The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-01 00:00:00

S 7 APRIL 1, 1850.

ships'' instructions, it may make the subject more
generally intelligible if we call to recollection the
steps taken twenty-seven years ago in the mutter now
under consideratiOn, and explain what Was, and what
is, the ration .of spirits in the navy.
22. Upon a report from Sir John Phillimore, cap.
tain of her Majesty's ship ,Thetis, we find, an Admi-
ralty minute, dated the 24th of 14arch, 1§24, express-
ing the future benefit to be expected, as regards the.
discipline of the' ships' and the health of the crews
generally, it' only half the present allowance of
spirits be issued daily `to the meal ; but before taking
any definite measures regarding this scheme, my
Lords desire the opinion of a committee of flag
officers."
23. A committee was' thermion appointed, of
which.LOrd Extnouth was chairman, with Sir Pulte-
ney Malcolm, Sir Elward Codrington, Sir J. 13?res-
ford, and girWilloughby Lake, as his associates.
24. These distinguished officers stated in their re-
port :—" We are of opinion the Pleasure (a reduction
in the allowance of spirits) m/sy be adopted with
great advantage to the discipline of the service, and
'benefit to the snmen."
25, Acting upon this recommendation, 'the Acltni-

ralty proniufgated, in July, 1824. a new and imp`rov:
scale of victualling, in which the allowance of spirits
was fixed at one gill of the wine measure then in use,
being half the former allowance. . •
26.. The allowance haying been, thus reduced, and
the evening serving Of' grog ccinscquentlw discon-
tinued, a sensible improvement in disciPline took
pine, to the content and comfOrt of all on board.
• 27., Tois new system was unt brtunately, of short
duration.
28. On .the let of January, L 826, the imperial
measure came into use, and took ;from the previous
reduction of the allowance much, of its benefit, by
making an addition thereto of one-,fifth.
29. The quantity thus increased was found too
much for a single issue, and the mischievous custom
of, an evening, serving was forced into use a second
time.

30. The evidence before us clearly proves that the
evening grog is the source of those evils which render
discipline irksome, and give to the naval service a
character for harshness which it does not deserve.
31. Tea, introduced into the navy. in 1824, as a
part of the substitute for the diminished allowance of
rum, is served at the same time a 5 the evening grog ;
ilnd men, who prefer the tea, sell their alloWance of
grog to others, of less temperate hails. This is one
source,of drunkenness.
32. Another is—the men who are expert in mak-
ing clothes, or other articles, very frequently receive
payment for their work in liquor.
33..1t appears, also, by the eviderce of the seamen,
that a custom prevails, more or less, in every ship
which enables at least one man in each mess to get
drunk every night ; namely, that the cook of the
mess for the day has, by consent a his messinates, a
large proportion, and, in many messes, the whole of
the evening grog of the mess for his own use or dis-
posal ; and in the latter case he has, the power to make
many others drunk as well as him self.
34. The existence of these practices, which it does
not appear can be effectually Checked by the police of
a ship, as at present constituted, induces us to recom-
mend to their Lordships' consideration the establish-
ment of a corps of higher qualified and better paid
persons--men of proved steadiness, activity, and in-
telligence; so that, on first commissioning of a ship,
a master-at-arms :and ships' corporals would at once
be sent to her from the dockyard, where such an
establishmen`, when not afloat, may be usefully em-
ployed in helping to check the depredation of stores,
&c., which there is reason to believe takes place to a
considerable extent.

35. At present it is a matter of chance whether a
captain may find men qualified for duties upon which
the good orders of a ship so much depends ; and we
cannot too strongly press the necessity .of some im-
provement in this respect upon their Lorships' at-
tention.
3G. This proposal respecting the police will be in-
complete unless measures be adoptwd for preventing
the clandestine' introduction of spirits which now
takes place to a very great extent when ships are in
port. We therefore recommend that the command-
ing officers of her Majesty's ships be armed with au-
thority, to search, and seize, share boats, hovering
about the ship with spirits, and to send the offenders
before a magistrate, to be dealt with according to a
law which it is desirable should be enacted for that
purpose.

