The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-06-29
Battleships' Kitchen.

When the news of Commodore
Dewey's great victory at Manila was
sent over the wires it was recorded that
during the entire engagement Pay,
master Martin made and served coffee
to The officers and men. 1t is difficult
to associate a kitchen and a coon
with battleship, but every one Of thel
big fighting monsters with its terribls
guns and it's turrets and flags has its
kitchen. 1t is called ''galleyn on
board ship, and it is one of the most
important places on board to both the
officers and the men.
Nothing gives an American tar such
relish for food as the smell of pow
der and smoke.
1t has become quite fashion of late
10 divide battleship up as though it
were human, giving it brains and eyes,
heart and lungs, but no prominence
is given to the galley or the man in the
galley, who is quite an important per-
sOnage. The man in the galley is usu-
ally Japanese, for almost every one
of the big ships has Jap cook and
staff of servants of the same national
ity. The boys wait on the officers Ia
BILE, dust, clean silver, carry messages,
and attend to minor housekeeping du-
ties in way that would put the aver
age housemaid to a great disadvantage.
1t is quite possible that during
great battle like that of Manila a self
centred Japanese cook might continue
his work Of decorating an entree or CIV
ing expression to soup, while the en-
emies' guns doomed against the side
of his range or copper pans. While the
space that is given to comfort on
man-of-war is necessarily limited, its
interior is apt to strike one as luxurious
in comparison with the stern and frown-
ing exterior of the great lead colored
monsters. The galley is as thoroughly
up to date in its appointments and
cooking arrangements as the kitchen
of modern residence.
There is large hotel range with
splendid ovens, from which each day
the cook turns out tempting brown
loaves, and even pies and cakes, that
makes many Jackie think of home.
There are great copper soup boilers and
coffee boilers in which these two items
of the menu are prepared by the gal
Ion. Then there are copper pots and
pans on shelves in rows, bright and
shining as those in the kitchens of our
great New York hotels. There are
cupboards, too, in which the sugar aud
the spices and other cooking condi-
ments are kept all nicely labeled, for
there is no slipshod housekeeping on
boards with sliding doors and spring
locks that when opened disclose rows
of cutlasses and rifles and great long
revolvers in racks from the floor to the
ceiling.
The china, silver and glassware used
on our American battleships are pretty
enough to delight a woman, and women
as rule are particular about china.
The sailors have ruder ware, but that
used at the officers mess is white and
fragile, with device of an anchor in
gold on each piece. The glasses,
which are fixed in stationary racks on
a sideboard in the wardroom, which, by
the way, is drawing-room, sitting-room,
and dining-room, all in one, are of cut
ware and are ornamented with a naval
device. Some of the battleships have
gorgeous silver services, but that ordi-
narily used is an up-to-date and COM
plete set of spoons, knives, and forks in
all the different sizes. Then there are
individual pepper mills in silver, salt
cellars, and salvers, all OF which are
kept in shining perfection.
The sailors on board our American
ships live much better than the work.
ingman on land. When in port they
have fresh meats and vegetables, and
when at sea for any length of time the
terrors of the old-time regimen OF salt
pork and salt beef are mitigated by
supply of canned vegetables, which
give variety. Besides this, Uncle Sam
is 30 generous to his men that the al
lowance for each is too much, and they
have formed system of pooling the
supplies which gives each man an
amount Of money which he can spend
for extra things for the table.
The officers have their special cook
and, Of course, their special foods,
which in port are apt to compare ia
vorably to those offered on the menu
of a frst-class hotel. They appoint
caterer and steward from among their
number each month, whose duty it is
to look after the welfare of the mess.
The wine mess is contributed TO on
shares.
The man in the galley, like the stok-
ers, doesn't get much glory out Of naval
warfare, but he is an important man in
his place. Who can tell whether many
q glorious victory has not resulted from
@ well-cooked breakfast or dinner and
crushing defeat followed on an indiges-
tible pie or badly seasoned chop?
Paymaster Martins coffee must have
possessed the elixir of victory, whether
It was made with an egg, according to
rule, or just thrown together any old
way.-New York Sun.