The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-10-17
LIFE ABOARD A WARSHIP,
Fare the Bluejacket Gets for go Cents a

Fare the Bluejacket Gets for go Cents a
Day.
How many housewives would like to
have to cater for family for 30 cents a
head day? That's exactly the sum it
costs Uncle Sam, and he has some
thing like 10000 blue jackets to feed at
his man-of-war table.
Even on ordinary days sailor sits
down to fare no civilian need sniff at,
says the Home Magazine. Eggs, boiled
potatoes, bread and butter and coffee
form his breakfast one morning. Per
haps the next he has sausages and corn
bread.
Roast veal with gravy, boiled pota-
toes, succotash, bread and butter, GIN
gerbread and coffee is an ordinary din
ner menu, while fried pork chops, bread
and butter, apple sauce and tea is the
bill of fare submitted by the steward to
the paymaster for the same days even
ing meal.
, That the fare agrees with him is at
tested by his hospital record. Seldom
more than five to ten men are sick at a
time from the ships crew of $50.
, Not all the Seamen are brought up
near the sea. Many of them are in
land boys who run away from home for
the life on the brine. The books of the
Virginia. for instance, bear this out
with record that of the $50 sailors 900
have enlisted from States as far inland
as Idaho and Wisconsin.
Every minute of the day aboard ship
is lived according to rule. At $50
O'Clock in the morning the sailor is
aroused by the call of three bells.
Thirty minutes is allowed him for lash
ing his hammock, etc. After that he
is allowed to take it down only by
special permission. There is no sneak
ing it off for seductive little maps in the
day.
His breakfast is served at $50 O. clock,
five bells. Twelve seamen mess at one
table, one of their own number receiv-
ing an extra stipend of S. monthly
from Uncle Sam for waiting on his
comrades.
This assignment is now generally
made in rotation. Jack tars have been
known to come to blows in their zeal to
secure it. Then again, when stationed
in warmer chimes, it was not always
, easy to find men willing to officiate.
Uncle Sam sets seven tables, in &C
cordance with his rules of class distinc-
ton, which are as fixed and answer
wing as the laws of the Modes and Per-
SLAMS. There is, first, AdmiraPs mess,
at which the head officer is served in
solitary state. Second, captains mess
the same lonely distinction. Third
so called for the good times enjoyed by
the tablefu of commissioned officers
below the rank of captain.
Ecnrth tho iunIOr OtfiPars' mess pOn
sisting Of midshipmen, the young grad
yates Of Annapolis, who, having BEEN
educated at Uncle Sans expense, are
now getting their first maritime expe-
rience. Fifth, the chief petty officers
mess, for those in rank below the mid
sEipmen. Sixth, the warrant officers
mess, who, by pull, special ability or act
of prowess, have raised themselves
from the enlisted ranks. Seventh and
last, but not least, is the general or
mess table where the lusty appetites of
the rank and file are assuaged.
| Uncle Sans officers want the fat of
the land, and supply it from their own
purses. By special clubbing arrange
ments among themselves an officers
mess is provided at cost to each Off.
Ger of $50 a month. Even colored
chef is retained.
His souffies and his salads are true
works of art. The key of the wine
chest he guards with jealous care. But
all this is a matter of reckoning be
tween him and the officers. Uncle Sam
enters not atall.
Uncle Sans head housekeeper. the
paymaster, indeed, has quite enough on
his mind trying to keep nearly a thous-
, and lusty men satisfied with their grub
and at the same time keep his bills
down to the satisfaction of the Navy
Department auditor at Washington.
1t is no light undertaking.
The paymaster, in truth, must be a
man of rare parts, and is rightly es-
teemed one of the ablest and most hon
ored officers in the service. Take the
qualities needed to make successful
hotel man. Add to them those to make
the popular leader. Throw in intense
pride and loyalty to the service, sea-
sOned with unJlring zeal for the inter
ests of his men, and you get the kind
| fore he appoints his paymaster.
When he is loading up for an eight
weeks cruise no wonder his brow is
knotted. Making out the next meals
order while in port is one thing. Simply
a confab with his steward as to whether
it shall be 500 pounds of fish or 25C
pounds of pork and a barrel and a half
of beans.
By the ships regulations every man
is allowed daily stipend of one and
three quarters pounds of fresh meat
For the long voyage, however, it's a
different matter. The stipend must be
reduced and more salt meat consumed
The ships cold storage capacity is TO-.
600 pounds.
Here is where the paymaster's real
opportunity of generalship enters
Everything his men will need for the
next sixty days must be planned to
meet that capacity. And meantime
there is ice to be manufactured, with
out infringement of Uncle Sans pro-
hibition against any form of ammonia
plant aboard; there is some 10000 gal
Ions of distilled water to be purchased
Gt is cheaper to buy this in port than
to have it distilled aboard) and some
5000 pounds of meat to be inspected.
No hotel kitchen could be more up to
date in its equipment. Electricity
v,1o oil nh 10 nj