The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-23
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, OCTOBER %. 1898

many favors for the berth deck cooks and
there are very few who do not pay him
al least 81 a month. In addition 20 this
source of income. a thrifty ships cook
can find ample opportunity 70 use the
range in the making of a pastry which can
be retaiied 10 the crew. one cook, sew
eral years ago. cleared a comfortable sum
by selling dried apple pies a % cents each.
The same yearning for things eatabie
which causes Jack to buy these pies also
sends him to the cabin. ward room or
Storage steward, who, on most ships, does
a land Office business in the sale Of jelies
jams, pickles and fancy canned goods,
Some also keep on sale tobacco, cigars and
cigarettes which they retail at enormous
prices. Chinaman who is now conduct
ing restaurant near the Brooklyn navy
yard, started his business on the profits
derived in this manner.
Next 10 the creature comforts of his
inner man the naval sailor thinks most
Of his personal appearance. No blue-Jacket
with any regard for himself viii wear
the uniform as it Is issued from the pay
masters stores. Only the new recruit or
the coal passer lost to an shame will ap-
pear in public in such toys There is as
much nicely of detail in the cut and TRIM
ming of The naval uniform as in the fash
ionable gown Of a society lady ashore.
The snug lit of the blue shirt. the careful
hang Of the bell-bottom trousers, and the
breadth and curve of the juanty hat, all
must conform 10 an arbitrary naval pat
tern, and must also be made with the
proper number of gill-guys and siikwork-
ed stars and diamonds so dear to the SAIL
ors heart. The uniform worn both on
shipboard and ashore is therefore an ex-
pensive affair and 10 insure the correct
cut and make 1t must be the product of a
"Sheeny" tailor.
BY "Shoeny'' is meant one of the many
sailors on board who makes a practice
of doing tailor work for the crew. On
each ship win be found a gunner's mate,
quartermaster. seaman, oileT or even a
fireman who has served an apprenticeship
in the naval tailoring art on board some
other vessel. Such man is permitted to
maintain a small hand sewing machine on
board, and during odd times off watch,
he sets up his shop In a corner of the
berth deck or in the superstructure and
stitches away industriously. Unlike his
prototype in civil life, ne does not supply
cloth, but simply makes up that brought
to him by his customer, who draws it on
requisition from the paymaster's stores
There is money in it for the man who
does good work. The price for making a
suit is S. and there are many suits to be
made on the average man-o war. The tain
or also does odd jobs I'm mending for the
officers aft, who pay according to their Of
fetal dignity. Taking it all in ala the pro-
prietor of a sewing machine in the navy
Is fortunate man, and it is peculiar in
deed If he cannot see his way clear to sew
eral hundred dollars at the end of cruise
Bearing out stll further the similarity
Of a warship community to a village
ashore. there viii be found In the service
not only the small tradesmen, but one
peculiar man who is the capitalist and
boss money maker of the ship. He is the
ships barber Boards wiz grow at sea-
and there are not the conveniences for in
dividual shaving on shipboard that obtains
in the ordinary residence The ships bar
Der therefore fiourishes, and he has on his
list at 81. 25 q quarter, a goodly share of the
crew. For the sum mentioned he win give
two shaves a week and a hair cut once a
month. He also has his customers aft who
pay him at the rate of 50 a month. At
least two-thirds of the crew on an aver
age patronize the barber, which means. on
a vessel of the Columbia class an addition
of over 800 monthly to his regular pay of
Sl6 Few BARRIERS ashore make this sum-
One of the peculiar trades practiced in
the service is the manufacture of ditty
boxes. A ditty box is a small wooden chest
which serves the blue-jacket as a reposi-
tory for his comb and brush, tobacco,
writing paper and the various odds and
ends which would be found in the draw
ers of the ordinary dressing case ashore
The regular ships carpenter, and his mates
follow This trade, and they are enabled to