The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-07-18
OLD TIME SEA COOKS
THEIR DUTIES AND PERQUlsITES IN
THE BRITISH NAVY.

tIlE ON 'S'i ~
Many Sources Of Revenue For tho
Bosses Of tBe GaIIeys-Thers Were
Other Things They Had to To be
sides Preparing the Meals.
Sea cooks we're and are very neces-
sary persons il The internal economy or
tie ship of war. but there a,efe rosGes
among them as among ali ciasses or
men. says the London Globe There
were sea cooks who rose by the ala
If influence and knayery 10 very lueta-
live positions Lord Nottingham. when
FORD high admiral, gave patent TO his
own coOk 10 appoint all the COOKS Ia
tie navy
stewards, purYeyors, Cooks anu OAK
crs are classed together by one writer
as the chef Denehciaries under the sys-
ten OF peeuIatiOn aud pefqulsiteS
which at one time made The navy 50
happy Il hunting ground for the rascais
oil tire country But they were not all
permitted 10 ply their trade with i'm,
puuity. and one sea cook got seven
,oars, hard labor from Sir John Field
ma Tor IA long series OF frauds And Ia
sentencing tie man the judge expressed
his regret that he could not order him
to he hanged ut the hospital gates
Pea soup was generally the best IA
ton the men had and was certainly
the most liked. Potatoes were always
served In the skins, sometimes TWO 10
each nan, and a good natured COOK
was frequently prevailed upon to COOK
cakes and dunS that the men had made
themselves. demanding for his services
either a pot Ut gfog or portion OF the
dish he cooked.
Sometimes. howeN a. he could only be
BriBed By money. and in that way In
creased his pay Of 80 shillings a month,
IN addition 10 which he was nearly al
Ways la receipt of a pension OF lis. I'd,
Der month Besides these sources or
revenue he also made good deal OF
money from the sale OF "siush, the
fat sCraped from the ships coPper5
after each meal had been served, and
half OF which was his perquisite. The
other half belonged to the ship Tor
greasing the bottom and running tackle.
The ships cook was, moreover hon
ored with guard OF two marines who
stood sentry over the door Of the gal
ley during the preparation OF meals to
prevent unMarranted raids upon the
provisions by ships thieves, he did not
wear "a uniform nor was he expected
10 keep watch being allowed To sleep
IL comfort aud comparative privacy
throughout the night ON the lower gun
deck But. on the other hand, he had
some duties not connected with food,
among them the preparation when the
ship was In port OF hot poker for
firing salutes
And it vas an established custom OF
the navy that the ship was not properly
paid off uHtl the pennant was struck
by the cock. 1his operation he was eA=
peeted Ia perform as the last officer or
tile ship and until he had done II no
officer could consider himself discharg-
ed or at liberty 10 leave the port. This
rule held good though every seaman
had left the SHIP. aud sometimes the
cook himself la nj of absentminded
ness, went on without carrying cut the
task, and tad to be routed out again
before the ineehsed officers could leave
for their homes There viii be sealnen
alive today who have heard the phrase,
Every man to his station, and the
cook 10 the turesheet, and the lands
man who has read Maffyat Will al
ways connect the man Of the galley
cook
In addition TO the ships cook, OF
course there were, as now, the mess
cooks, men who We're appointed by the
sedmen themselves to be presidents Of
the messes for the week, and who had
to receive the provisions FOR the mess
from the purser at the daily issuing of
TicWdls and who had to hand these on
10 the ships cook Ia good time. As
compensation for his trouble the mess
cook drew COOK =, or double, portion
OF grog, and he deserved it, FOR his du
ties were arduous and his critics Sc
we're
II he spoiled the duff lie was tried by
Il jury OF the mess, and this jury was
gathered by hosting mess swab OF
heating II tin dish between decks for
ward He was condemned 10 most
painful puuishments ii found guilty
lie WIS also the carver for the mess
and IN order 10 prevent fayoritism
bndioded member OF the mess was
required 10 can out the name of the
person who was to receive the portion
as 1t was placed on the plate Small or
large that portion was given 10 the
man named ami probably no more sat
isfactarl netltod of dealing with the
question could have been found