PROVISION CASES 303 



box," which, in addition to crockery and glasses, 

 should contain all the bottles and tins of provisions 

 actually in use. For the plates and dishes 

 wooden battens are nailed across it sufficiently far 

 apart to contain them standing immovably on 

 edge, one in front of the other, whilst for the wine- 

 glasses and tumblers a small wooden box fitted 

 with a lid, large enough to hold the required 

 number, is secured by means of screws to the 

 bottom of the service box, and divisions of the 

 well-known soft, brown, tubular packing-paper, 

 if possible lined in turn with rather a thick layer 

 of cotton wool, contrived just wide enough to 

 divide them from each other. This small box 

 can thus be made to convey in complete safety 

 all glassware, including candle-lamp glasses. 

 Leather holders are disposed round the interior 

 for the reception of knives, forks, and spoons, 

 while the centre, also divided into compartments 

 of varying size, can be made to accommodate 

 rigidly the open tins, bottles, and the cruet, the 

 whole being covered in by the soft folds of the 

 table-cloths and dinner napkins. 



The provision cases themselves should be of 

 that special light wood provided by Messrs. 

 Lawn & Alder of Brackley Street, Golden Lane, 

 E.G., who know exactly what to provide in the 

 nature of expedition commissariat, and also how 

 to pack it. Their provision cases combine great 

 strength with phenomenal lightness, and are often 

 made in nests of three or four so that as they are 

 emptied they can thus be carried one inside the 

 other. I do not think, however, that this ad- 



