Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-01-13
COOKING MEALS
ON A BATTLESHIP

The o.. S. S. Texas, the most recently
constructed battleship of the United
States navy, is the first battleship on
which coal-fired ranges have been en-
tirely replaced by the electric type.
The equipment consists of 10 ranges in
the general mess galley. five in III Of
ftcers' galley, and two bakers ovens.
The immense extent of the cooking
operations on board this ship arc only
realized after considering the guam
Of people served. The crew consists
Of 900 men n the officers number
about 10. The officers meals are a
little more elaborate thar those served
the crew. but the quality Of food
served is about in proportion 10 the
numbers fed. Coffee, tea. boiled meats
and vegetables for the general mess
are prepared in steam iacketed cald-
rons and therefore do not require thc
operation of the electric & In the
officers galley. where less food is pre-
pared. electricity is used exclusively for
cooking n even boiliUe.
About $500 pounN bread is We
quired a week. not ding that con-
sumed in the Officer quarters. Other
God nave TO be prepared in ike guam
titles. A single meal requires as high
as 600 pounds of meat. 1T5 gallons or
coffee, and l40 gallons of soup. The
cooking operations, named in the order
VI tt!S NudlillticS on 1000 Pl ol'siiNu w
that method. are boiling. frying. roast
ing and broiling. More than half OF
the food. by weight * boiled, while that
baked and roasted about equals the
amount fried.
The switches controlling the differ
ent parts of each rang are placed IN
a compartment above the hot plates.
The switches connected to the hot
plate and oven circuits are each
equipped with an auxiliary blade,
which, when closed. allows energy TO
flow through an auxiliary heater unit
to produce 81 high heat" needed in
rapid cooking.
Sufficient cooking apparatus has
been installed. so that under ordinary
conditions it is necessary TO operate
only four-fifths of the ovens at a time.
BY leaving a fifth of the ovens idle
each week it is believed that the heat
ing units will last a longer time.
The time required to prepare each
meal depends on the food to be served.
The temperature OF the hot plates can
be raised from formal to d working
value in about 30 minutes by connect
ing the "high-heat" unit for five min
utes at the start and using only the
main element thereafter. BY operating
the "high-heat" units in the ovens in q
similar manner the temperature can be
brought up to the proper vaiue IN from
% to 80 minutes. Only about six min
utes is required TO start the broiler.
Particular care is exercised TO pro-
cure economic operation of the ranges
by concentrating the cooking on q lew
ranges so hat the inefficiency of inter-
mittent operation is avoided. The head
cook supervises the operation To see
that switches are not left closed when
a range is not in use.
The first class cook on the Texas
declares that he considers the electric
range far superior To the coal-tired
type. First of all. the use of the elec--
trio type eliminates the necessity or
handling coal n ashes. Consequently
there is less dirt present in the room
where the food is prepared. The cleo
trio range is much cooler to work
around. the heat being hardly notice.
able even on hot days. Furthermore.
he declares it is much easier to cook
with the electric equipment. as the tenn
%peratures in uniform.
The ranges ave been in constant
use on board the Texas since March
IL, and since that time three meals a
day for a crew of 900 have been pre-
pared without an Interruption or delay.
In the general mess galley Ave COOKS
and a head cool are required each
watch. In the officers galley there are
four cooks. one for each officers mess.