex- amine returns of such property, shall certify to the proper account- ing officer of the Treasury Department for debiting on the proper account any charge against any officer or agent intrusted with public property arising from any loss, accruing by his fault to the govern- ment as to the property so intrusted to him." The act of July 31, 1894, confines the duty of the comptroller to decisions "upon any question involving a payment" made by disbursing officers. If Assistant Comptroller Mitchell's ruling is published officially it will make possible an arrangement whereby not only unservicea- l)le canteens in excess of future needs of the army, but also horses, nniles, wagons, or other army material, not first class, hardly worth reshipping, can 1)e sold as damaged or unsuitable for the ]:)ublic service, after proper inspection or survey, and when the sale of such will l)e advantageous to the public interests. It is submitted that the sale of all canteens now in store in gov- ernment arsenals, armories or depots, of the 1874 pattern, or 1878 or later pattern, will be advantageous to the public service because tlie presumption is that the appropriation for the purchase and man- 112 inSTORV OF Till': .MlLITAin' CAXTEEN. iifacUirc or fal)rication, of equipments for infantry, and acct inter- ments for eavalrw will l)e adequate to provide new model eanteens. It is understcHul that the ariwy appropriation bill, second series, 56th Congress, carries with it for repairing- and preserving ordnance, $75,000; for purchase and manufacture, to till requisitions of troops, $500,000; for infantry, cavalry, and artillery equipments, $750,000. The Chief of ( )rdnance. U. S. Army, is quoted as follows : "The ordnance depot at Manila is now supplying" an army of nearly 70,000 men, scattered about among the islands, and yet there is but one officer available for duty at this post in addition to the chief ordnance officer whose time is fully occupied with the duties of general admin- istration. The improvement of material l)eing under way at all times, technical officers must at all times be in touch with it, not only in the hands of troops, but also with the vast accumulations in reserve. The relations of the department to the line of the army should be close and intimate in order that the ex])erience of the troops shall be available for the instruction and guidance of the department. and that the wants of the combatant branch ( f the army may l)e l)romptly met by the supply departments. It has been impossible of late years to s])are officers for this duty, the lack of which brings wrongfully on the department the blame of responsibility for it. The ordnance establishments are by no means adequate to pro- duce all the material required, and a greater part of this material is procured under contract. In the last two years, at many of the establishments from which such material has been secured, there have been no inspectors, and several establishments have been looked after by one inspector. If the inspection be not thorough, inferior material is likely to come into tb.e service, with the resulting criti- cism of the ( )rdnance Department, and what is worse, a possible failure of the material at an important juncture." lliSTORV UF TUi: .MILILAKV CANTEEN. 113 Proceedings of Board of Officers to Examine and Test Canteens, at Rock Island, (111.) Arsenal, Aug. 22 to Sept. 15, 1900. Between August 22 and September 5, 1900, nine or ten tests of two Regulation and two Lanz Canteens were made at Rock Island Arsenal by a board of three Officers of the Ordnance Department, pursuant to orders from the Chief of Ordnance and de- tail by the Commanding Officer of the Arsenal. Exhibit "A" of the proceedings of the Board is as follows: Manner of Date. making Experiment. Hours Exposed. Aug. 22 Aug. 2.1 Aug. 24 Aug. 25 Aug. 27 Aug. Sept . Sept, 4 Sept 5 Covers dry ; expos'd on window sill, in sun t 9 TEMPERATURE OK Min. I Max. Deg. Deg. Water when put in Canteen. Deg. .All except U.S. No. I had felt wet. with canvas covers dry. U.S.No. landfelt wet. On window sil, in sun S6 96 9 t. Same as in previous e.\periment e.\cept hung over boile in boiler room . - Same as on Aug. 23 except hung in sun with free circula- tion of air. . Both felt and canvas covers thoroughly wet and expos'd as on Aug. 25 Same as preceding. A third U. S. can- teen was hung up dry and had a tem perature of 96 deg. at end of exprmt Under glass, wiilil free accessof air. . 10 t< Under glass, same as preceding ex- periment Same as preceding experiment Water in Canteen at expiration of time. U. S. No. I, Deg. U. S. No. 2. Deg. 103 10 to 2 10 to 3 78 84 99 75 56 (iced) 80^ 103'/, 87 94 82 100 92 93 >^ Lanz i Lanz No. 3. 'No. 4. Deg. Deg. 98 lOI 90 j 92 85/2 j 84 78 I 79 75K 82^ 99>^ 94 81^ 100 Tlie Weights of Canteens, their Contents, etc., were as follows: 1 U. S. No. I. 1 U. S. No. 2. Lanz No. 3. Lanz No. 4. ozs. ozs. ozs. ozs. Empty and cover dry !■',', l=^l\ 23-ff IS/ir Full of water, cover dry.. ..,. .^"t'h 59VV ••+A 50 U Cover saturated with water. Canteen full 65^\ 65-j-''g 80-,6-g 68 Weight of water in Canteen.. ■iSfV 40 iv ^m 40tS Weight of water absorbed by ■ '^ « 1(3 ^h 114 Mii.n \m- Two tests were coiichuleHl in four lionrs. Two experiments oceupied five hours eaeli. One test consumed five and one-half hours. Two of the tests were each of six hours' duration. These tests do not appear to have been made in accordance with the printed conditions upon which the claims of the Lanz Canteen are based and stated to be requisite in (^rder to demonstrate those claims. This statement particularly applies to the length of time claimed by that Company as requisite — in an environment or temperature above blood heat — in which tt) prove the merits of the Lanz Canteen and general superiority of the device. — See Claim IX. It appears that the Board followed the methods outlined by Mr. Lanz in his letter and circular, August, 1900. describing his canteen and the experiments luade by the inventor with the L\ S. and his own canteens. The experiments of the Board were conducted, the commanding- officer states, with care and fairness, and he agreed with its conclu- sions. Except ni passing judgment on the fiattened side of the fiask, the opinion as to the advantage of the removable cover and its ser- viceableness, the conclusions of the (Jrdnance Board were liased upon the results of the nine or ten tests quoted. These results dififered materially from those of the inventor of the Lanz Canteen. Besides its conclusions upon those results, the Board was of the opinion that none of the canteens had any appre- ciable advantage over the others in the temperature of the water they contained. The Board found but a slight difference in the relative conductivity of the covers of the canteens ; referred to the fact that the Lanz was heavier, held less water than the Regulation Canteen, and added that for a period of at least six hours the gov- ernment canteen will keep water as cool as the Lanz canteen. It sustained, or conceded. Claims II, IW and part of Claims I, III and V, also VI ; also the claim, but not the conclusion, of X\', in the following finding ; quotation from the proceedings and summary of theBoard, viz. : "The cover of the Lanz Canteen possesses greater absorptive powers than that of the Government Canteen, conse- quently it would appear that this canteen would keep water at a lower temperature for a longer period under similar conditions than the Government Canteen." lusrouN' (II- Tin-: mh-itarv caxteex. Jiarlsriifie , JSacleft. 6e_r. ^/umLttum Canteen - cace-red. hy the Gefntan fneihoA, sirr^/e /elt iviih han^iny stra^ f-'vr Cat^a/r^. a/so camj s(n/' for Infanitij oitoc'/ed i.n ^ostiton. Co/Doctti^ bo Carrying Sim/-. 3ca/e: 4 1 l6 UlSTOKV OF THE MILlTAKv' CANTIiEN. Claims oi" thk Lanz Manufacturing Company Rkgakding THIv "lyANZ CaNTEp:N." lu y4/umfuni /^/ask ■ // s ^ ;^ „ • o Ordrrance nt(ter/r, dculU coi/tr /e/iJ- H^eiy^t /4 ox auoi,Jaiupci,s Scale: /x HISTORY OF l^PIE MILITARY CANTEEN. 