ALLOWANCES, OFFIcERS'. In the British army—and to various degrees in the armies of other countries—military officers, besides their recognized pay, receive certain A. for special duties, or when placed under exceptional circumstances. Without detail ing the actual amount of these A., it may be well to enumerate the principal modes in which they arise. An officer commanding and paying a troop or company receives a contingent allowance as an indemnification for the expense of repairing arms, swords, and scabbards ' • for burials ; and for the debts of soldiers who become non-effective. A kind of general average is struck for the probable amount of these charges. An officer on duty in the UniteSKingdom, in a situation entitling him to be lodged at the public expense, and whose lodging is not otherwise paid for by the public, receives an allow ance as " lodging-money, varying in amount according to his rank. An officer march ing with troops in the United Kingdom, on a route determined by competent authority, if unable to mess with his regiment or detachment on a particular day, receives an allowance in compensation. An officer sent on permanent or temporary duty from one
place to another, receives a traveling allowance of so much per mile. An officer serv ing on a court-martial receives an allowance of so much per day, besides a traveling allowance if the place be distant. An officer temporarily detached on duty, where he cannot join his regimental mess, has an allowance for mess-money. Besides those here enumerated, there are A. for detention at ports of embarkation, etc., and others of a minor kind.
A. or extra payments to private soldiers and non-commissioned officers will be noticed under PAY, PENSION, etc.—The daily food served out at the public expense, which is called a ration by soldiers, is more usually known to sailors as an allowance. See RATION.