S 7. We come now to the consideration of the best
means of preventing a misuse of the allowance, of
grog.
38. Some of the men in their evidence have said
that "if a man drinks no more than his allowance it
will not hurt the old seamen ;" but there is sufficient
evidence to show that it has a different effect on the
younger sailor; and he it is who most needs to be
guarded froth the dangerous temptation.
39. Me obserVation of the men; however, means to
-attribute drunkenness- more- to -the vicious practices
we have mentioned than to the actual quantity of
spirits allowed.

40. In the American navy the men drink their
grog at the tub, in the presence of an officer. In
our service this plan has been known only as It punish-
ment for drunkards, until recently adopted on broard
her Majesty's ship Constance, with a complement of
500 men.

41. Punishments having been found unavailing to
check the drunkenness that prevailed in that ship,
Captain Courteney repeatedly warned his men that
he would be, obliged to make them drink their grog
at the tub ; and he accordingly did so.
42. The beneficial effect of this experiment is well
described by the surge3n of the Constance in his me-
dical journal, in which he lays great stress on the im-
proved health and discipline of the ship in conse-
quence of greater sobriety.,
43. But a system so contrary to the habits of our
service, though followed by some other nations, con-
tains difficulties which it is not necessary to discuss
in this report. In deciding, however, not to recom-
mend it as a general measure, we entirely approve of
its being left, at the discretion of the captain, to have
recourse to it in the event of drunkenness being
found generally to prevail, but especially as relates to
the evening serving, so long as that practice continues
in force. ,

44. Another plan has been put before us by Captain
Michael Seymour, whose <attention to this subject
gives weight to his opinions ; he proposes--
Ist. That no ration of spirits shall be issued, but a
compensation in lieu of it given to the men. •
2d. That such men as wiih to do so may draw the
reduced allowance of grog from the purser; the same
being charged against their wages as is now done with
slop clothing, tobacco, soap, &c.
45: Captain Seymour considers his plan " will
give support to those persons who would rather put
the value of their allowance in their pockets than
drink it ; and will give a chance to a lad who enters
the navy not to :become a grog-drinker; in fact, to
take temptation out of his way."
'4G:: Though we think Captain Seymour's plan well
Worthy of being kept in recollection, we are not pre-
pared‘to.recommend its adoption at the present time.
47. ,We come now to the method which we think
best calculated to bring the issue of spirits within
such limits as will effect, the object their Lordships
have in: view.

-Ist. We propose that the ration of spirits or wine
be reduced oue-half, continuing the dinner- allowance
as it has been since 1826, and to do away altogether
the evening grog. •

.23. That no raw spirits shall be issued as a daily
ration to any one, but that the allowance be mixed
with three times its quantity of water, except at the
discretion of the captain, under special circum-
stances ; and that an allowance which shall be omitted
to he dfawn on one day shall not be taken up on any
subsequent day.
3d. That no allowance be issued to tilt, midship-
men, master's assistants, clerk's assistants, or first
class boys, except by the special direction of the cap-
tain, and that compensation be granted as hereinafter
provided.
4th. That the allowance to cadets and second-class
boys be wholly taken away, and that compensation be
given as hereinafter mentioned.
sth. Troops, when embarked, to receive the sam3
allowance of spirits or wine as seamen.
48. This brings us to the consideration of their
Lordships' second question, viz., "The equivalent to
be paid for such reduction."
49. Admirals, captains, and ward-room officers
having the same rations the men, will, of course, be
subject to the same reduction, but we do not think it
necessary to include them in the scale of compensa-
tion, as they have, when afloat, their wine and gro-
ceries duty free.
JO. But :Tart from this view of the subject, we
cordially concur in the opinion expressed by the com-
mittee, of which Lord Exmouth was chairman, that
the "flag and other officers will consider themselves
amply rewarded by the great improvement which vt ill
evidently arise in the general health of the seamen,
and the discipline and good order of her Majesty's fleet.'
51. We believe that the officers will cheerfully as-
sent to any sacrifice that can be proposed with a view
to the success of a scheme promising such advantages
to the service.

52. We propose that mates, assistant surgeons,
second masters, midshipmen, master's assistant, clerks,
clerk's Assistants, nand cadets, and boys of both