REGIMENTAL TRANSPORT          349
The infantry soldier in the Japanese army is as much overweighted as in Europe. He carries, all told, nearly 57 lb., and it is a generally accepted principle in the army that man or animal can carry about one-third of his or its weight.
As a rule, the Japanese private carries with him the day's rations and two days' emergency rations. When these fail he has to fall back upon the regimental transport, which is supposed to carry never less than one day's supplies.
The Japanese regimental transport consists of a column of pack-horses and light carts, except in the hills, where the military coolie corps takes its place. This transport is found by the train battalion of the division; but it remains permanently attached to the regiment it serves, and is under the orders of the regimental commander. In matters of promotion, interior economy, and so forth, it comes under the commanding officer of the train. This transport is so divided up that, if a battalion or company is detached, a section or sub-section of the regimental transport accompanies the detachment. In case of absolute necessity the regimental transport can be pooled and allotted to other pressing needs, but this is rarely done, and it remains almost always at the service of the regiment. It carries baggage, cooking utensils, tools, medical stores, ammunition, and litters, as well as food.
In rear of the regimental transport there follows the divisional supply column with four or more days' rations. All corps and services are informed where this column will park at the end of the day's march, and from this point the regimental transport fills up and returns to the front. The divisional column is found by the train; it is divided into sections, and as each section is emptied of supplies it drops to the rear and joins the so-called etappen column, which sends on one of its sections to take the vacant place in the divisional supply column. Thus the divisional and etappen column sections are interchangeable, and the constant