There were 9,000 human beings to feed, of which
7,000 were natives and 2,000 white people. It can therefore be imagined
that the task of the D.A.A.G. was not a light one. Up to April the town
consumed 4,099 tons of food-stuffs; 12,256 tons of oats, fodder, meal,
and flour; and 930 tons of fuel; making a total of 17,285 tons. Of
matches, the supply of which was soon exhausted, 35,400 boxes were
used, and to take their place tiny paraffin lamps were supplied to all,
which burnt night and day. Fortunately, the supply of liquid fuel was
very large, and it would have taken the place of coal if the siege had
been indefinitely prolonged. Among miscellaneous articles which were
luckily to be obtained at Weil's stores were 2 tons of gunpowder and
other ammunition, 132 rifles, insulated fuses, and electric dynamos for
discharging mines, etc.
About a month after the siege started, the C.O. placed an embargo on all
food-stuffs, and the distribution of rations commenced. From then onward
special days were allowed for the sale of luxuries, but always in
strictly limited quantities. At first the rations consisted of 1-1/4
pounds of meat and 1-1/4 pounds of bread, besides tea, coffee, sugar,
and rice. As time went on these were reduced, and towards the end of
March we only had 6 ounces of what was called bread and 1 pound of fresh
meat, when any was killed; otherwise we had to be content with bully
beef.
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