The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-22

in that matter very much as people
ashore do. let us turn to the enlisted
men, the blue Jackets and marines, who
live on a ration issued by the government
each ration being OF the average value
Of thrifty cents per diem
Among the enlisted men there are also
grades or rank, and the petty officers. who
are given more or less authority in the
various departments. generally have q
mess by themselves where they live
plainly but neatly and well.
Inc other enlisted men are divided up
into messes of ten or fifteen men each.
and each mess has a cook taken from,
their own number. who prepares the food
with the ships cook and his assistant
rms SHIPS cook Is an important person
age among the enlisted men and upon him
rests the responsibility of preparing the
| bean soup and other dishes that are the
| same for all. while the mess cooks pre-
pare the especial dishes for each mess. The
ships provisions of beans, -four salt and
| corned meat and canned goods occupy
| space In large storerooms especially de-
| signed for the purpose. and the stock is
quite extensive when laid in for a long
cruise. The days provisions are served
| out in the morning. and the contracted
! space around the galley is crowded until
| dinner time, when a signal Is piped by the
| boatswain, the tables come down from the
| deck beams above, where they are stored
| when not in use, the knives forks and
spoons and agateware dishes are set out
! from the chest In which each mess keeps
/ It's belongings, and in ten minutes the meal
| call sounds and the three or four hundred
| scamen and marines and engineer forces
| are eating their dinner, which, II In port
may consist OF fresh meat, roasted or
stewed; boiled potatoes. canned corn.
fresh bread. coffee. with. perhaps. des-
| sert of duff" as bread pudding is called
/ a aaraffa .1aaof ,.ll tt,r.
| with raisins in 1t. II at sea for a long
| time, salt meat or coTned meat is used,
| and, perhaps hard tack instead of bread,
| and baked beans and bean soup often APP
! pear in the menu. In the olden time grog
was served out at the mast each day at
/ noon, but the influence of temperance so
| cleties stopped this, and now the "tackey
is lucky If he is allowed a bottle of beef
before dinner and supper.
| On the old ships the water supply was
4 an important thing, and water was spar
| ingly served out; but the modern system
| Of condensing the sea water has made a
| plentiful supply for all, and the time of
! eighty and ninety days passages is gone
with the old sailing ships.
| Accordingly the necessity of using salt
| meats has been much lessened, yet habit
| Is strong in age, and once received
| complaint from an old blue jacket whose
earlier service had all been on the old sail
|
and only fresh beef was given his mess,
and that fresh meat might be good enough
| for n landlubber but a salt water sailor
! needed salt meat" and the relic of other
days got his salt pork.
| have said that grog was stopped for the
men and beer only allowed, but the person.
al privileges of officers allow them to have
wine and beer for use in their mess or for
visitors, but no distilled liquors are al
| lowed.
OF course, the officers pay for all this
| themselves and even for state visitors, IN
whom they have no personal interest or
friendship, must pay the bill from their
| own salary.
Table wines, beer and cigars are generally
| kent in a wine mess" by the officers which
| is run in much the same way as gentle
mems club.
In most other navies an allowance Is
| made by the government to each on1cer Tor
the entertainment of public visitors
while on a foreign station, such as the
officers of other friendly governments and
navies who are officially or economically
| entertained.
while practically obligatory. according to
the laws of custom and general usage,
| must be paid by the officers themselves,
and in case Of a great celebration or naval
review may become quite an important
expense, yet, of course. such guests are
none the less welcome
The stores laid in for long cruise are
| often enough to last for a year or more,
and great care In the inspection and pack
ing OF such things is necessary to pre-
vent loss by the spelling or wetting Of
| -four salt and meats
! Thus the commissary department. which
I is in charge of the paymaster, Is quite an
important branch of the service. After
ALI. in spite Of the narrow quarters, shift
ing markets and days at sea the house.
keeping of a man-o'-war may well be
taken as a model even for those whose
lot is cast on the dry land