Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-10-31
RUM RATIONS IN THE NAVY.

Rum is driven ont Of the merchant service
but it still finds refuge in the Navy. Our
Government cannot be so cruel and hard
hearted as 10 deprive the poor seamen Of his
daily allowance OF grog, which is the cause
'uf nearly all the trouble, nsuh, linnion, and
punishment that are found on board our ships
Of war. Eycn at this very moment, n brig
at the Charlcstown Navy Yard, is takin. in
a cargo OF stores for our government vessels
on the South American station. and among
the stores provided for the comfort and con.
vcnlcnce OF our scnmcn on that coast, arc
sir thousand gnlions ofrum!
i The following IL an extract from the "Ship
and Shore" by Rev. Walter Cotton. II con.
inins some home truths, presented in forci.
/ BILE ndnner, and deserves the serious consid.
GRAFTON Of every one interested in promoting
The happiness of our scamrn and the useful
ness Of The Navy:-[ Boston Journal.
"Would that the diversions and excite.
mcnts of the sailor never carried him more
widely on the moral compass from his true
course than he is borne when yielding to the
vein Of II song, or making the part of hIs story.
But he is so entirely The creature of impulse
aud n"mentary feelings. that he frequently
finds himself so far out of his reckoning thar
d
most painful close sailing, to enable him To
bring up the lce.way. No one thing con-
tributes more to this disastrous departure
than the stimulating bowl. This is his daily
-in-his prevailing temper-hs hattering.
false irond-his associate in Joy, his refuge
in gricf-nnd the prime source OF all the cr-
rors and evils that bclal him. Will it be
credited, hereafter, that the Government
n the kind, pntcrnal Government which he
scrves-prcscnts this poisoned chalice to his
| lips? Yet this is the fact Ia fact that will
! I'LL those who may write the history of these
times with incredulity aud amazemen,!
Il The evils to the sailor, of which this VIC
ions Indulgence is the source, are Of the most
affecting character, there is not a wave or
shore, where our canvass has been spread,
| that is not darkcncd with the graves of our
mariners. There is not a circle from which
the bold hearts have gone, that has not been
| filled with mourning for those who are to re-
turn no more. Could the wave Tint has been
the winding sheet of the sailor speak-could
| the lonely shore reveal the secrets of is fire.
| qucnt mounds, there would be voices on the
ocean, and bones on its strand, TO tell a tale
Of death more wild and dark than any that
ever yet kneilcd lis tcrrors through the most
tie proud ship naked hulk on the deep, nor
\ the rock strewn with the fragments Of iis
pcrished strength. that has wrough, this scene
of desolation, aud filed so many hearts will,
unavailing sorrow. 1t is that cup of insidous
poison, mingled and nixcd-snd still placed
to his lips by the Government! Yes, by the
Government!
Nor were those who had shor, time since
hn atIfu IN in, .i,r ~ rf tnn mn
Legislature, a discountenance of this crimi.
nal conduct. able to shield themselves even
from m insulting lcvity. The senselcss jes,
reached them, cn,renchch as they were, be-
hlnd this appalling mass Of misery aud death!
II Numbers, with whose names ! will not dis
honor this page, cast upon the earnest, i'm
| passioned appeal, tho mockcry ofthnir snecrs
Such men might consistently triilc with th'
despair Of the dying. and spor. among The
bones Of their ancestral dead They are O
bnrlcsquc upon the solcmniiies of the lrgis
la'ive hall They arc os unfit to lay .heil
hands upon the ark of power, us a buiToon tt
administer incense upon the nltars of the
sanctuary.
/, Bot iorbear. Let the invcciive ligt' only
on the guilty. 1t is the imperative duty o
those who hold the rcsirnints Of national law
in their hands TO lcgslac on this subject
to Withdraw the countcnance and sanction
which they have givcn-.to dash 10 the earil
The fatal cup which they arc holding TO tI'
| lips of the sailor aud 10 cut up. root Gn,
branch, this deep EVIL in The naval seryice.-
II u, by any strange perversiiy or rccklessDess
of heart. they fail to do this. they bcirnr the
trusts conhdcd to tlicm--tbey bc,roy the in
forests of the Navy. the interests Of the coun.
TRY, the great cause Of humanity and the
blood Of thousands will be found on their
skihs in that day when men shall live u
HGod on account oil their deeds"