121 peans will nut drink it nniil ii iia> Ix'cn huilcil and lihi'Vcd. The iacl was well known before a foreign soldier set foot at Takn. It was also realized that there was danger of wells being poisoned by the L'hinese ; wdiile to nse, unpnrified, the tilth-laden waters of the eanals and rivers was to invite an epidemie among the troops. The Jap- anese came fully provided with portable filters for use in the field. They were the only troops who possessed these necessary utensils, and the}- spared the men much. They also had in common with all the allies, except the Americans, provisions for supplying the troops with water while on the march or in action. When the Fifth Army Corps, I'nited States Arm}-, made the glorious, but in many ways disastrous, campaign against Santiago, June-August, 1898, we i)aid a price for ignorance which might have taught -is a wholesome les- son. One of the deficiencies, and one commented on by all the foreign military attaches who accompanied the army, was the utter lack of water supply except the small quantity the men could carry in their canteens. There was no reserve. When the water bottles ran dry the men would drop out of the line of march to replenish them. In so profusely watered a country as Cuba that was not diffi- cult, owing to the ]:)roximity of the Seco, the Aguadores, and the San Juan. Water could always be found near by, or secured while crossing a stream, but the custom is always retarding of progress and detrimental to discipline. But even where water is most plenti- ful, the practice throws the door wide open to the insidious disease germ. Here in China wliere water is fairly plentiful, but maryel- cnisl}- filthy, to provide no reserve water supply for troops on tlu' march, is to condemn all of them to needless sufl'ering and many of them to death. Two years of almost constant campaigning in the Philippines, coupled with the experiences in Cuba, have taught Americans nothing. Our troops turned up in China with their can- teens, and no more. I believe one or two filters, suitable for camp or barrack use, and too cumbersome for ready transport, have finally c.rrived. But they could not, had they been here in time, have been utilized on the march along the sluggish Pei-ho to Peking — the mother of thousands of ditches, all equally filled with a contaminated, yellow, slimy fluid, spreading out over the country like a web of an immense water-spider, licking up the filth of countless villages, and feeding, or draining, as the case may be, their cousins — the cess- pools. The men suffered terribly. Through the middle of the day the heat was intense. Millions, billions, trillions, of flies, buzzed and bit. For miles the road ran through millet fields. The grain stands from ten to twelve feet high, completely shutting off any breeze 122 iiiSTuKV !iF nil': .\iiLfT.\Kv c A N 1 i;i: N . which might possibly be stirring. At every step the men and animals sank a foot into the dnst, which, ground into impalpable powder by the passage of thousands of vehicles, hung in a stifling cloud over the line of march, filling throats, eyes, lungs, and nostrils. The sun strifck a man between the shoulders and burned them like a red-hot plaster. Rivulets of perspiration trickled and dripped, converting faces into river charts of China, half mud and half water, and caus- ing eyelids to gum up and smart painfully. Canteens were emptied quickly during the six successive days march after the battle of Yang Tsun to Peking, and, notwithstanding positive orders to the contrar}-, were refilled out of wells on the putrid Pei-ho. Staggering along under their blanket-rolls and full marching equipment, what wonder that the troops ccjuld march but a short distance without resting, and that the total of a day's effort would be but about eight miles. At night, the mosquitos relieved the fiies as agents of unrest, swarming in dense clouds about the camjxs. Within a week after their arrival in Peking, over one-third of the American force was in the hospital This was about the average throughout the army, — Germans, Russians (including Cossacks), British (including Australians, English, Sikhs, Ragputs, Ghurkos, and Chinese), Americans, French (including Tonquin and Cochin China native regiments), Japanese. Austrians, and Italians, to say nothing of the "Boxers" and Imperial Chinese troops. If ever troops needed water reserve supply, for urgency as w^eil as sanitary reasons, it was on that march. The Japanese, Russians, Cermans, French, and I!ritish. all were ])rovided in some way. The Japanese drank only aerated water prepared regularly by the field filters, the water cart moving with the column and permitting the replenishing of the canteens at any lime without hindering the march or scattering the troops. For the Japanese officers and \\ounded. there w-as an ample supply of bottled mineral water. The ]>ritish, Germans, and Russians, all had a reserve supply, either in carts or carried in skins on mules. Only the Americans were utterly destitute. An average of one-third of the force was always away from the column on a hunt for drinking water. At nightfall, when the camps were pitched, they would have, perhaps, to tramp long distances to obtain enough water for cooking purposes, while all the other allies had theirs ready to hand, simply, it was some one's business to attend to it and see that proper facilities were provided. Truly, 'tis a lop-sided commissary service which supplies an army with solid food — and woe to it if it fail — but makes no provision whatever for water. HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. I23 While both arc indispensable, water is far more of an urgent neees^sity to troops than is other food. Frequently a few drops luean whether a soldier will drop or continue to march, and the first cry of a wounded man is for water. The advisability of supplying troops with water, even while in action, has long been recognized, and, not- withstanding the difficulty, has been successfully accomplished. In this war I have, for the first time, seen the "bhisti," whom Rudyard Kipling has immortalized as "Gunga Din" at work. He has a brother now in the Jap water coolie, whose duty is to supply water to troops in action, and succor the wounded on the field. Some day, perhaps, Uncle Sam may awake to appreciation of the necessity of some needed reforms in his army antl take a leaf out of the Mikado's book. Three days after the allied forces entered Peking, over eight hundred Americans or one-third of the total force under General Chafifee, were in the hospital. The percentage of Japanese troops unfit for duty at the same time was less than five. Yet they had done more work during the campaign than had the Americans. We seem, for some reason, always to be lacking adequate trans- ]iort. Some of the powers are just as badly ofl^ as the United States in this matter of proper trans])ort. Init some are immeasur- ably superior. The Japanese and British-Indian contingents are the best. They have \iot only developed the light vehicle and small package system to a high state of excellence, but they have found another accelerator in the use of a large number of camp followers. In a British or Japanese regiment the number of camp followers almost equals the number of men bearing arms. These auxiliaries are really servants of the troops. They re- lieve the fighting men of all superfluous baggage on the march and do the camp labor when the colunni halts. The Japanese or British- Indian soldier carries nothing while marching except his rifle, am- nuiiiition, and A\-atcr bottle. Xnt (iuly cau he move faster and with less fatigue, but he is prepared to go into battle at an instant's notice. The American. German, or French, soldier, if suddenly attacked or brought into action, has to cast aside his heavy, bulky kit. These are frccjuently sttilen before the men return to secure them, if they ever do. Witness the denuding of our troops by the straggling bands of Cubans during the Santiago catupaign. Then, suppose the troops advance several miles in the course of an engage- ment, which frequently happens ; they must either abandon their per- sonal equipment (less rifle, amnmnition, canteen, cup, and in- trenching tool) entirel}-, or return fcr it. even if they can k^atc and find it intact, thus c<_)vering a distance three times when once shotild 124 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CAXTEeS*. have sufficed. Such mailers as the-^e often decide the success or faihire of a campaign. It is a hunnhating- fact that in nearly every march of any distance which tiie alhes ha\e made in L'hina, the Americans held the column back because they were unable lu keep up. A remark of General Dorward is recalled as he watched the little detachment of Americans toil painfull}- and slowly through the mud on the march to Tulin. The General who commanded the ex- peditionary force, had ridden hack