Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-01-15
A WARSHIP'S STORES.
PROVISIONS CARRIED BY AN
AMERICAN CRUISER.
"A Years Supplies for 200 Men-Daiiy
Issuance OF Rations-The OH
GERS Allowance-A Ward
room Mess.

The following is one years allowance
for 200 men, with the day periods for is
suing. These figures are ten rations in
excess of what the Concord is entitled to
for one year. Multiplying these figures
by three will give very nearly the guam
titles of the Concord's allowance for the
full cruise. The figures for one year
are:
biscuit with flour, SO, 400 pounds, issued
four times week; cornmeal, 10, 400 pounds,
issued weekly; oatmeal TO- 400 pounds issued
weekly; rye flour or honiny tethsrI, l0. 400
pounds, issued weekly; wheat flour, 10, 400
pounds, issued twice week; salt pork, 90.
500 pounds, issued twice week; beans, 1900
gallons, issued twice week; peas $50 gal
Ions issued weekly: salt beef, III, 400 pounds,
issued weekly; rice. 800 pounds, issued
weekly; driet fruit, 5000 pounds issued twice
a week; butter, 1900 pounds, issued three
times week; tomatoes, 5000 pounds, issued
weekly; canned meat Is, 600 pounds, issued
twics week; ham or bacon (eitherl. 1900
pounds, issued weekly; sausage or salt fish
teither,, $500 pounds issued weekly; coffee,
300 pounds issued four times week, tea,
015 pounds, or cocoa, 1900 pounds, to DO is
sued three times weak; sugar, 1880
pounds, issued daily; pickles, $500 pounds,
issued twice II week; molasses $50 gallons,
issued weeky; vinegar. $50 gallons, issued
sued lea a week
Under the head of canned vegetables
are comprised all canned goods, with the
one exception of asparagus. The navy
ration is rated Mt thirty cents per day.
1t eau readily be seen how contractors
can furnish tons upon tons of stores and
figure profit out of few cents on each
ration, which in the end foots up hand
somely.
The officers aboar the war ships take
in lieu of the ships ration the allowance
OF thirty cents day and mess them
selves. a wardroom mess comprising
twenty officers is able to live we'll at a
cost of from $50 to S35 per officer per
month. Each officers mess is allowed q
cook and a steward and about two ward
room boys to every five officers. The
servants of mess turn in their ration
money to the mess and are fed by the
officers.
The commanding officer of vessel
lives by himself. He is allowed cook,
steward and boy. He feeds himself,
the three servants messing out of his
stores and turning over to him their
ration money. If ship is flagship,
aud consequently carries au Admiral,
this officer also has his three servants.
Very often the Admiral and Captain of
the vessel mess together. The Admir-
ais staff usually messes in the ward
room. In addition, there is Junior
officers mess, made up of all officers
below the rank of Lieutenant Gunior
gradel.
Then there is the warrant officers
mess, made uD of the boatswain, gunner,
and sailmaker. This last mess has the
allowance of a cook and waiter. Below
the warrant officers mess comes the chief
petty officers mess, the band mess, the
messes of the marine guard, and the gun
messes OF the crew. 1t is customary
Il the different messes for every man to
put into mess fund ut least 81 per
month. In mess of dozen men this
mess fund allows of an occasional extra
bag of potatoes or box of fruit when in
port. Then again each mess is allowed
to stop one ration for every four men and
draw the money for the mess fund.
This communication of rations is not a
right the men can claim, but it may be
authorized by written orders from the
commanding officer to the Paymaster of
the ship. The Communication is allowed
for the sole purpose of affording a means
Of adding to and increasing the variety
of the food provided by the Govern
ment.
The allowance of stores for the Con-
cord is about one-half that allowed the
cruiser Chicago, and about one third of
what the big armored cruiser New York
will carry when in commission. The ia.
tions schedule allowed the United States
Navy to-day is deemed one of the splen-
did features of the service. The days of
''salt horse" "hard tack" aud bad
water are days of the past. On all the
new ships the water is condensed on
board. Only a small reserve supply is
carried In tanks. Since the present ra-
ton schedule was authorized there has
been no difficulty experienced in enlist
ing men. The real trouble is that the
limit fixed by law is too small to accom-
modate all the scamen anxious to enlist.
Recruiting officers declare that if the
law permitted it, 10000 men could be
as readily enlisted for the navy as are the
$3.50 men now allowed.
In the matter of rations the bluejacket
fares much better than the United States
soldier. Despite the efforts made to in
crease the army ration it still remains
valued at about twelve cents per day.
The present navy ration was authorized
in the Revenue Marine Service during
the present year. Reports from various
vessels of the service declare that it is
making the crews far more contented and
satisfied than formerly.
The purchase of rations for the navy is
controlled by the Paymaster- General,
acting under the orders of the Secretary
of the Navy. The central buying point
in New York is situated in the Stewart
Building. The supplies for the Brooklyn
Navy Yard are mostly furnished by New
York firms. Contracts are let on bids.
the periods for which supplies are to be
furnished being specified in the con-
tract.
ALI food stores are subjected to rigid