FEEDING THE NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22059, 15 March 1935, Page 10

FEEDING THE NAVY

WHOLESALE BUYING BENEFIT TO PORTS OF CALL FOOD OBTAINED BY TON VISITING SQUADRON'S SUPPLY Tlio feeding of a naval squadron is a stupendous task and one which confers a direct monetary benefit on the ports visited. In addition, purchases made on shore by the men in an individual way are responsible in the aggregate for a considerable sum of money being put into circulation. As a result of the visit of the Australian squadron it is estimated that Auckland will benefit financially t<s the extent of about £2500. While such a figure can be only an approximation, it is based on naval experience. This shows that a visit by a ship like the Canberra, with a personnel of about 750, is responsible for the expenditure of about £IOOO in one week. The squadron now visiting Auckland for a week has a total personnel of about 1900, made up by two cruisers and three destroyers, the personnel of the three smaller eruffc totalling about 375, or half that of one cruiser.

Large quantities of stores .are carried by warships of the size of the Canberra, so that, comparatively, not a great amount is required at any one time for replenishing in the course of a cruise. Nevertheless, the shopping list for a warship, viewed through the ordinary housekeeper's eyes, is formidable. Purchases in Auckland The stores to be taken on board at Auckland by the squadron will include the following approximate amounts: — Fresh meat, 5 tons; potatoes, 10 tons; Cabbages, 2 tons; onions, 1 ton; butter, 1 ton; pumpkins, 20001b.; eggs, 000 dozen; bacon, 5001b. The Canberra alone will purchase one ton of cabbages, four tons of potatoes and half a ton of onions, and the Sussex will purchase more than five tons of potatoes. In addition the stores will be replenished with swedes, beetroots and lettuce and other vegetables in smaller amounts.

The cost of one day's food in the Canberra is about £4B. If this figure seems low when contrasted with the large quantities of stores purchased, it has to be remembered that provisions are supplied to the Navy at contract prices, which, in view of the huge are considerably below the retail prices paid by housewives. Daily Consumption o! Food

Each day more than 2000 meals are prepared, the daily consumption of the principal foodstuffs being as follows: Meat, 8001b.; bread, 8001b.; potatoes, 10001b.; butter, 1301b. j; sugar, 2001b.;/ tea, 301b.; milk, 50 gallons. All the ship's bread is made on board, so that there is no need to have bread more than one day old. The bakery is an up-to-date department and has in it a dpugh-mixing machine capable of 'dealing with 5401b. of flour, a cake-mixing machine t.nd two electric baking ovens. Each oven can accommodate a batch of 2001b. of bread. The vegetables are cooked in the galley in steam-heated boilers, while the oil-fuel ovens are capable of cooking a roast meal for 800 persons at onte time. Steam presses Bix i'eet long are used for making steamed puddings. Fresh and Dry Stores

The store-carrying capacity of the Canberra is illustrated by the following quantities of foodstuffs, under the heading of "dry provisions," which are carried for a three-months cruise:— Flour, 70,0001b.; biscuit, 40001b.; preserved meat, 70001b.; sugar, 29,0001b.; tea, 40001b.; tinned milk, 13,000 tins. There are also dozens of cases of preserved fruit, sauces, jam and tinned fish. In addition to the foregoing are the fresh' stores, but these, of course, are not taken on board all at once. They are purchased as required at the ports visited. On a three-months' cruise the following are used: —Frozen meat, 76,5001b.; bacon,' 60001b.; butter, 10,0001b,; vegetables, 35,0001b.; potatoes, 45 tons; onions, 8 tons; eggs, 4500 dozen. It is this class of food which is being purchased in Auckland, and, when the ships reach Wellington, further purchases will be made there. Four meals a day are provided for the men, the menu being varied from day to day. A typical week-day menu is as follows:—Breakfast, fried sausages and potatoes; dinner, soup, corned meat, pumpkin, boiled potatoes and custard tarts; tea, bread, butter and golden syrup; supper, soup, curry and rice. On other days breakfast may consist of lamb's fry and bacon or salmon fish cakes, while suppers are varied by the provision of braised" steak, chops or veal and ham pies. Sunday menus are more elaborate.