The Twin City star., 1918-11-02


tables and soft bread, no matter what the voyage
he may be on Modern refrfgerating plants and
modern cooking methods are to be thanked Tor
that. ..,
On the hundreds Of new ships which are being
built for the merchant marine by the United States
shipping board careful attention is paid to the
equipment for storing. cooking and serving food.
The government is fully aware that sailOrsA like
soldiers work best well-flled stomachs
Care is taken also that efficient men are en-
ployeh as cooks on the nations new merchant
fleets. Good sea cooks are not numerous, even in
normal times. Having that fact in mind the
United States shipping board, with the thorough
ness that marks all its efforts to create an un-
equaled merchant marine, Is engaged in training
its new ships. Young men Of character and intell-
gence are chosen for instruction.
The training Of cooks Is part of the work done
by the shipping boards recruiting service This
service has fleet of training ships. based at At
lantic and Pacific ports. on all Of which young
Americans are taught by experienced cooks the
serious business Of preparing good food at sea.
Besides that the board has special cooking schools
on two Of the ships-the Meade, former Atlantic
liner stationed at Boston, and the steamer Dorothy
Bradford. stationed at New York.
Cooking at sea is by no means the same thing a.
cooking on land. The sea cook has several things
to bear in mind that the land cook in hotel restau-
Take for instance some Of the precautions h.
must observe as illustrated by the following
"Don'ts for Sea Cooks"
Don't expect tho stove to remain in a perpendicular
position, nor the cook You are on a movinr
platform. namely. the ships deck. which often
rolls and sways with the motion Of the ship in
the sea-
Don't fill kettle full Of liquid. The rolling of the
ship will the contents to slop over and
with fats may start a fire.
Don't allow pots and pans to get adrift AS guard
against this. the galley range has an iron rail
around 1t.
shelf as land. II you do they will slide of
and be smashed There are little pigeon holes
fer each kind, into which the dishes fit, there
being a high bar across the front, with space
cut out through which dish may be reached
and lifted out
On modern ships the serving is done by men in
the stewards department, called Stewards SO the
sen cook Of today needs none OF that dexterity Of
foot that one-legged John Silver showed as he
negped his way aft with dinner along the slippery
deck in the brig of Treasure Island"
II IA truism aboard ship that only a cook who
ukas his lob is worth his salt. discontented cook
will spoil good food. This psychology Is recog.
nized by the shipping board In choosing young men
for training as cooks. Only those who volunteer
Gov tho iob are wanted. There are plenty who do.
or+ ~ 2 600 apprentices always on the training
sb,ns certain percentage may be counted on to
ask for training as COOKS .
These young men are serving on the nations
.hr,doe Of ships" from patriotic motives. Some
NAV 90 back to their home towns when the war
ia over; but others will remain IN the inerchant
marine and will take part In the country peace
n.nonsion at sea as dignfed as that taken by
.optoin. mate or engineer on the ship on which
thav serve. Nor will they suffer In financial
'Io. sor chief cook gets 500 month wages, be-