The morning call., 1893-05-21
HIGH LIVING AT SEA.
Four or Five Meals Day Served on
the Trans Atlantic Liners.
New York Mail and Express.


Yaching may be pursued chiefly for
pleasure. but incidentally it is for sharpen
ing the appetite. The capacity of the
average ocean travellers stomach is pro-
verbal, and. unless seasickness intervenes,
he becomes a gormandizer from the time
he leaves shore until Re lands on it again.
So thoroughly appreciated is this that the
stewards departmentIon yachts and the
great Atlantic steamers is made q very i'm
purtant Office, and nothing contributes so
much to the pleasure of the voyage as a COM
plete and varied larder of the most tempt
ing nature. Social life on yachts centers
around the table in the richly upholstered
cabin, where the entertainment can be as
expensive as the owner desires. Indeed,
the cost of yachting is often in direct pro-
portion to the amount of money devoted
to eating and drinking. No less important
is the dlnlng-room on board the first-class
ocean steamers, and the four or five meals
day that ale served are indicative of the
passengers marvellous anticipated appe-
tites. The dining service is elaborate and
costly, equaling In quantity and variety
that of the finest hotels of the world
For six or eight day voyage the float
ing palaces are provsioDed sufficiently to
support goOd-siZed city for several days,
Everything Is of the finest quality, served
in the most approved style and attractive
fern, making the pleasures of dining on
shipboard alluring enough to elicit praise
from the hypercrltical eplcure. Although
the service varies slightly on the different
lines one steamer will typify all OF the
others. The dishes and the art of cookery
are similar to that found at leading hotels
The German liners give dining services
that are not excelled by any, but there is a
slight SAVIOR of Germany and her people n
the various odd comp unds and mixtures
that daily appear on the table. The Eng
lish steamers are likewise distinctiyely
English or American, and the tables are
loaded with all the delicacies so much ap-
prcciated by the traveller
Most of the large steamers furnish four
OF five meals day, and each one is elaho-
rate. To attend these tables about 100
cooks and stewards are employed thirty
or forty saloon walters and a dozen or
more carvers. dishwashers and steward
esses. The force of men required for the
kitchen and the dning-ro0m on a large
ocean steamer is thus much larger than
the crews of many ocean ships. Break
fast is generally served at o'clock, lunch
con a. $50. dinner at and cold meats and
salads again at 8 P. NJ. On some Of the
steamers coffee and rolls are served at 6
in the morning to accommodate early
risers. Between these meals anything en-
be ordered by applying to the steward or
by tipping the walters. Drinking is no
less important than eating, and the bar is
SO well patroniZpd in the summertime that
an enormous stock must be carried.
Buying provisions for one of the large
steamers is a work that requires experi-
ence, Tor it is more important than buvine
for large hotel. The supply must be
large enough to last for the entire voyage.
anG often for emergencies when a storm
keeps steamer out from port several
days later than usual. The quantity If
provisions also varies with the number of
passengers engaging ber;hs, but, as the
lists are generally made up weeks before
the steamer sails, this is not disturbing
element in the stewards calculations The
expense of one trip across the Atlantic ns-
sumes greater proportions every year for
the steamship owners. and this increase is
largely due to the better dining service
whic they endeavor TO give to their pat
rons. This amount of eatables consumed
and damage done TO dishes and furniture
would seem greater than the actual price
paid for first-class ticket. Nevertheless
despite the great cost and expense, the
steamship companies appear to thrive and
grow rich from their Transatlantic travel.
ers,