The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-02
SUPPLIES FOR SHIPS.
How Uncle Sans Men-Of- WaT Are
Equipped.
It Costs Mint of Money Housekeep-
ing is Done Under a Rigid System.
A Small Army of Men.
From the washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
Furniture aud supplies for Uncle Sans
new war vessels cost a mint of money.
To fit out one of these ships for a cruise
is bigger job than equipping a frst-class
hotel. Here is a floating fortress. as
long as two city blocks, with all modern
conveniences and complete restaurant
facilities, lighted throughout by cleo
tricity-a gigantic fighting machine and
military barracks combined. Her steel
walls, bristling with guns, shelter a
small army of men. The New York, for
example has a crew numbering 455, be-
sides 40 marines and A officers. To feed
them all for a twelve month, at the GOV
ernment's rate of allowance, costs 100000.
On going into commission such a shin
must be furnished throughout from the
kitchen, which is as complete as that of a
great city hOstelry, to the captains cabin.
She carries large stocks of stationery.
hardware and apOthecaries' goods, and is
provided with tools for all sorts of trades
Everything conceivab BILE that may be
needed for purposes of war and peace is
supplied, because on the high seas no
shops or factories are accessible. Usually
the vessel is proVisiOned for only three
months. because there is no room TO stow
more The ratiOns are purchased by the
navy department and comprise such
necessaries as hard bread, cornmeal, oat-
meal, hominy -four, salt pork. beans.
peas, rice, preserved meats, butter, coffee
and tea.
Every man in the navy, from the last
boy shipped up 10 the admiral, has an al
lowance of 30 cents a day for rations,
which he may draw either in food or in
money. The paymaster of the ship has
charge of all the provisions, which are
det out by his ''yeoman," who is in turn
assisted by the Jack o Dust. The person
last named attends to opening the barrels
and packages. Coffee and sugar are
served out once in ten days, -four every
four days, and meats daily. While in
port fresh provisions are furnished, each
man receiving one pound of fresh bread,
one and One-quarter pounds of fresh meat
and one pound of fresh vegetables per
diem These take the place of the ordi-
nary ration, only tea and coffee being pro-
vided in addition. The allowance is at
all times so liberal that the enlisted men
cannot possibly consume the whole of il
50 they take part of it in cash, which
they utilize in ways presently to be
described.
KEEPING HOUSE on BOARD SHIP.
Inc metnOQS OIL housekeeping on board
of a ship of war are very interesting. All
of the officers and men are divided up
into little clubs, each of which has its
cook and manages Its own affairs. These
clubs are called "messes." There is the
captains mess, the wardrOOm mess. the
junior officers mess, the warrant officers
mess, the petty officers mess and the
men S messes. Every officers mess has
caterer, who is elected periodically from
its own membership. Members are com
PEELED by the naval regulations to serve
IN this capacity when called on, though
no one can be obliged to hold the place
more than two consecutive months. 1t is
a post of responsibility, the incumbent
having to direct the purchase of provis-
ions, to keep accounts and to pay all bills
Some men like the task and may retain
1t for long time together if the mess is
pleased.
The captain, because there is only one
of him, must cater for himself He
messes by himself in his cabin and eats in
lonely state, save when he chooses to in
yite officers to dine with him. If the YES
sci is flagship he may mess with the ad-
mlral or not, just as he chooses. The
admiral has his own cabin of course. The
captain has his own steward, his private
cook and two cabin boys. The admiral
has like staff of servants. with perhaps
an extra boy, 1t must DE understood that
the boys on a war vessel are enlisted
men at least p years old
The wardroom mess has its own cook
and steward On the New York 1t COM
priseS twenty officers and has six boys in
addition The juniors mess on the same
vessel-em bracing ensigns, midshipmen,
etc.,-has cook, steward and four bows
The warrant officers mess is composed of
the sailmaker, gunner, carpenter and
hoatswain; 1t has cook. steward and
one boy. The same provision of service is
made for the master-at-arms' mess. in
GLIDING the petty officers of the first-class,
namely, the master-at-arms, quartermas-
Ter, paymaSter'S yeOman and apotheCary.
4he meSSeS,O the warrant officers above
mentioned are conducted just like those
OF higher officers, drawing their rations
IN the shape of money and buying their
own provender.
The men are divided up into messes of
twelve usually. Each such club elects its
own caterer and chooses one of its men,
bers for cook, with the approval of the
executive officer. The most important re-
qWrement for this culinary post is ability
TO make bread Good breadmakers are
IN great demand for such positions on
board ship. The mess cook receives from
Inc mess wages equal to the money equiv
a-cnt of from one to two rations monthly
bldb 10 70 say, from 81. 81 10 80 90 a
month. This salary is so much in addi-
ton to his pay from the government
and renders the office very desirable.
The incumbent draws the rations from
the paymaster and prepares them for the
liable. But, because the allowance is
greater than is needed, he takes only
EIGHT rations in food and the remaining
lo0r in money. The cash thus obtained
goes to form what is called the mess
iund, to which each man usually adds
ABOUT 81 monthly. The mess fund pays
Jue cook and provides all sorts of luXu-
nes, such as sweets, condensed milk and
many other good thinge that can be pur-
chased when in port
Inc messes are organizations of military
character. All of them are under the
direction of the executive officer of the
Snip That parsonage, always the senior
me officer on board, presides at the ward
room mess the other members of that
oatlng club occupy places at the table in
lhe order of their rank. Line officers sit
on the starbOard side and staff officers on
ne port side. But the caterer pro TEN.
Sl'S at the foot of the table. Though in
oIunary matters informal strict etiquette
governs all essentials in the mess. The
executive officer has authority TO put a
sop TO any dispute or offensive converse
IN THE WARDROOM.
description of the management of the
Ndrlroom mess will serve, with few
TIoulhcations, for the officers messes.
i ne ca terror. bt,v.e ,,,.o,.ie;,r- IL r,ot-