The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-09
NAVAL HOUSEKEEPING.
0lsssings Of the Omcers' Mess sn CaiteA J
States Meu-oS. War, ,

states Meu.Os. war;
Naval officers below the rank Of Commander.
with salaries varying from $1,000 to $500 .
year. manage to maintain q degree Of style
that to the ordinary civilian no better of seems
absolutely mysterious. Not only must a naval
officer keep himself supplied with tho half
dozen styles OF uniform enioinsd by the Gov
eminent. but he must DO able. when ashore to
present q decent appearance in civilians at
tire: he must stop at good hotels; he must as
sociate With civilians OF social position oorre-
spending 10 his own. and II he has vito and
children he must maintain them In good style.
All this Is made possible largely by means OF
that species OF domestic communism known:as
cooperative housekeeping. The officers mess
aboard ship Is nothing more less than such
q species OF communism.
When o mess Is made UP aboard shin each
man in the combination contributes certain
sum for the purchase OF supplies. Ifhe happens
at tho moment to DO short OF funds he may
draw two months pay In advance. The COM
mon fund Is placed In tho hands Of q caterer
chosen from the moss, and tho supplies are
purchased in bulk and at the lowest possible
cost. Thus the mess Ia started. The caterer
makes careful calculations. allowing for break
age and other losses. adds small percentage
OF profit and then retails his supplies at pricas
considerably below current rates ashore.
Creme dc menthe. popularity known as green
mint. Is highly popular cordial among naval
officers. and in fact. is said to have
been first called to the attention OF the dis
eliminating American public by the mess OF o
United States man oi-war. Green mint retails
in saloons. and even in clubs. at fifteen cents
per glass: but the mess rate aboard ship 10 Or
dinarily just one-half that price. Tho mess
caerer buys his wines and cigars abroad
Whenever I, 10 ,ssibe to do 30. Tho price OF
the best champaRnes in oll-manaRed mess
is usually under 81 per quart. The price ashore
is from $3.50 to sa75. The best imported
cigars ara retailed to the mess at from forty
to sixty per cent below shore prices.
There are ordinarily tive officers mssses be-
low decks aboard . United States ship. the
ward room mess and the STORAGE mess The
latter is for midshipmen and other juniorA.
The Captain messes alone In solemn state and
II the vessel be q flagship. the Admiral may
have his own separate table. The cost Of liv-
Ing In the ward room mesa is ordinarily from
$35 to $40 month exclusive Of wines and
cigars. All transactions are on the credit sys-
tom. Whenever . bottle Of wine or . cigar
is ordered the purchaser writes . ohits
OF the amount These chits are summed up
at the end OF the month and payment is made
either directly BY the debtor or through the
Paymaster. No chit IS given for meals and
each officer Is entitled to take guests on board
10 breakfast or dinner as often as he will At
divided pro rata among the members, and II
the ship goes out OF commission whatever
OF TO he 4, s o"ers or sold TO tho mess Of some
other shin. Whenever an officer is detached
ship Ses hs END Of ss russ be
with the mess caterer. II he has been moder-
ate in the use Of Wines and cigars no may
tom Is { pess shown % ione cruises: X Certain
through the Medilerransan and Red Seas.
down the east coast Of Africa. Ground the
sPs aH9 Hss
ysss and az there has S..n no otsrin q u
have been highly sconoml cal for eli on Board.
For seven or eight mouths the total cost Of
month: Il Is ss,Snsy IT, t. estima.s ths posi-;
started S such a cruise with nothlns against
him on tho governments books. reaches Mon
IN 81 hs q 70 as
thors are entertainments to b. returned at
ws.s h bus 'sr
aboard chip T. vastly cheaper Thing than
their tam.lie, IN moderate comfort ana to in
with tho accompanying decrease in pay. In
fact sea pay is E,!rpSssiy mad. hiehSr than
any otheT, uhnn INC theoty that me oilicer. II
nrats establishment ashore. whereas 1t is laken
for granted that with shore duty he shall man
age ohaye his family at tho same station with
hardship: for shore duty does not always In
clude quarters sufficient for o family. aud the
oll"rr finds himself with decreased pay and
increased eXpanses.
The mess caterer is person not to be on.
We'd. he must engage servants see to tho
purchase OF stores consult individual tastes
ns far as posslh q. and hear with what patience
n v al I a ma
5000 Of Inen. II Tho beer gives out between
Alden and the nsrt port. he must endure tho
curses OF e,hrsty. ;. II tho vino turns SOUR In
buyer. 1t frequently happens In Haytian
waters that no fresh meat is obtainable for
for meat 10y oae. shin cruising in those waters
and all on board return ed with a horror OF the
favorite Now England dish