The Polynesian., 1841-05-01
SPIRIT RATIONS AT SEA.

l nave Just Dccu luNOIcu WIN thC pcihSdi
of a private letter from an officer of the L.
S. Navy, recently written in foreign port,
on board one of our trigates, IN which he
sets forth the evils of spirit ration, as by law
daily issued to all in this branch of our ma
tional service, who do not choose to receive
money in lieu of it; and l am inclined to
ask the attention of your readers to the sub
lect in the hope that along with the ettolts
now making to disseminate right views of
the nature and effects of intoxicating drinks
among our fellow citizens, sympathy may
be awakened in behalf of the six thousand
| gallant tars to whom is committed the pro-
lection of our national flag and our national
honor in every sea and cline, but who by
this very law are placed in circumstances to
betray beth. This do in the hope that we
shall initiate our friends in the State of New
York, who have petitioned Congress, within
few days past, with reference to this sub
| iect Very few of the men. this officer states,
prefer money to their grog; and our half
pint of whislcy is served out to each man
every day in equal quantities, morning. noon
and night; and this, be it remembered, is the
daily allowance of the young noyitiate, as
well as the old topper and what is the con-
sequence: Just as certainly as effect fol-
lows cause, intemperance is, and will be the
inevitable result. These rations of alcohol
cannot be daily swallowed for any consider
able length of time. without causing that pc
cuIiar disease which demands for It's relief,
or rather to alleviate its horrors, continual
repetition of its cause; thus hurrying by an
almost irresistible force, its unhappy victim
down the deep descent of degradation and
misery, often to end his days in Il hospital,
long before his years have reached their noon
tide of life. The writer remarks, 81 believe
it to be the future policy of the government
to receive apprentices into the navy, and in
struct them in all the branches appertaining
to their duty on board vessels of war. A
large number of boys have already entered
the service, and others are joining it from
day to day. How important it must be then
that these young men Just entering on the
duties of their profession should have IA good
example set them, and every inducement he
offered to excite them to form correct moral
habits. But while the present practice is
pursued, nothing can be accomplished, and,
instead OF raising up class of young men
which will be an ornament to the country,
and her defence in time of need, we shall be
found paving premium for vice, and edu-
eating an army OF drunkards and vagabonds. "
How long, ask, shall this absurdy find Il
place among the councils Of this great and
enlightened nation; How long shall the la
tai error be cherished, which was embraced
by the first congress, that ardent spirits
would do the soldiers of their armies good
amidst their tolls and sufierings, but which,
} in the end, left this nation (very much in
consequence of this error propaSated by
such authority, and in this manncr) in slave
ry to alcohol--a bondage in some respects
more degrading and ruinoms than that from
8, which our noble fathers fought successfully
for our delivcrance:
An impression is entertained among the
officers of the navy, (says the writer, that
seamen to man our shi ps could not be obtain
ed, if the spirit ration was abolished. 1t
will be rccolccted by your readers, that
when the temperance reformation began,
the objection among the farmers to the doc
trlne of total abstinence was, that they could
not procure laborcrs to secure their harvcsts,
unless they furnished them with ardent spir-
its; and yet, how soon this objection vanish
ed, when the experiment was fairly made
so would it be in the present case, beyond all
reasonable doubt What parent, Knowing
the facts in the case, would consent To place
: his son amidst these dangers, in comparison
with which the dangers of the ocean. with
| all It's rocks and storms, are as nothing.