with his stafif'to see what was l^eeping the Yankees back. "Fine fellows," he said as he gazed at them, "Fine fellows. Splendid physiques. Pity they load them (i(nvn so they can't march." It was a matter nf comment during the march to Peking that the Americans had more men drop out from heat prostration, and required to rest oftener, than the troops of any other nation. Fre- quently one-fourth the American force, with those who went down and those who stopped to attend them, would be out. The climate cannot account for this. It is very similar to that of the greater part of the United States. The troops were not "green." The\- were veterans, just from months of active service in the Philippines and Cuba. It was not inferiority of physique. The Americans are the strongest men out here. What then, was the reason? The men were required to do too nuich. In marching, they carried three times the weight imposed upon Japanese, British, or Rus- sian troops. Then, a dozen times during a day they were compelled to make detours to replenish their canteens. While, the march having ended, the Japs or British soldiers were taking things easy, while their camp followers pitched the tents, lighted the fire, cooked the food, and prepared the beds, the weary American doing all these things for himself. What wonder that he frequently, from sheer exhaustion, went supperless to 1)ed. and slept unsheltered rather than imdergo the labor of pitching his tent, to become the next day a ready victim to heat and dysentery? The camp auxi!- iarv certainly pays for his keep. In spite of his many handicaps, the American soldier has held his own. He has numerous weak- nesses, but fear of the enemy is not, fortunately for the securitv of the Republic, one of them. T heard foreign officers criticise freeh- his military manners, organization and equipment, — but never his fighting qualities, once his burden of antiquated methods is cast aside and he faces the foe on the fighting line. There he is as he always w^as, and let us hope, always will be. In all the criticism one hears there is an undercurrent of respect. I never see him in a fight but I feel, with alisnlute certainty, that the American lUSTOKV ol- Tin: :\IILITAKV CVXTiiliX. J?uluoue Stanrjoi/fy ^ £/?a/nel Co. Cant&tft, infiih Ihrker f^C/ter) no covtriCapcLcttifSoo iret^it, 22 ox. cover i ca/oAc/iySoox , Oca/e:/X /ftrotva sJrttv >vAtre Aea/raye ieyart 126 lll.STOKV 01' Till:: MILITARN- CAXTECX. siil(lii.r will e\"er L;ivc' a ,!4()((1 accounl df liimselt if iioL asked Ui do more Ihaii slioiild be asked of an_\ man. (Jtlier elements l)eing- approximately equal, the stoutest heart and steadiest nerve will win in the most battles. In these qualities. Uncle Sam's boys are second to none. "They have done their share," is the verdict of people in China, who have been here through it all. The lessons of this uar have chiefly held to the prosaic lines of organization, supply, and equipment, and on matters such as these they have shed a lirilliant liq-ht for those who care to learn." How THE C.\RRETA, OR W'aTEK L'art, L*S|;d AT HEADQUARTERS, FiRST Division, Fifth Army Cori'S. isr Julv-igtii August. 1898, AT Saxtiaoo DI-: Cuba, Was Obtained. During- the afternoon of Friday, ist July, 1898, after the com- mander of the First Division, Fifth .Vnuy Carps, — General J. Ford Kent, — accompanied by his aide, the late Major George S. Cart- \\right, and the Division Inspector, mounted, reached the crest of San Juan hill, where we had been preceded by General H. S. Haw- kins, and the 6th and i6th United States Infantry, there was a lull in the firing of the retreating Spaniards. This gave opportunity for a brief inspection of the grounds. A carreta, a dead mule, and some empty water casks, were noted on the western slope. A car- reta, is a cart with two wheels, fitted to l)e drawn by one animal. This particular one had been used by the Spaniards to haul water to Fort San Juan. A sketch of the carreta, or water cart accom- panies this report. The original of the sketch was made by Mr. Adolfo Carlos Munoz, — volunteer aide-de-camp on General Kent's staff, — wounded by a shrapnel bullet just above the right ear, p. m. of the following day, died iith November, 1899. After a portion of the 24th United States Infantry gained the summit on the date first mentioned, the Inspector got a colored sergeant, name unknown, and two privates same regiment, to assist in making a break down the slope for the carreta and the barrels. We succeeded in hauling the outfit up over the crest, and down to where the Division Commander's hammock was. There it re- mained in charge of Second Lieutenant Fred L. Munson, com- manding the division headquarters detachment guard, until August 10th, — date of departure frcMu Santiago de Cuba, for Montauk, L. T. The carreta saved man\- a weary triji to the San Juan river for a canteen full of water. jiis'i'oin- ()i- iiii-. Mii.riAin- ( .wii-:i-..v. 12/ OBSERVATIOXS UX THE IMiKlX Kl'.IJiCJ^" r:X I M'.hL lioX. By Captain William Crorjicr, Ordnance Pcpaiiuicnl , ('. S. J. The Chief Ordnance Officer, General Chaffee's Staff', states as follows: From the time of the arrival of the first. American troops at Tien Tsin, — 9th Infantry. — plenty was the order of the day. Ginger ale and bottled water were in abundance. The fare was less generous on the march to Pekin. XTo provision was made for supplying the United States troops with water on the march, other than the canteen which each man carried. Other troops were better oft' in this respect. The British Indians carried water in skins on pack mules, and some had barrels upon carts. But there are wells in all the Chinese villages, and these, along the line of march, were not more than a mile and a half apart; and, with the column properly halted, it is as easy to fill canteens from a stationary well as from a stationary cart or mule. The water in the wells was always cool, and, though seldom per- fectly clear, it was never revoltingly turgid, as was that of the rivers anrl canals ; it was drank freely by all the troops of the expedition. No other troops made such a time about water as the Americans, wiio had orders to drink none without boiling it, and had special utensils provided for the purpose. These orders could not l)e en- forced, however, as thirsty soldiers will not wait even when arrived in camp, for water to boil and cool. Portable filters were provided and were used in the hospital service, one also I observed in the light battery, and one was in the headquarters mess. The charac- teristic ailment of North China, however, seems to come independ- ently of the water ; it attacks nearly all Europeans and Americans during their first summer, not sparing even those wdio drink nothing but imported waters. With careful inquiry, I was unable to find a medical man who could assign a satisfactory reason, other than it was "in the air." I have neither heard nor read any criticisms of the operations of the Subsistence Department, other than as these were aft'ected by lack of transportation, wdiich suggests an inquiry as to the char- acter and quantity of the latter. The Americans had thirteen four- mule army wagons and one pack train of forty freight mules, be- sides two or three ambulances and a Dougherty wagon. This sup- ply was intended to take care of two regiments of infantry, a bat- talion of marines, a light battery, and the headquarters, i'he four- mule wagon is considered to be distinctly superior to the means of transportation of supplies employed by the British. Japancsi". Russians, or French. ■■'• * '■■ The American train had one man 128 lilSTOKV UF Till-: .MII.ri.\U\ C.\\Ti:iii\. 