The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-08-13
A SHIPS KITCHEN.
TEE SYSTEM OF ARRANGEMENT
AND METHOD OF WNRb
Ecohomy of Space the Chief RequI-
e-AmazinE Compactncss with
Which Supplies Are Stored
Enormous Refrigerators.
there be many who

~ uON II ~ inc sea In SHIPS,
and who continue thereon
@ for days, there are few who
ever see or really know the kitchen
side OF the boat. Though thero is al
most as much difference between the
kitchens OF the ocean palaces and the
rough sailing craft as there is between
the kitchens of the very rich and tho
hopelessly poor, they are alike in one
thing, and that is their economy of
space. "A nice, large kitchen" the
delight of New England housekeepers
Is unknown Mt sea, and would be un-
appreciated if known. Meals for five
hundred or n thousand persons will be
cooked III room scarcely rs LARGE as
the kitchen in low-priced fiat, or the
pantry IN IA country house There are
two reasons for this: Space is valua-
BILE, every foot of it having it's worth
as storage for freight or rooms for
passengers; then on ship the kitchen
floors are kept clean by scruhbing
them with sand. They are about ms
white as the tables, and tho smaller
the kitchen the easier TO keen il i'm
order
With small kitchen it becomes a
prime necessity TO keep everything i'm
It's place, and one must be systematic
from the simple logic of ci1cum-
stances. 1t would amaze one to see
how compactly the supplies for the
large household" on board ships can
be arranged Nothing is left down ON
shelves OF in drawers which may be
hung on hooks. Even tho platters
and serving dishes are made to hang,
there being loophole at one end for
this very purpose.
The system Of nrrangemcntand con
duct of work is fautless. 1t has be-
como what 1t is by process of evolu-
ton, and there is no break in it. 10
get much into little, TO do things
neatly, quickly and well, are the
principles on which ships run, from
the captains place to the humblest on
board. Even Mr.. Gradgrind would
find there all the system he wanted.
Two things have added much to the
health and comfort of sen-going folks
the process of canning soups, fish.
meats and vegetables, and the use OF
refrigerators. The luxuries of the tn
BILE on land appear on the tables at
sea. Even fish, that most difficult
food to serve fresh, appears to the
very end of the voyage. II tho
kitchen is small the refrigerator is
not. 1t is provided, according to the
size of the ship, with an amount of ice
varying from one hundred and fifty
to four hundred tons, and holds also
the fish, meat and poultry. 1t is far
away from the kitchen, because the
cooks do not help themselves TO thu,
supplies. These are given ont as
needed. Both canned aud fresh vege.
tables arc carried, the former being
served when the fresh arc gone.
While many ships,aud steamers still
continue to lay in n supply of water.
Others do not, and ali carry con
denser, which makes it possible TO
have the best of fresh water directly
from the ocean, and this, being dis
titled water, is absolutely pure. This
water serves for all purposes except
the baths Salt water is provided for
these When water is carried 1T is
stored Mt the bottom of the ship aud
pumped up.
What the ships kitchen loses in size
is made mp in the number of store
rooms. Things of the same kind are
kept in the same division. There is n
large wine closet with great number
of cubby-holes, so that each bottle
may have place of its own. The
canned goods, of which there is n
larger supply than In many grocery,
arc In another room, each in space
of its own. Everything has To he
stayed, or 1T would roll ont when the
ship pitches. Potatoes aud such veg
etnbles are kept to themselves. and
the same regulation holds good with
everything.
There are three Kitchens, besides
serving room. The soups. fish. meats
and vegetablesn prepared and cooked
I'm one room, the bread and pastry i'm
another, whilc the Storage has
kitchen To- itself, i'm which all the cook
ing is done by steam. The range Tor
the meats fll nearly one side of the
small room, aud half Of il is given
over to the soups and pots for the
boiling articles The.soup kettles are
enormous and hold many GALLONS
Soup begins TO bc uu important mctor
in the umily diet us soon ns one leaves
America. but boo spite of the many
boasts about tine excellence of souu
aboard 1T is rarely us well made as with
us. NeWIv everything ou shir-boari
is well cooked, but the soup was tl,
poorest BOO my experience.
The pastry was excellent. not 800
much from Ovcr-shorteuiug ns from
good baking Many off the cakes $685..