Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-06-13
FEEDING THE NAVY
Uncle Sans Sailors Are Best
Fed in the World.
Even Without Chicken, Which Has
Disappeared From the Menu, the
Food GIvon tackles Is Fit for
an Eploure

Chicken has disappeared from thu
menu of the f~orecastle in the Amer
loan navy, and Uncle San thus saves
more than $4,000 a year. With Whsi
Is left, however, the American sailor
man remains by far the best fed Of al
seamen afioat. salt horse and hard
tack" have long been meaningless
terms IN the navy of the United
States. Those long gone cruises IL
the old sailing ships ACROSS the Pa
ciic, through the Mediterranean ant
round the Horn, sometimes meant
three months between ports. In mod
ern swift steam driven craft q naYa
cruise seldom ean SO much as
three weeks between ports. Even tins
eggs Of the wardroom and the cap
tain's cabin were a fearsome thing al
eight in the morning, after a ship had
been six or eight weeks out, and the
old Bowery tale Of tho soltcitous col
ored waiter, who said to the guest de
handing poached eggs, Boss, you bet
tab hab dem aigs scrambled; den
aigs look a heap bettah scrambled;
fac Ia, boss. dem aigs amt ye'y
fresh" had its humorous appeal to
the officer OF forty years ago or fifty
years ago, and even In more recent
times.
A good Zeal of the food hat had
to be accepted in the wardroom OF
the old navy would be promptly re.
jected In the ~forecastle of the new
According to the theory and practice
Of the navy today the sailor ia quite
as much the ward Of the nation as
the Indian ever was. Strict Tegula-
lions prescribe his diet, and the ex-
ecutive officer and his subalterns live
up to such regulations with consclen-
tious cars. All holidays and Sundays
are occasions for feasts In the fore
castle, and any complaint as to the
quality or quantity of the food re-
ceives prompt and considerable atten-
ton. Scientific specialists In coniunc-
ton with practically experienced Off
cers of the nav have studied the
question of the sailors diet with min
aNSpt = - al - JN'N AN
foods may safely be taken aboard in
Dramatically sealed containers, and
how long they may be expected to re-
main in wholesome condition. The
proper proportions of meat to vegeta-
bles and OF various kinds of each has
been carefully studied. and the navy
Is still watching the effect of new
combinations Upon the health and Of
ficiency of the sailor. Inspection OF
tho sailors food is a thing Of daily
routine. When the waiter from the
cooks gallery m on deck at early
morning with a platter containing g
sample Of the breakfast about to be
served to the men, the officer OF the
deck tastes something of each article,
and IL he feels a bit peokish after his
lonely tour OF duty, he sometimes
makes a full meal Of the sample,
and sends his compliments to the
cook with the certificate that the food
Is what it should be. II he finds any,
thing to criticise he does 1t without
hesitation, and should the defect be
serious he would order a substitute
breakfast for the men. AS q matter
of fact the breakfast n III provided is
good enough for anybody and far bet
ter than most folk ashore are accus,
toned to eat.
Admiral Edward Vernon, popularity
known as Old Grog, because of his
grogram breeohes, Or possibly his ioul
weather cloak Of grogram, was the
patron saint not only of the British
tar, but of the American, for he 1t was
who introduced into the British nav
about 1745 the grog ration of spirits
and water. Lawrence Washington,
who served under Admiral Vernon in
the unsuccessful attack upon the
Spanish-American city of Cartagena
in 1741. returned home to call his
patrimony on the Potomac Mount
Vernon in honor of the man who in,
vented grog. The United States navy
in forswearing Great Britain and all
of grog, and 1t was regularly served
to the American sailor from a tub IN
front of the mast within the memory
OF men stil living. There were two
water grog and three water grog, sc
named for the proportion Of the dilut
ing fluid, which was sometimes q
more dangerous liquid than hal II
was intended to mollify. in due course
the grog rations In the American navy
was committed for increased pay, ano
now nc hard liquor is served to tn.
foreoastle except upon the surgeons
prescription, and the man caught
smuggling spirits aboard ship Is sem
to the dungeon and placed upon ex
ceedinEly low diet.
Tobacco for smoking and chewing
is provided for the sailors Of the navy
IN vast quantities. The government,
buys tobacco Of excellent quality al
the lowest possible rate. So excel
lent Is the sailors tobacco that a gooc
many officers buy 1t for their own use