1(1 luur mules, all the liiadcd animals l)cint;' driven in a bunch with a hell-mare leading. JJere.also was economy of numbers, although perhaps the Japanese provision of a man lo each animal was a necessity, as their ponies are all stallions, and their train at a halt was a bedlam of tlying heels and wild snorts, it was more dan- gerous to pass than a Chinese outi)ost. A large proportion of the Japanese transportation consisted of pack animals; the British Indians had nothing else; the inferiority in economy, when con- trasted with the American system, is striking, when it is noted that it requires the same number of mules to carry 1,000 pounds on packs as will haul 3,000 pounds in our arm^-wagon. The Ameri- can pack train carried ammunition only, for which purpose it could not have been replaced, as it afforded the only means of maintaining a first reserve supply in constant readiness for immediate distribu- tion to the firing line. The pack saddles of the different nation- alities were, in their eft'ect on the animals, of about equal merit. Occasional sore backs were noticed in all the trains, but the Ameri- can required the most skillful packer. -A- ■■■;-. * * :|: * * Within three days after the arrixal at I'ekin, bottled waters and fancy groceries began to make tlieir appearance in the American commissary and within a week there was abundance of these for all. If a sufiicient number of four-mule wagons, the most rapid and economical transportation yet devised for countries in which they c;m go at all. — and with a very little help they can do marvels in the way of trail covering, — be supplied to carry all the men's bag- gage, except their arms and canteens, and, in addition, a sufficient number of armed men to act as train guards, riding either in the seats with the drivers or on others provided, these men would be sufficiently fresh to do the loading and ether extra work, and the whole organization would be made more economical and serviceable than one provided with coolie corps. FURTHER OPEN AIR TESTS MADE OF CANTEENS Intended for Use in Military Service, Made at Headquarters Department of Dakota, St. Paul, Minnesota. (For description of various canteens tested see pp. 57-61 this report; also further description given belovv'.) Spccificalions, etc., of Canteen "AA". — Canteen "AA" is the regulation service pattern canteen, manufactured at Rock Island Arsenal, 1900, and issued to me direct from there. It has double cover — Petersham felt inner, and dved duck, or canvas, outer cover. iii>T()RV OF Till-: MiLirARN' c \.\ri:i:.\-. 129 Capacii}' 44 fluid dunccs, 45 aiul 2-4 uzs. avoirdupois. Weight, empty, covers on and dry, avoirdupois, 12 and :] ounces. Weight, filled, covers on and dry, avoirdupois, 58 and ] ounces. Weight, filled, covers on, after ten minutes' immersion, avoirdupois, 6^ and 2-4 ounces. Weight of the tin canteen flask, empty, no covers on, avoirdupois, 9 and 2-4 ounces. This canteen was sent for and used Ijy me in order to have a standard of comparison, and because of variations noted in other canteens issued to the First Cavalry, Eighth Infantry, and other organizations from which I received them, termed "U. S. Army Regulation Service Canteen, Ordnance Pattern," or "U. S. Army Regulation Service Tin Flask, Ordnance Pattern", etc. In all tests made after Test No. 68, all three of these service canteens, or flasks, were used. Tests were conducted as described on pp. 43-4, this monograph, and by the same person, using the same thermometers. Specifications of Canteen "BB". — Canteen "BB" is a combina- tion canteen and filter. Canteen is of the regulation tin flask type, double cover — regulation felt or Petersham inner, and dyed duck or canvas outer. Made at Rock Island Arsenal, October, 1898, with a specially wide mouth to accommodate the Mrs. Caroline Parker Filter. Capacity, filter in, 40 fluid ounces, 42 ounces avoirdupois; filter out, fluid 45 ounces, avoirdupois, 46 ounces. Weight, filled, covers on and dry, filter in, 59 ounces avoirdupois. Ditto, after ten minutes' immersion, 64 ounces avoirdupois. Weight of the tin flask, empty, no cover, filter out, 9 and ^ ounces avoirdupois. Weight of filter, including soft rubber top, 3 and j ounces avoirdu- pois*. Weight of duck, or canvas, cover, dry. i and 2-4 ounces. Weight of same after ten minutes' immersion, 3 and | ounces avoirudpois. Weight of water absorbed by the canvas cover, i and 2-4 ounces. Weight of the Petersham felt, or inner cover, dry, I and 2-4 ounces. Weight of same after ten minutes' immersion. 7 and 2-4 ounces avoirdupois. Weight of water absorbed by the inner cover, 6 ounces avoirdupois. Weight of the canteen "BB", empty, covers on and dry, filter out, 12 and f ounces avoirdupois. Weight of the canteen, empty, covers on and dry, filter in, 16 ounces avoirdupois. Specifications of Canteen "CC". — The canteen purchased by the United States for trial, in December, 1898, or October, 1898, from the Dubuque Stamping and Enamel Company, has been described, and the objections to enameled metal as a material for canteen flasks dwelt upon, in previous pages of this monograph. In the test tables it is termed canteen "C". i3o HISTORY OF Tin-: .MILITARY CAXTtEN. B C/.S. ^rmy Tfefu/aiiorj Scri/ice Canteen, Or^nariCQ. ^tterrt^ dx^uble Ccuer^ /elianai Cancan, iut ftai/ir?y , also. e. i^oolei^ stock I'nj ley l gS: 00 1 12 72 86 96 64 76 84 62 70 76 62 66 72 S« 62 68 S8 60 64 S« 60 62 5« 70 170 32 152 IOI32 94 118 86 106 170170 150144 126 126 114 116 104 102 94 92 881 88 82 80 ' i ' - i — 170 170 146 150 126 130 112 114 102 ded from a [70 170 96! 92 68*66 62 60 74 60 58 70 60; sS 5^\ 56 58 5^ 58 58 58 58 f-eaky. — Letikage occurred in Canteen "X" at the point where the stirrup shaped loops were camped to the sides of '.he flask by means of four rivets. The Parker filter in Canteen "1!H" was found to be broken, having separated from the soft rubber top. Breakage thought to be occasioned by leaving the flusk, filter in, against steam radiator. TEST No. 70. Hour. DutMdt Temp. 7-45 "■"' ■*'46 8-4S " 48 9-45 " 50 "0-45 " 54 '1-45 " ' 54 12.45 |( 111 58 1-45 " 52 2-45 " 54 3-45 " 54 4-45 " 54 Temperature of Water in Canteens. Conditions same as in preceding Test. All Covers Vr\ 146' 46! 46 48 48, 48 50 50! 50 i54l 52| 52 ^ 54 56 54 54 54' 54 54 i54: 54 l^6 54 '58 54 56; 54 54i 54 Bli C Cl E G I H I L I Q I R I S I T 4614646 48I4S4S 48! 50 48 50:5048 52^52 50 54 56 50 5615652 54*54 54 54154541 5454:521 4646 4846 48 48 5050 50 52 5054 5054 5254 5254 5054 4646 5050 52,52 54i5.2 56154 58156 5856 5856, 5656! 5656 46 46 46 484S48 50 50 48 525048 52 52 50 54-54 52 56 54 52 54 54 52 54 54,52 545452 u V 46 46 48 52 48 54 50 5^' 50 S8 S2 60 54 60 54 ^8 52 56 52 54 46 46 48 46 50*48 50 48 50 50 54 52 54 52 54 54 54 54 54 52 'Leaky.— Leakage in Canteen "X" as in preceding test. Temperature of "V," the Eveking, Westphalia, Canteen, rose above that of the air, and remained above that of its environments fur a period of eight (8) hours. Aluminum Canteen "L," the Karlsruhe, Kaden, one: also, the Lanz tin flusk. Canteen "(J" rose above the atmosiihcric tcmpcr.iture. Note should be made that none of the canteen co\ers were wet, m m. listened. HISTORY OK THE MILITARY CANTEEN. TEST No. 71. 133 Open air test— in snn for six (6) hours, followed by three (j| hours in the shade. Each canteen was full. All covers dry. All of the canteens were suspended from a trestle, so that free circulation prevailed. Test made on the roof of the L, Army Building, Headquarters Department of Dakota, St. Paul, Minn. 1 Out- Temperature of Water in Canteens. Tern. A A-I A A B 1 BU c_c E G u I '^ i<. s T If V vv X a.m.l 7.50 +58 48 48 48 48' 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 48 *48 N.50, 60 ,S8 ,0 .SO 50 S2 S6 S4 48 48 SO 66 S4 48 SO S4 SO S4 S4 S6 9.50 70 60 60 S4 ';4 S4 S8 S8 SO SO S2 68 S8 SO S2 S4 S2 S8 S8 S8 10.50 63 64 64 S8 S6 S8 62 64 S2 S2 S6 70 62 S6 S4 S8 S6 64 62 60 11.50 70 p.m. 1 66 66 62 63 62 64 68 56 54 58 72 64 58 56 60 58 68 64 60 12. 50 72 70 68 64 64 6+ 66 70 S8 S6 60 74 66 62 60 60 60 70 66 64 1.50 60 70 66 66 66 66 65 70 60 S8 62 74 66 64 62 62 62 70 66 64 2.50 60 66 64 64 64 64 64 64 6o S8 62 70 66 62 62 62 62 66 62 62 ;!.50 60 64 62 62 64 62 64 62 60 S8 60 68 66 62 60 60 60 64 62 62 4.50 60 62 60 62 62 62 62 60 60 58 60 66 64 62 60 60 60 62 62' 6r Leaky. Regulation C aniecn — held above that of tl, CoMME.NT. — Temperature of ' three hours. Temperature of "L"— Karlsruhe, Baden, aluminum, C.ernian sii and kept above that of the air during the closing eight hours of the tt Se\eral other canteens rose to a temperature above that of the at ing the three closinghours that the trestle was in tlie shade. Note should be made of the fact that none of the covers were v this (est. gic felt-covt : air dv.ring the las :d canteen — rangec kept above it, dur- .•d, before or during Out- r smperatu re of Wa ter in Canteens. All the canteens were full, covers dry, suspended from a trestle undjr glass (storm Hour. side window— eight panes of glass, each 20x17 inches) placed nearly horizontally above the I'emp. canteens in such a manner as to admit free circulation ot the air. I restle stood on roof of L of Army ISuilding. St. Paul. Minn. A A- I A A B B B c c E G H I E 9 cCouh^ Coders . y^ade ot ffo^k Ja^artci y^rnrral , Oct. /39d tvt'i^ a ^/bfctoUy ^vraU m^utJi i:c accomr^dlate the /tfr». Caro/i^e ^rker t^t/io-, Ca/aaciiy. fc/ivr ^^S'P'/J,'^^^''" *"" Ufaiyht. f/'/ier irt , />//cc^. Cot/en on atteL tfry ^uereiupoi'a S9 ffurrcts Iteifii. fr/ier t». ff^ed.co^/ers orr^afier &efr /nr'ttu6es ihntftrsioirjAvorctupoi's- . 