“Because the Minister-at-War turned me out of London at a few days’ notice, and you, admiral, do the same kind of thing in as many minutes. You are about transferring me, it seems, to the Baraguay d’Hilliers.”
“Ah, and a fine ship she is, too, Monsieur Soyer.”
Sir John Macneil and Colonel Tulloch had quitted the Baraguay d’Hilliers, a very fine vessel, and we had their apartment in the state cabin, so called because it was so large and commodious. The Baraguay d’Hilliers was moored next to the Abundance, and so close that we were able to walk from one ship to the other, which gave me the facility of watching the process and system of that important floating bakery, as well as the perfection of its mechanism. The first two samples of bread made were, one very white, and the other rather brown. Captain Johnson asked me which I liked best. I replied, “The brown, by all means, for the troops; and I am sure that Lord Raglan, Sir John Macneil, Dr. Hall, and other competent gentlemen, will express the same opinion.”
“Monsieur Soyer, I must differ from you, for this is much finer and whiter.”
“It is because it is so white that I object to it. The change from almost black Turkish bread to the very white will create a bad feeling amongst the troops, who will fancy they have been imposed upon. For my taste, give me the whitey-brown; there is less show and more nutriment in it: besides, it is better adapted for the purpose.”
“Well,” said Captain Johnson, “for my own eating, I prefer the white; though I must say the other is very good.”
“Depend upon it, captain, the soldiers want food, not luxuries. I’ll tell you what I will do for you: I am going to head-quarters, and will take the samples to Lord Raglan and Dr. Hall.”
“I shall be much obliged if you will,” said he, “as we want to commence supplying to-morrow.”
On reaching head-quarters, I met Dr. Hall going to the general. I showed him the samples; we convassed their respective merits for a few minutes, and the Doctor was of the same opinion as myself. I saw Lord Raglan in the camp; and he said, “The whitey-brown, by all means. I never wish to have better bread upon my table.”
The good done by this bakery was incalculable. They baked from fifteen to sixteen thousand rations daily, with perfect ease. In justice to the system, I must say, it answered admirably. I carefully watched its progress, and though the quality of the bread often varied, which was entirely owing to the difference in the quality of the flour supplied—and this is unavoidable in so large a supply as is required for an army,—I can certify that the working of the flour in the bruiser, the process of manipulation, and the baking were carefully attended to. In the beginning, it is true, yeast could not be procured in sufficient quantities. At last, they discovered a way of making it themselves. It is due to their exertions to say, that the bakery at Kadikoi was not making as good bread as the Abundance. It is true, they did not possess the same facilities. We had made on board the Abundance several samples of bread-biscuit, which I had the honour of submitting to the Duke of Newcastle during his visit to Scutari. He tasted it both in its dry state, and also soaked in broth, three months after having been baked, and highly approved of it, considering it an excellent invention for the soldier’s camp meal, as well as for the navy.