The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
BATTLESHIPS KITCHENS.
SkAr LITTLE AFFlIRs PREsEDED
OYER MI JlP COOKS.

Hs. -
Despits TheiV Grin suFrsusaiuEs Or Arnssr
ana AFuaHeut, meg Are HoHseIIhe unside
and Provide Sack ana HHts Supporters
with CssEeFy sr Undtsputed IHoeiIsnoe.
When tho news OF Commodore Dewoy's great
victory at Manila was sent ovor the wires it
was recorded that during tho entire engage
ment Pnymastor Martin made and served coffee
TO the officers and mon. 1t is difficult to nssoci-
ate a kitchen and q cook with n battleship. but
every ono Of the big fighting monsters with Its
terrible guns and Its turrcts and flags has Its
Kitchen. II IL called . galley on board ship,
and II 10 ono OF the most important places on
board to both the officers and the men.
GNothinE gives an American tar such q relish
for food Rs the smell Of powder and smoke.
1t has become quite q fashion Of late to divide
q buttloship up as though Il were human. giving
It brains and eyos, . heart and lungs, but no
prominence is given to the galley or tho man in
the galley, who Is quite an important person
age. The man in the galley 10 usually n Japan
ose, for almost every ono Of tho big ships has n
Jap cook and a stan Of servants Of tho same
nationality. Tho boys wait on the ofncors'
table. dust. clean silver. carry messages. and
attend to minor housekeeping duties In a way
that would put the average housemaid to a
great disadvantage.
It 10 quite possible that during q great battle
like that of Manila q solt-controd Japanese
cook might continue his work Of decorating an
entrte or giving expression to q soup, while the
enemies guns doomed against the side OF his
range or copper pans. While the space that is
given TO comfort on q man-of.war Is necessarily
limited. its interior is apt to strike one as
luxurious In comparison with the stern and
frowning exterior Of the great lead colored
monsters. The galley is as thoroughly up to
date In It's appointments and cooking arrange.
ments as tho kitchen of q modern residence.
There is a large hotel range with splendid
ovens. from which each day the cook turns out
tempting brown loaves, and even pics and cakes,
that must mako many q Jackie think OF home.
There are great copper soup boilers and coffee
boilers in which these two items OF tho menu
copper pots and pans on shelves In rows, bright
end shining as those in the kitchens of our great
which tho sugar and the spices and other cook.
Ing condiments arc kept all nicely labelled, for
! asr, i! Fh no '; nF. Ssbs sop oTnSs5I6s % on { % niiS i
doors and spring locks that when opened dis.
close rows Of cutlasses and rifles and great long
receivers in racks from the floor to the ceiling.
Tho. china. silver, and glassware used on our
American battloShips are pretty enough to de.
Jar about china. Tho sailors have ruder ware.
but that used Mt the officers mess is white and
each piece. The glasses, which are fxedf in sta.
tionHry racks on q sideboard in the ware room,
which. BY the way. is drawing room. sitting
and nrc ornnmented with a naval device. Some
Of the battleships have gorgeous silver services,
complete set of spoons, knives, and forks in all
the different sizes. Then thero are individual
pepper mills In silver. salt cellars, and ~salvers,
all Of which arc kept In shining perfection.
Tho sailors on board our American ships live
much botter than the workingman on land.
When in port they have fresh meats and vege-
tables, and when at soR for any length OF time
the terrors of the old.time regimen Of salt pork
and salt beef are mitiRnted by q supply Of canned
vegetables. which give variety. Besides this.
Uncle Sam 10 so generous to his men that tho
allowance for each Is too much. and they have
formed a system Of pooling the supplies which
gives each man an amount of money which he
can spend for extra things for tho table.
The officers have their special cook and, of
course, their epocinl foods. which in port are apt
to compare favorably to those offered on tho
menu Of q frst-class hotel. They appoint q ca
terer and steward from among their number
each month, whose duty II Is to look after tho
welfare Of the mess. The wine mess Is contrib.
uted to on shares.
The man In the galley, like the stokers. 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 result
ed from n well-cooked breakfast or dinner and
crushing defeat followed on an indigestible pie
or q badly seasoned chop. Paymaster Martins
cofee must have possessed the elixir OF victory,
whether 1t was made with an egg. according to
rule, or just thrown together any old way.