64- ex.. IVtiyJii of the trrt f/ask . no cot/crs. errr/ii^y . fi/tcr ot Germany. Aluminum, 99% pure, drawn and pressed out of one solid piece. Mouthpiece, two pressed parts. No cover. Weight of flask, 8% ozs. Capacity, 46 fluid ounces. Weight, filled, 57V2 ounces, avoirdupois. tDESCRiPTiON OF Canteen "Z." — Circular Aluminum flask, made by the Griswold Manufactur- ing Co., Erie, Pa. Cast, including lug, from a wood pattern and wood core bo.\. No cover. Weight of flask, 17^:4 oimces. C'apacity, 52 fluid ounces. Weight, filled, 72 ounces. 154 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CAMTEEN. RECORD OF CANTEEIN "F." Synopsis of tests, open-air, made at Headquarters, Department of Dakota, St. Paul, Minn., of the Newark, N. J. Aluminum Flask — Circular Canteen; no solder said to be used: Covered by the Lanz method with J/g-inch felt; openable canvas cover. Capacity, 44 ounces. Weight 16 ounces. Termed in this monograph. Canteen "F. " No. of Tests 33. Frozen in Test No. 30; also in No. 38. Test No. 33, leakage first noticed. Test No. 38 leakage established. No. of Test. Outside Temperature. I Temperature of I Water in Canteen. Maximum. Minimum. Maximum.! Minimum. • 54 52 56 112 no 116 116 116 100 I Frozen withdrawn. Leaked after fust hour. Leaked. 39 42 38 ^t 52 " 40 •4 12 96 32 " 41 2S 10 9S 36 " 42 26 22 94 32 43 12 4 94 32 " 44 34 14 106 38 " 45 - 2 -10 74 32 46 Zero. 10 102 32 47 +28 + 14 90 34 48 18 14 80 32 Frozen. 49 • 18 8 130 34 J,eaky. 50 24 4 50 •)2 " 51 16 S 56 32 " 52 14 2 178 32 53 28 18 168 38 54 30 22 170 44 " 55 22 8 52 32 " 56 38 24 50 38 57 42 32 52 42 . " 58 18 12 54 32 59 2 - 4 52 32 " 60 20 + 2 1 170 38 " 6i 20 Zero. 172 32 # 62 22 20 \ 168 32 Highest... + 42 -10 , +178 + 32 - The record of Canteen "F," covering a period of thirty-four (34) days, is given in extenso in order to illustrate, practically, the thoroughness with which all tests were conducted. My tests were not based on any theory. My recommendations have been based upon the results of numerous tests under varying conditions. Aluminum and its alloys is such a satisfactory metal to make canteen flasks of — if the metal could be satisfactorily soldered — that I part with it with reluctance. The aluminum manufacturers have not yet, to my knowledge, succeeded in making a canteen flask that will meet the requirements of the military service. HISTORY OF Till:: MILITARY' CA.XTEEN. 155 A COMPARISUN. Till': RiioiLATiox X'lksus tiii: Lanz Canteen. Thoui2:lit was applied and experiments conducted in the U. S. Army more than a quarter of a century ago to the solution of the question of how to keep water in a tin canteen palatable in a hot region. It resolved itself into the adoption of the present Regula- tion Canteen. The formation of judgment regarding a canteen suitable for military use is slow work. It is easy to arrive at a con- clusion regarding a device that is merely a receptacle to hold liquids in for the consumption of tourists, sportsmen, and bicyclists, on a summer outing. My conclusions are that the Regulation Canteen fails to secure the benefits of a prolonged evaporative action for as long a time as the Lanz Canteen does. The Lanz Canteen prevents rapid changes of temperature of its contents. Its shape and method of construction, — both as regards the metallic flask and its components, the covers, — dilfer from other canteens. The means, methods and principles involved, physical, mechanical and rational, are elsewhere described in this monograph, fn cold weather, the dry felt is an effective non-conductor of heat. In hot weather the saturated — canvas encased — cover of all-wool felt applied to the filled metallic flask continues moist for a number of hours longer than any other canteen, hence possesses the merit of keeping the fluid contents cool and relishable for a maximum period. A defect of the Regulation Canteen is that it is impracticable to easily thoroughly saturate the inner felt, or Petersham, cover. After a little field service, the outer canvas cover accumulates grease, dirt, etc., to such an extent as to become nearly water-proof, despite immersion ; hence there is little cooling action by evapora- tion. Herein one of the advantages of the Lanz Canteen applies, because it has an openable cover, whereas the Regulation cover is permanently attached, unless the stitches are cut. The musket carried by our army during the civil war period, 1 86 1 -5, could put an enemy out of action at a range of 600 yards, but the effective range of the Springfield muzzle-loader was limited as compared with the Cal. 30 U. S. Magazine Rifle, sheathed pro- jectile, with wdiich our troops are now armed. The energy and penetration of the latter at a range in excess of two miles is known. The determination of the relative merits of the old caliber .45 small firearm of projection, as compared with the rifle at present in the hands of our soldiers, should not rest upon the limitations of the Springfield, but upon the far-reaching powers of the Krag-Jorgenson. is6 HlSTOm- OF THE MU-TTAUV CANTEEN. As it is with firctiiins, so it is willi i-aiitcrns. I'ur a iiunihcr of hours, say. six, the kci;ulalioii Canteen will, under ordinary circumstances and moderately uniform temperature, keep water as cool as the Lanz ; but, after the water absorbed by the covers of the Regulation Canteen has evaporated and the con- tents thus begun to rise in temperature, the Lanz Canteen will con- tinue to keep its contents at a lower, therefore more relishable, tem- perature than the Regulation Canteen. /i/umir?c^m. F/usk /if Canitens, Si>7f/e />tece , /nade m Actr/sz-uAe, 3cide/7, Oernrarr^^ fumishecL For teat 6y the /.a/?xCanUe/? Co., Chtca^o, J II. A full and impartial consideration of the merits of a canteen intended for use in the field, during a campaign, or on the march, cannot be said to have been effected until the canteen has been given exhaustive tests assimilating to such practical tests as would be given it by soldiers in any climate, hot or cold. My oflficial reports show that I have given numerous canteens these tests in environments of outside temperature varying from minus ten (lo) degrees F. to plus one hundred and twenty-five (125) degrees F. AIv conclusion and recommendation is that the Lanz Canteen warrants a trial with a view to its adoption in the V . S. Army. HISTORY OF TflE MILIFARV CANTEEN. 157 Factors to be taken into cousideratioa in the selection of a Can- teen intended for Mse in the Military Service. - , Spun. I :■ Ca.t. i Pressed. ummnum ~ ,' .Stamped. ; Welded. i Rolled, .11- Sheet, Metal. Constnictu) Ca.vtee.n (■on>,M, I Tin. I Ebonite. Wood. Enameled Metal. Tinned " Galvanized '• i^ Other Metals. j Single Piece. j' .Side Pieces, Ears or ' Loops, attached to flask. j Loops attached to Cover. / Oval f Concave-convex faces. Joined P Oblong Gourd 'J Bottle shaped Circular Flask. Insider Mouth Piece. Stopper. Chain. Triangles, or Covex faces. Cylindrical. Flat. One face flat, opj) face curved. Durability. Weight. Capacity. All-wool Felt. Felted Cloth. .Sponge Cloth. Duck, ov Canvas. .\ny textile fa!)ric. Leather. Queries. Can air-pressure be utilized in lieu of the inside water-pressure used, as stated by the Pittsburgh Reduction Co., in shaping spun aluminum canteen flasks? Will a cast aluminum flask juove as durable as a flask of spun aluminum? How can triangles, ears, lugs, or rings be substantially fastened at the sides of an aluminum flask, and thus do away with a strap around the cover? Bv what method is the Canteen Flask made? 158 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. "Ubor Fcldllaschcn unci Kochgeschiire aus Aluminum. Im Augt- rage des k. Kriegsministeriums bearbeitet von Dr. Plagge, Stabsarzt, und Georg Lebbin. Chemiker. (Canteen and cooking utensils of aluminum. Prepared by direction of the war ministry by Dr. Plagge. staff surgeon, and George Lebbin, chemist.) lOO pp. Ber- lin, 1893" : — EXTRACT. "Three kinds of tests : (i) Rough, practical usefulness. (2) Durability, wearing qualities and cost h-om an eco- nomical point of view. (3) Question of hygiene and harmfulness or harmlessness of aluminum vessels. The final result of these tests and trials amount to this : That neither from a practical nor from an economical point of view essential arguments against the feasibility of using aluminum field flasks exist, and that from a sanitary standpoint such flasks can be utilized without the least hesitation. * ■■.