FRUIT AND VEGETABLES FOR THE FLEET. [To THE EDITOR OY
THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—I should feel very grateful if you would be so good as to bring under the notice of your readers the objects of, and work being done by, the Vegetable Products Committee, as set out in the enclosed leaflet. In the short space of one month we have established upwards of forty country branches by means of which, aided by many independent contributions, we have already despatched about two thousand large cases and barrels of fruit and vegetables to his Majesty's warships in the North Sea. We are also receiving a considerable quantity of jam and preserved fruit, but these are being held back until the fresh-fruit supply slackens. In this connexion it may interest your readers to know that her Majesty Queen Alexandra is one of our best contributors.
The fresh fruit and vegetable season in this country is now almost at an end, after which our only resource will be imported fruits, &c., in order to keep up the supply which wo find is so gratefully appreciated by the officers and men of the Fleet. We are naturally most anxious to continue this supply with some regularity, especially to the torpedo-boats and destroyers, submarines, and mine-sweeping trawlers, which badly need fresh fruit, vegetables, &e. Unfortunately, this will call for an outlay far beyond our present financial resources unless public sympathy for the welfare of the men of our war- ships enables us to cope with it. I therefore appeal to your readers kindly to help us with subscriptions, and I beg you generously to assist us by giving our organization as full a notice as possible in your widely read columns.—I am, Sir, &c.,
CHARLES BERESFORD,
President Vegetable Products Committee.
P.S.—All subscriptions to our funds should be made pay- able to " The Vegetable Products Committee," and sent to Messrs. Jackson, Pixley, and Co., Chartered Accountants, 58 Coleman Street, London, E.C.
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