The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-08-31

IL was perhaps from some ulin, III
stinctive appreciation of the futility OF
reckless competition, more likely from
q mutual respect for one another's
lighting powers, that stealing from the
galley was so finely systematized by the
stokers and sailors of the Scotch
Prince, cargo and cattle steamer OF
Liverpool.
A great hulking, dirty, rolling car
xfer of the ocean, with a long, hatch
dotted sweep of deck fore and aft
steam winches innumerable, and six
teen boilers, she carried matter OF
twenty odd seamen and as many stok-
ers, to say nothing of their under
studies, the trimmers. These trimmers
were humble set, cursed q great deal,
and tolerated as n sort of necessary
evil by the better elements of the
'black gang" They had no recognized
right to participate in the perils or the
fruits of galley ranging" 1t was con-
sidered a sort of poaching for them
to steal for themselves, and shocking
impudence to ask for a share of what
was stolen by others; so they generally
had to be content with their bare
"whack," so neatly and accurately set
forth by the pound of this, the half
pound of that, and the ounce of the
other per diem on the printed sheet OF
British Steamship Rules" duly pasted
mp in each forecastle.
Now the British Steamship Rules
are very prudent and admirable in
stitution. In the olden days a crew
might be overfed or underfe0, or both,
alternately, according to the length of
the voyage and the eccentricities of
the skipper. But during the last gener-
alton great minds were exercised over
this evil, and the result Is the neat
poster referred to above, which removes
from the sailors mind all uncertain
ty and speculation so far as food is
concerned, and provides that instead
of the extremes and sudden transitions
which formerly obtained. a gentle, ac-
curate Semi-starvation shall be main
tanned without Interruption; that in
stead Of tho violent agony OF passing
from plenty to famine, and sometimes
from famine back to plenty again, that
these who go down to the sea in ships
have legal right TO be underfed regu-
larly and to pine sweetly away into an
early and anaemic grave.
Sailors are an ignorant lot; they
never appreciate what is done for them.
ats true It's pity; and pity It's It's
true" that never have cargo broaching,
galley ranging, and other like crimes
fiourished before as they do today in
most ungrateful spite of the benign
ration system.
The trimmers of the Scotch Prince
thought they Jared badly. To be sure,
they had salt horse" and potatoes
once day, to say nothing of delicious
''burgoo," and no less than two ounces
OF petrified hard tack every morning
and evening. 1t was the bounty that
spoiled them. At least the steward said
so. And they would have stolen, ac-
tually have taken food that didn't be-
long to them, had chance offered
But the firemen and sailors had Just
such vicious propensities themselves
and they kept a jealous eye on all
chances.
The firemen and sailors, as We have
remarked before, managed things in a
very business-lille way. On the Scotch
Prince, as on the majority of trans
atlantic freignters, the different messes
of the crew were served by "peggies'
that Is, going in rotation, the men OF
each mess took turns in bringing the
food from the galley to their respect,
ive quarters. They usually worked in
pairs, one man carrying the soup OF
coffee can, the other the meat or bread
The cookrooms were in an alley in
the deckhouse, the ovens and sour
kettles in one room, and the bread.
room just diagonally across. The sail
ors' peggies and the flremen's peggieS
would naturally reach the galley about
the same time; one set would go IL
for the bread while another were get,
ting their soup and meat, and then
taxing it turn and turn about, and moi
often enough to be too palpable, the
firemen's peggies in the breadroom, fol-
instance, would set up cry that they
could not find the hardtack, and Will,
the cook came to unearth it, the sail
ors peggies In the opposite room
would stuff their waists and caps with
boiled carrots, spinach, slices of steak
and other delicacies OF the officers
meas. Vice-versa, the sailors pegglel
might engage the cooks attention
while a stokers' peggy absconded with
= pudding. The trimmers, also. haC
heir peggy. only one; as they were I