■- •:■ ;;: :;: :!; ^: * * Regarding the rough practical usefulness, the question arises wiiether or not the taste of the fluid contained in the aluminum flask is in any way changed. This is not the case. Neither water, nor coffee, nor water mixed with vinegar; Ijeer. wine, brandy (cog- nac) and other spirituous liquors, lemonade, etc.. show a change in taste, particularly no after-taste of aluminum, even after the con- tents had remained in the flask for a week. Although a change in the taste of the contents of a properly cleaned aluminum flask does not occur, there arc some liquids which appear to be unsuited to be kept for any length of time in such flasks. They become cloudy or muddy and cause the formation of spots or stains. Among them are, as practical tests in the army have demonstrated, brandy (cognac) which, after only twenty-four hours' preservation in the flask, particularly in a warm temperature, caused the formation of peculiar dark brown spots or stains on the inside of the flask. In order to determine the nature of the spots, tests were made Avith various liquors, i. e., three kinds of cognac, two kinds of Xordhauser (corn whisky), herb liquor, Dantzig Goldwater and Kuemmel. These experiments pro\c-tl that aluminum flasks are not adapted for a lengthy preservation of such liquids as cognac, etc., wliich, HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. I59 although not losing particularly in taste, lose their appetizing quali- ties by becoming clouded, the discoloration being caused by loosen- ing of the stains from the flask and mixing with the liquor. This, however, hardly impairs the practical usefulness of the aluminum flask for the army. A soldier generally carries coffee or water in his flask, not liquor, the latter being, particularly on marches, at least in the infantry, expressly prohibited. Of other liquids carried in the flask, coffee, the standard drink of the marching soldier, should be considered ; but the stains created by it (amounting to the size of a pin head after 24 hours) are so inconsiderable that all practical objection will disappear when it is considered that the coffee, which in itself is not entirely clear, does not losc its taste and is generally kept in the flask for a much shorter period. Another kind of stains of whitish color in aluminum field flasks must be considered. They are caused by leaving water standing quiet in an aluminum vessel for any length of time. Although the resistance of the metal to the action of the water, — and especially of distilled water, — is undoubted, yet weak solutions of salt, which are contained in most of our drinking waters, bring about the above mentioned phenomenon, after the water has remained in the vessels for hours. These stains resemble the brandy stains to a great extent, but are of a lighter color, being yellowish-white, and feel firm and sandy, while the cognac stains are of an even, loose or spongy nature. Those whitish stains also appear much sknver, generallv not after several davs. So far as the question of economy is concerned, it is to be em- phasized that the aluminum field flasks during these many and varied tests and experiments, continued for months, including their being placed in incubators and shaking apparatus (the latter imi- tating the movement of a marching soldier), have shown them- selves as very durable and strong, and that a leakage has never occurred. Whether, in this respect, they will satisfy the demands of field service, can only be demonstrated by practical carrying tests. As the softness of the metal facilitates a possibility of damage to the flask, it is a matter of importance that lately a number of sure methods of soldering aluminum have i)ccn found, which process, as is well known, was not quite successful at first." l60 HISTORY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. The Patten Paint Company, Milwaukee, Wis., (see p. 104), writes: "We have come to a point now where we desire to get hold of the canteen itself made of wood and will ask you to inform us whether you know of such a canteen already made up. If not, we shall be obliged to have a few made by some wood working com- pany, as we are now ready to give the paint a test on the canteen as it will be used in service." The Griswold Manufacturing Company. Erie, Pa., (see pp. 48-9), writes as follows: "In reply to yours in regard to the can- teen, would say, we had to make several changes in our pattern, which delayed us in getting out the sample. We have this all fin- ished, so we will be able to make castings to-day or to-morrow, and expect to be able to send you sample for your test the very first of next week. We trust this will not be too late, and that you will hold your tests open so you can include our sample in the same. We know we can be successful in making a cast canteen all in one piece, which would certainly be much stronger than the sheet alum- inum one, and there will be no rivets projecting through, which are weak points, as it soon corrodes around the rivets. We shall cast a lug on the outside on which to fasten the ring for the strap. Trusting you can, therefore, hold the tests open, and assuring you we will send sample in a very few days, we remain." etc. Plormann, Schutte & Co.. Importers and General Commission Merchants, 24 and 26 W. 4th St., New York, write as follows: "One of our friends called our attention to your article in the Ahuninum World of March, 1901. We understand from this that you take great interest in aluminum articles, especially canteens for the U. S. Army, and as we represent the largest manufacturer in the world who makes a specialty of aluminum canteens and cook- ing utensils for military purposes, having supplied all the European armies and still supplying them with all they need in this line, we are sure we could give you some valuable information and success- fully compete with any manufacturer in this line of goods. We would be only too pleased to furnish vou with samples which you might test and also with lowest quotations, if you will have the kindness to inform us what you may need to make your test, and also give you any other information which might possibly interest you and which we are in a position to furnish." * " * The above mentioned firm — Messrs. Hormann, Schutte & Co. — again write : — "We confirm our previous letter and have taken the HISTORY OF THE MtLITARY CANTEEN. l6l liberty of sending you a sani])lc ()t an aluminum canlten, which wo just this moment received from our manufacturer. "Tliis canteen has been ch-a\vn and pressed out of one .soHd i)ieec of pure akiminum plate, 99 per cent pure aluminum. "The mouthpiece consists of two pressed parts to give strength to the neck. "In case that this canteen should, in your opinion, not have resist- ance enough, it is easy for tlie manufacturer to make them out of a heavier plate with a thicker wall. "The size, shape, etc., the manufacturer would lie willing to make absolutely in accordance with your instructions. "Kindly test this canteen thoroughly and see whether the same would come in every respect up to your expectation and answer your purpose thoroughly. "We would be much oi)lieed to hear from vou." Messrs. Herm. Weissenburger & Co., Cannstatt a. Xecker write as follows : — "We thank you for your kind favor of loth instant, but not seeing our way to compete successfully with the U. S. manufacturers on account of heavy duty, we have decided to keep back, although the order would suit us very well. "We have invented a new helmet, a combination of Aluminum, leather and Pegamoid, light and rigid, perhaps with this article, which we can protect in the U. S., we shall have better luck. We shall send yoi; a sample later." The Griswold Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., (see also pre- ceding pages 48-9 and 87), write again: — "We are shipping you by American Express today, prepaid, sample of cast Aluminum flask. We are sending you this flask without any cork, as we w^erc in a great hurry to ship it to you. Did not have time to make the metal trimmings and chain that you w'ould require on the cork. These small details \ye can easily fix any requirements you would want. "This flask