Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-07-05
NAVAL FOOD STORES.
WHAT sJAcKY" GETS TO EAT IN
UNCLE SANS SERVICE.


The United States government gives
its sailors only 30 cents day each to
live on, but the American navy is bet
ter fed than any other navy I'm the
world. In fact. 'jacky" lives better
than the average mechanic on shore
AS the appetite OF a seafaring man
cannot be appeased by angel food the
provisions are OF the most substantial
kind.
All naval vessels are liable to be sent
on long voyages or to he stationed
where markets are inaccessible, and
the stores purchased for the crew must
be such as will keep for a long time
and not become damaged by changes
of climate. Naturally salt pork. corned
beef hard tack, beans, -four. sugar.
canned fruits and vegetables are car
ried in large quantities and must of ne
cessity constitute the main part of the
daily rations. With these staples as a
basis many appetizing combinations
can be made. At sea fresh meat and
vegetables are not to be had, but while
in port or within reach of a market
the navy regulations require the issu-
ance on certain days of these desirable
additions to the food supply. In the
olden days no fresh meat was included
In the navy ration, and "jacky' was
compelled to subsist largely on corned
beef. known in the sailor vernacular as
salt horse" owing to the fact that
some INSCRIPTIONS contractor at one
time long ago passed off horsefiesh for
beef in navy supply. The barrel in
which the salt meat Is kept is to this
day known as the harness cask."
The enlisted men are divided into
messes consisting OF from Is to "a men
each. Every month the mess elects
one of its number to the position of ca
terer, and he looks after all matters Gu
linary during his term. To him the dali
ly allowances OF staple foods are issued
each morning by one of the paymas-
ter's men, known as the Jack of the
dust" presumably from his handling
-four. The ships cooks then prepare
the supplies for the table. Each mess
is usually allowed from four TO six
commuted rations-that IS, the caterer
is given the value of such rations in
cash and is thus provided with fund
of from $50 to $54 per month with
which to buy fruits, vegetables, fish,
butter and other items which are not
by the government. To furnish the
table still further it is customary for
each man TO "chip i'm n dollar or two
each month out of his own pocket.
The old time shellbacks looked with
glee upon plum duff dinner, but such
dainties as that seem commonplace to
the new style navy men, who on holi
days and frequently on Sundays have
delicacies like roast turkey with cram
berry sauce. celery, oranges, bananas
and even ice cream.
If "jacky" has one failing in the
commissariat line. it is his craving for
pies of any constituency or nationality.
He will eat them on any occasion and
in any place. The ships cook, IL he be
ambitious. takes advantage of this and
makes up a tempting array of pies
from materials which he purchases
from the paymaster and retails them to
the sailors.
The government does not discrimi-
nate in the allowance for food supplies
In the navy as between officer and en-
listed man-that is. it did not up to a
year or two ago. when every man in
the ship. from the admiral down to a
coal HEAVIER, received so cents each day.
Now the discrimination is that the coal
HEAVIER continues to draw his 80 cents.
while the admiral and all other officers
except the gunner. carpenter. pharma-
cist, chief machinists and the naval
cadets receive absolutely nothing for
their subsistence on board ship. Many
who visit naval vessels and are enter
tanned at dinner or luncheon are heard
to remark that the government pro-
vides very good living for its officers,
not thinking that the entire cost of the
repast has come out of the officers own
pockets.
The cost of an officers living on one
of our vessels varies considerably. In
a port where much entertaining has to
be done and where there are high
priced markets the mess bill. as it is
called. sometimes runs as high as $50
or $40 a month for each officer and is
rarely less than $25 month. This rep
resents merely the actual cost of the
food and the incidental expenses of the
mess, as the government furnishes all
servants, crockery, fuel and table linen.
In connection with this subject it
may be interesting to note that the cap
tain OF a war vessel does not eat with
the other officers, but has a separate
establishment for himself and is pro-
vided with a cook and a steward whose
only duties are to wait on him. On
Nhagships the admiral also eats alone.
The wardroom mess usually includes
all officers above the grade of ensign
and on most vessels consists of from
10 to 20 members. Junior officers and
naval cadets constitute another mess,
known as the steerage mess.-C. A. Nc
Allister in Saturday Evening Post.