Each prisoner receives 42-1/2 grammes of cigarettes and two boxes of matches every week; two lbs. of firewood per day; and soap.
It interested us to make a note of the expenses involved by the support of each Turkish prisoner, according to figures supplied by the English authorities.
The calculation is based on a period of six months (in winter).
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Clothing and linen | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Periodical renovation of winter clothes | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Renovation of linen, footwear, and towels (twice) | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Food at actual contract prices | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Tobacco | 0 | 12 | 6 |
| Wood (average price) | 0 | 7 | 6 |
| Lighting (as for Maadi Camp) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Water filtration (Maadi) | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | £10 | 19 | 0 |
Depreciation of buildings, fittings, blankets and other things provided is not included in these figures.
Canteen.—The regulation food of the prisoners being ample, the canteen plays a very minor part in the feeding arrangements. It sells tea, coffee, and light refreshments. A cup of sweetened tea costs 5 paras, or about one-third of a penny. The canteen also deals in letter paper, post-cards, thread, needles, buttons and other small odds and ends.
The men receive 2 ounces of tobacco free every week. They never get alcohol.
Clothing.—Each prisoner is supplied with two complete sets of underwear: shirts, drawers, and socks. The uniform consists of trousers and coat of dark blue cloth. The brass buttons give it a military appearance.
All the men wear the red fez. They are allowed to wear their decorations. That they are prisoners is shown only by their having on them a white metal plate about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, bearing a registration number and the two letters P.W. (Prisoner of War). In our opinion this kind of medallion is a more judicious form of indication than the bands, armlets or large letters used elsewhere. In summer the cloth uniforms are replaced by linen uniforms of the same cut and colour.
All men wear indoors leather slippers of the Eastern kind. Shoes are used only by prisoners engaged on gardening, and by non-commissioned officers.