was tested with water pressure of 50 pounds to the square inch. It stood the test all right, except we bent out the flat side slightly. Would say, this flat side is a little thinner than the other. "This flask was cast from just a wooden pattern and wood core l)Ox. It is difficult to hold the core exactly true. If we should make them we would use metal patterns and core boxes, and fit up so they would come exact even thickness, and we hope then to get them a trifle lighter. l62 IIISTUKV OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. "Of course, we understand the tiasks would have to be furnished with felt or cloth covering, we presume also the chains and straps, but cur idea in sending you this l^are sample is to get your opinion whether a cast flask is practical, and if there would be any chance of it being adopted. If so, we stand ready to go ahead at once and get up a more perfect sample, equipped with all details, coverings, etc. "This flask, of course, is heavier than one made of sheet alumi- num, and we did not know but the weight would be against it. On the other hand, it is a good deal stronger, and there are no rivets through the same where the chains are fastened on, which is a very weak point on a sheet aluminum flask, as the water will immediately begin to corrode around the rivet heads. "Also, there are no joints or soldered places in the flask. We trust this will reach you in time for you to include it in your report, and we await with interest your reply. "We stand ready to make any changes, and to furnish you -with completely fitted up sample, as you may request. "We also believe this flask is a little larger than the regulation requirements." The Indian /Aluminum Company, Limited, Madras, British In- dia, (see page 'jy), writes again as follows: — "Since the dispatch of cur letter of the 21st ultimo, we have received the copy of the Aluminum World for March and have read with much interest your letter, wherein we note that the articles submitted to you for test are experimented with until they are practically destroyed. We cannot claim that our water bottles are indestructible, but we cor- dially invite the severest test and we feel sure that in the matter of strength and durability our goods will compare most favorably with those manufactured anywhere else. We also note your sugges- tion that naked flasks should not be sent to you, but here we would point out that any covering that we could put on them would have to be imported by us, and this would materially add to the cost, whereas should you decide to place an order with us we have no doubt that some firm in America would undertake the cover with material to be approved of by you. As it has occurred to us that the sample we sent you was rather small, we are now sending you a second bottle, to contain three pints." The real way to find out the merits of a canteen is to carry it and depend upon it for the fluids that you drink. The man who carries the canteen is usually indft'erent as to its HISTORY OF THE MH.ITARV CANTKEN. 163 material or construction and ignorant as to its theories, principles, or components. He is a judge of results, though, just as a marks- man knows what the effectiveness of his rifle is. when he has become accustomed to the practical use of the firearm. The average man is more interested in what the canteen does than in what it is. He has no reliable means of proving what it is, but he needs no advice to tell him what it does. He makes no experiments or comparative tests ; he has no opportunity to do so. He accepts the canteen issued to him as the best type and product of its class. He knows that water from the Regulation Canteen may be usable without being relishable or palatable. If given a chance to test the Regulation Canteen with the Lanz Canteen, it is believed the veteran would pronounce the latter a success. Until the arc-electric or incandes- cent electric lights came we never knew what flying animals were in the air, but we then found myriads of strange bugs immolated l)eneath the lights. Just as illuminating gas was superseded by the electric light, an improvement is demanded in the shape, construc- tion and material of the Regulation Canteen. There are two ways in v/hich to fully and impartially consider the merits of any article of equipment intended for a soldier's use. One preliminary way is to master in a workmanlike wise the practical details of its materials, construction, and principles in- volved. The other way is to assume in postulatory kind of wise that certain results will follow a certain theory or conception. But these reasoning processes or conclusions are sometimes proved untenable, or erroneous, by practical demonstrations. When these presumed conclusions are upset by the results of practical test, experiment or trial, the winner is entitled to the benefit. In these canteen tests something more than tentative methods have been practised. Every canteen has been placed on trial, and judg- ment and recommendations succeeded, not preceded, the trial. The conclusion is that the Lanz method is the best type for the military service. An opinion to the contrary expressed by any one who has not practically and thoroughly tested all of the devices, but entrenches himself behind an opinion as a fortress, is not entitled to weight. Human labor cannot supply what nature has denied, but can simulate it. A good canteen is a necessity for which a soldier in the field would williiigly exchange such luxuries in life as clothing, tobacco and solid food — particularly if he is a Inmter who has 164 TTrSTORY OF THF. MIF.ITARV CANTEEN. (hank frtun cool s[)riiig.s of icy waKr hidden a\\a\ in dark rit'\ ices in sj^ladcs where shadows arc nc\'cr l^rokcn l)y the sun. I'hc ways in which the Regulation Canteen nia} he made the vehicle for the transportation of an impure water supply are shown, in part, in the quoted letter from Mr. Joseph A. Steinmetz. Outhreaks of malarial fever have followed the use of impure water. The Regulation Canteen aids to spread infection, because, as a water carrier, it can carr\' the germs of fever, and because of the practical impossibility of sterilizing its contents by the soldier in the field. The sul)slilution of a canteen differing in material, construction and shape, would ])artly obviate these dangers. The Patton Paint Company, Milwaukee, Wis., (.see ]>. 104), writes again as follows: — "Canteens of wood, if they can l)e rendered al)So]utely imi)er\ious to water and so treated that they will give no taste to licpiids which they hold, will be found more satisfactory than canteens made of metal or of any composition which would be practicable for service. ''We are conducting a series of experiments which lead us to be- lieve that we have found a process of treating wood in sucli a way that a canteen turned out of a solid block can be coated on the inside with our special preservative paint and will resist the action of water, tea and coffee, giving no taste, and holding at an equable tem])era- ture any liquid which a soldier would l)e using in active service. "These experiments, wliile they convince us of the possibility of fulfilling all the conditions to be met in actual use, will need some six months longer to enable us to guarantee the jjermanenc}- of re- sults which must be obtained if we are to l)ack our statements with the reputation of the Patton Paint Comj)any. "The advantages of wood for holding water are ol)\ ions. Wood is among the best non-conductors of heat. It is stiff and hard, hav- ing considerable strength for resisting strains, blows and jars, with sufficient elasticity to resume its shape after undergoing almost cMiy treatment but that of being crushed or broken. "In tropical climates wood canteens will be found to kee]) the water and other ]:)Ota1)lc lifpiids at a lower temperature for a longer time than tin. iron, or anv other metal fwlietlier enameled cr other- wise). "In resistance to cold, wood has equally high efficiency. It will withstand the freezing temperature better thrm :\uv other substance nf which canteens coidd be made. "The (jnly objection to the use of wood f( ir making canteens is iiisToRV oT' riii: M ii.i'iAKV caxt1':en. 165 dial il is ali'rctcd In llu- iKjiiids thai n c^mlaitis. All li(|ui(l> cvvs ni naliiral \vi ind and under this inlln- ence the tihers ra])idly nndergo deterioration. The wuad decom- poses slightly if it has no chance to dry ont and soon begins to taste ( f organic