Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-04-03
SEA COOKS OF oLDen TINES.
Some Of tho Perquisites and Honors
That They Claimed.

Sea cooks were, and are, very neces-
sary persons in the internal economy
of the ship of war, but there were
rogues among them as among all
classes of men. There were sea cooks
who rose by the aid of influence and
knavery to very lucrative positions.
Lord Nottingham, when Lord High
Admiral, gave a patent to his own
cook to appoint all the cooks in the
navy.
Stewards, purveyors, cooks and bak-
ers are classed together by one writer
as the chief beneficiaries under the
system of peculation and perquisites
which at one time made the navy so
happy hunting ground for the ras-
calls of the country. But they were
not all permitted to ply, their trade
with impunity, says the London Globe,
and one sea cook got seven years hard
labor from Sir John Fielding for a
long series of frauds. And in SEN
fencing the man the judge expressed
his regret that he could not order
him to be hanged at the hospital
gates.
Pea soup was generally the best ra-
tion the men had and was certainly
the most liked. Potatoes were always
served in the skins, sometimes two to
each man, and a good natured COOK
was frequently prevailed upon to cook
cakes and duffs that the men had
made for themselves, demanding Tor
his services either a pot of grog or
portion of the dish he cooked.
Sometimes, however, he could only
be bribed by money, and in that way
increased his pay of 35 shillings a
month, in addition to which he was
nearly always in receipt of a pension
of lis. Sd. per month. Besides these
sources of revenues he also made a
good deal of money from the sale OF
''slush," the fat scraped from the
ships coppers after each meal had
been served, and half of which was his
perquisite The other half belonged
to the, ship for greasing the bottom
and running tackle.
The hips cook was, moreover, hon
ored with a guard of two marines,
who stood sentry over the door of the
galley during the preparation of meals
to prevent unwarranted raids upon
the provisions by ships thieves; ne
did not wear a uniform, nor was he
expected to keep watch, being allowed
to sleep in comfort and comparative
privacy throughout the night on the
lower gun deck. But on the other
hand he had some duties not connect
ed with food, among them the prepara-
ton, when the ship was in port, OF a
hot poker for firing salutes.
And it was an established custom
of the navy that the ship was not
properly paid off until the pennant
was struck by the cook. This opera
ton he was expected to perform as
the last officer of the ship, and until
he had done it no officer could con-
slider himself discharged or at liberty
to leave the port. This rule held good
though every seaman had left the ship,
and sometimes the cook himself, in a
out carrying out the task and had to
be routed out again before the incens-
ed officers could leave for their homes.
There will be seamen alive today who
have heard the phrase: Every man
to his station, and the cook to the
foresheet," and the landsman who has
read Marryat will always connect the
man of the galley with the famous
phrase: Son of sea cook"
In addition to the ships cook, OF
course, there were, as now, the mess
cooks, men who were appointed by
the seamen themselves to be presl-
dents Of the messes for the week, and
who had to receive the provisions Tor
the mess from the purser at the daily
issuing of victuals, and who had to
hand these on to the ships cook IN
good time AS compensation for his
trouble the mess cook drew the cook 8,
or double, portion of grog, and ne
deserved it, for his duties were ardu-
GUS and his critics severe.
If he spoiled the duff he was tried
by jury of the mess, and this jury
was gathered by hosting a mess swaD
or beating a tin dish between decks
forward. He was condemned to the
most painful punishment il found
guilty. He was also carver for the
mess, and in order to prevent favor
itism a blindfolded member Of the
mess was required to call out the name
of the person who was to receive the
portion as it was placed on the plate.
Small or large, that portion was given
to the man named, and probably no
more satisfactory method of dealing
with the question could have been