The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1907-12-25

officers mess, who, by pull, special
ability or act Of prOwess, have raised
themselves from the enlisted ranks;
seventh and last, but not least, the
general or mess table where the lusty
appetites Of the rank and file are as
suaged.
Uncle Sans officers want the fat
Of the land and supply it from their
own purses. BY special clubbing ar
rangements among themselves an OFF,
GERS mess is provided at a cost to
each officer Of $50 a month. Even a
colored chef is retained.
His soufftes 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 at all.
Uncle Sans head housekeeper, the
paymaster, indeed, has quite enough on
his mind trying to keep nearly a thou
sand lusty men satisfied with their
grub and at the same time keep his
bills down TO the satisfaction of the
navy department auditor at Washing
ton. 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 a successful
hotel man, add to them those TO make
the popular leader, throw in intense
pride and loyalty to the service sea-
soned with untiring zeal for the inter-
ests of his men, and you get the kind
of mixture Uncle Sam has to find be-
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-sim-
ply a confab with his steward as to
whether it shall be 500 pounds Of fish
! or $50 pounds of pork and barrel and
I half of beans.
BY the ships regulations every man
IS allowed a daily stipend of one and
three-quarter pounds of fresh meat
For the long voyage, however, it's
different matter. The stipend must be
reduced and more salt meat consumed.
The ships cold storage capacity is
10000 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
GU! infringement of Uncle Sans pre-
hibtion against any form of ammonia
plant aboard. There are some 10000
gallons of distilled water to be pur-
chased Qt 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 plays
no slight role. There is electricity to
heat the irons in the up to date laun-
dry for the officers clothes.
Electricity turns the grinders for the
Hamburg steak. Electricity mixes the
dough in the ships bakery where 1000
loaves are baked daily. Electricity,
too, heats the coffee in the great brass
caldrons lin construction exactly like
the French drip coffee pot on your own
table. madam, only each of them holds
$50 gallons.
Nor is any hygienic device over
looked. The paymaster is responsible
for the health of his men. The very
cups in their water tank must be germ
proof. After drinking each man is
required to rinse his cup in a special
tank filed with antiseptic solution.
When under the weather he is per-
mitted to use only such medicines as
are supplied by the ships doctor.
Even the contents of the canteen, his
own private supply shop where he
buys his luxuries, are carefully in
spected by the paymaster with Il
keen view to excluding liquors or any
other article deemed injurious to the
health of his men.
The man-o'-war seaman must be a
Jack of all trades. Very early in his
career he learns how 10 sew on his
own buttons, I'm some cases even
makes his own clothes. For the clum-
sier fingered there is the ships tailor.
Uncle Sans price for the material
and fashioning of the regulation navy
blue sailor suit is 81. Once the uni
form is provided every man is held
strictly accountable for the condition
of his wardrobe. The more enter
prising of the boys have their own
sewing machines, and very deftly do
they learn to ply them.
Cleanliness is another maritime vir-
tue early instilled. Friday morning
is general wash day-Occasion for
swabbing down decks and scrubbing
Of clothes and ships canvas. 1t might
seem to be a case OF "water, water
everywhere" but as a matter of fact
fresh water for cleaning purposes is
the scarcest article aboard.
At sea 3 bucket a day is each mans
allowance, doled out 20 him by the
master at arms. On that stipend he
must keep his clothes, himself and the
contents of his locker immaculate or
stand in danger of a reprimand or the