matter. After continued use, unless it is frequently washed and sterilized, the taste of the liquid contained becomes so unpalatable and the odor so mibearablc that the wooden vessel must be discarded. "In tbe special paint which we are making for covering the inside of wood canteens we claim that we have obviated all tbe difficulties which could be urged against tbe making of canteens from wood, and that we have retained all the advantages of the wood canteen and also tbose of an iron canteen which is enameled. "The wood with changes of temperature will not expand and contract as iron does, to tbe extent of chipping and cracking tbe coating. "In other respects tbe wood canteen, with inside coating of our enamel paint specially prepared for this purpose, will answer all the requirements of an enameled metal canteen and will at tbe same time preserve all the advantages of tbe old-time wooden vessel. "Tbis paint will be found to be absolutely impervious to water. Tea and coffee will not affect it, and liquids used in it will not taste as they would of an ordinary paint. A beverage containing a small amount of alcohol will do it no barm. Tbe paint will stand any temperature from 150 degrees F. to far below the freezing point. The paint which we have recommended for this purpose we have carefully prepared to withstand any possible changes to which a canteen would be subject in the army service, from Arctic to tropical climates. "Hot tea and coffee could be poured into this canteen and would not affect it adversely unless kept for a long time at a temperature exceeding 150 degrees. "In fact, where a soldier can stand the exposure, either to heat or cold, this canteen can be used, we believe, with perfect satisfac- tion. "We shall be glad, if this matter is taken up in future, to submit to vou the results of our experiments in this line, and shall hope to see the wooden canteen adopted in the United States Army." Mr. E. Dederick, of 2016 Cherry St., Milwaukee, Wis., writes : — "T read in the MUzmukec Sentinel that you are trying to arrange for a preparation for lining the inside of a wooden canteen. I have a preparation which when applied either to wood or iron forms a i66 HISTORY OK riii: military canteen. coating like stone; this can he made any color except white; its natural color is slate. 1 have it in refrigerator boxes, where it has been used for the last seven years and is as good now as when first put on. It can be used for a great many things : covering for refrigerator pipes, to keep them from corroding ; lining between double floors to keep them from leaking; also on vats that are liable to leak a coating of this does the business. "If this should interest you, if you write me I will send you some samples on wood and iron and you can test them." The Patton Paint Company, of Milwaukee, Wis., writes again as follows : — "The basis of my argument in favor of the paint which we recommend for wood canteens rests upon the fact that the paint is applied to wood rather than to any metal surface. If the same paint were applied to metal, it would act in much the same way as enameled metal-ware acts. It would chip, crack and scale with the expansion and shrinkage of tlie metallic surface upon which the enamel is baked. "The great weakness of all enameled metal-ware is the fact that the enamel is applied to a substance which has a much larger co- efificiency of expansion than a substance which, like wood, is com- posed of fibers brought together and amalgamated under the law of growth and which has therefore intercellular spaces which take up the larger portion of motion that would ensue upon expansion of the fibers and therefore expand, when they do so. more slowly than the metal, which, from its lack of intercellular spaces, must at once yield to the force acting upon it in either enlarging or reducing the molecular orbit. "The immediate result of the chipping and cracking of the en- amel is that the licjuid is admitted to immediate action upon the metal, which oxidizes and permits still further disintegration of the enamel, which in this way starts the process of undermining the enamel covering, so that chips are set free and small and large quantities are allowed to escape wMth the water, to be swallowed by the soldier. "Serious trouble could arise in the way of poisonmg if the enamel were composed, as is frequently the case, of white lead, which is more or less soluble, and which might easily affect the soldier, inde- pendent of the swallowing of small particles or chips loosened from the enamel covering. ^ "The excessive weight of enameled metal as compared w ith can- teens made from wood, ahnninuni or tin, does not come so much from JtrSTuRY OF THE MILITARY CANTEEN. i67 Ihc- enanid itself, as fmn, the we.glit ,.| ilu. u.clal iipun winch ,t ,s super-imposed." I am indehled to the Western ladt Works, 787 to 797 Sotith Lanal St., Chicago, Ills., for the formula and the process methods of a test for determining the amount of wool in felt, or anv wool or part wool, fabric. It should be known to every inspector of covered canteen flasks or of woolen clothing or material furnished for the use of the com- batant land or naval forces of the United States. In courtesy to the company the test cannot here be given Sponge belongs to the vegetable kingdom. Mixed with an ani- mal product— wool— the resultant compound— sponge-felt— mav be open to some objections; perhaps resembling those found prac- tically, by the French navy when cellulose, composed of the ground fibre of the cocoanut, was tried, in compressed form— briquettes— to close the openings made and prevent the inflow of water even if penetrated bv projectiles-the protection of buovancv method so called. As sponge grows in the water, and is used wet, it is at its best when wet; should be offered for sale wet. Sponges, when drv are hard, rough and easily torn ; when wet, sponges are much less easily torn. The difference between sponge and fish-glue and gelatine m dried and soaked state applies to sponges. The strongest sponge is easily torn by pulling across the grain Ihe fair test is with the grain— everything has a grain. Wooden columns support buildings when placed with, or along, the grain but wood across the grain can easily be broken. "W^E'VE DRUXK FROM THE SAME CANTEEN.'" BY MILES O'REILLY. There are bonds of all sorts in this world of ours : Fetters of friendship, and ties of flowers. And true lovers' knots, I ween. The boy and the girl are bound by a kiss. But there's never a bond, old friend, like this. We have drunk from the same canteen. CHORUS, The same canteen, my soldier friend, The same .canteen ; There's never a bond, old friend, like this. We have drunk from the same canteen. l68 IIISTORV OF -JIIE ^IILIT.\R^■ (AXTEEX. 1 1 was sonietimes waUT. ami suiiicliines ^lilJ^, Sumclimcs a])])lc-jack. lim- as silk : iJnt \vhalL'\cr the tipple has hccii. We shared it together in bane or bliss. And I warm to you, friend, when I think of this, We have drunk from the same canteen. The rich and the great sit down to dine. And quaff to each other in sparkling wine. From glasses of crystal and green : Out T guess in their golden potations they miss The warmth of regard to be found in this. We have dnuik from the same canteen. We've shared our blankets and tent together, And marched, and fought, in all kinds of \A'cather. And hungry, and full, we've been. Had days of battle, and days of rest. P.ut this mem'ry I cling to. and love the best. \\'e have cirunk from the same canteen. I'or when wounded I lay on the outer slope, With my blood flowing fast, and with little hope. On which my faint spirit might lean. Oh, then I remember, you crawl'd to my side. And bleeding so fast, it seemed both must have died. We drunk from the same canteen. Upon the recommendation of the Inspector General, U. S. Arm\'. the publication of the foregoing report was authorized b\- tlie Honorable, the Secretary of War, under date of 27th April, iqot. Lieut. -Colonel &: Inspector General, U. S. \ (Major 4th U. S. Infantry), Inspector General. Dept. Dakota. ''/,^^ s, ,A .5 -:> V' .-^x .V .#■ ':, i?- /-•' ' ."*%-■ i-*^ ■/v^^ ,0o^ ■^^■■%. ^, ^^ ^./ ■^^ % -"^^■31^ ,-> '°-^V>-.,V' ••->.... **0 K: ^"^^.^^ o 0^ r^ -^ ,0o^ OQ^ ^^' ^\.;^5!^* » ''-; ^'>^ * ■' 11 / ,.„ V * s , ' ' '[ « . % v\ ^ \ " / .^^' .* >' ' ^ '^. / -./ %. ' ^r^^ ^ s*^ o^".- ' ■■' /: , - " B oo^ V . ^. <.<^"- # ^^^-v LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 521 802 5