New-York tribune., 1896-11-01
DRINKING IN THE NAVY.
TRICKS TO WHICH SAILORS RESORT TO
SECURE LIQUOR.
They raised his pay five cents day.
Bur they stopped his grog forever.

But they stopped his grog forever.
Macauay says in one of his essays that "the
merit Of poetry In its widest forms still consists
in its truth" This may be applied to the above
lines founded upon the fact that In 1868 the Navy
.grog' ration was abolished And this change
that came the Navy In the matter OF temper
ance is credited to the influence OF Rear-Admiral
A. H. Foote who commanded the squadron that
captured Fort Henry. the Tennessee River, on
February s, 1862. Prior TO this 1t was rare 10 ma
a man-of- f-warsman who did no. appear at the
mast promptly at ''eight bells and splice the
mainbrace" as serving out the spirit ration was
called But the Navy Department did not arbl-
trarily deprive Jack of what he needed or OF
what he really wanted. On the contrary. the COM
manders OF squadrons and OF individual vessels
were asked for their views upon the proposition
and were also directed to submit the question to
the crews, with the result that the whiskey ra-
ton in the early morning before breakfast. and IN
the afternoon was discontinued Jack is admitted
to be the better for it. and so Is the Navy. IN
the old Navy a fondness of drink among officers
not thought TO be more than gentlemanly
weakness" but the abuses OF the drinking habit
became so extensive after the Civil War began.
especially among officers Of the Volunteer Navy.
that any sort Of prohibory regulation was grati-
flying. The cause OF this the privilege al
lowed 10 officers to have liquor always on tap II
they wished. As .his privilege denied to the
crew. grog was issued morning and evening. when
each man got drink, called tot. OF hall n gill
Of the best whskey or rum.
The "grog ration replaced by an allow
ance OF five cents a day. or 81 50 month equiv
acnt TO two and a half cents for each drink.
and this allowance each officer and enlisted man
received when serving on board ship one OF me
sections Of the Navy Regulations. in fact. reads
that no intoxicating liquor of any kind shall be
allowed on board ship: while another regulation
says "Only beer and light wines shall be allowed
on board" But this latter regulation applies 10
officers messes only, while the prohibitory regua-
ton applies to the crew. But prohibition does not
prohibit on board ship. although It is the duty OF
the ofces of the deck TO see that the corporal OF
marines carefully examines every man coming
from shore be certain that he has no liquor con-
cealed on him. But this Is not always effective, for
a man-of-warsman is an inventive rogue. In
stances have been known where sailors have con-
cealed in the roof of their large round-top caps a
tube filled with LIQUOR. or have carried long
bolognaokin filled with 1t. When vessels are lying
in hartSf members of the crew have been half
seas over" although not A single one had been on
shore for week
Did the officers bring the liquor on board TO the
men, In the first place Jack wouldn't think OF
putting such implici, confidence in the ofiicers'
and secondly. officer would be guilty OF s"ch
a violation OF the rules which define conduct un-
becoming a gentleman" The secret lay with tho
'bumboat" man. 9r the 'bumboat woman, and
the secret would be disclosed by examining the
loaves Of bread the large claws OF the iopster'
which make good conveyances of liquor Ihe oum-
boaf men of Gibraltar used TO be the most expert,
and several years ago the whole company OF an
American war vessel became drunk one day on
.loaves OF bread" purchased from the boats when
. out in the stream half mile from the shore. On
the second day the officer Of the deck secured
three loayes OF bread and in each was half-pin'
flask Of cognac. But these schemes have become
so we'll known that they are seldom practised row,
although the sailor finds n surreptitious way OF
getting his ''toddy." If you ask him where ne got
his liquor he would likely reply. why tapped
Another instance Of Jacks inventive genius oc-
Cured one OF the vessels anchorea III 'nls & ao 10
Dor. one of the boats went ashore WIN soIe UI
No officers and after Il had returned To the snip
| one of the men was discovered trying 10 smuggle
huclet OF stuff OF board. The officer OF the deck
Afford in. man TO 20 d the side OF the ship and
'empty that stuff overboard Keccenizing Il. ina : ,
an order is meant TO be obeyed the man went t 10
I}ut another sailor below held canvas bucket ont
Of portfolio and caught nearly all Of the Liquor;
! The rnainbrace" on the Der .hdeck.
| Another trick resorted to recently when a
| pagne was being taken 20 the snip IN d steam
| launch one of the sailors dropped large wrench
of the bottles were broken on the way 10 rhn me
| shin the sailors became unusually thirsty Lney
| frequently dipped the cup into the tub IN wnicn1
champagne before they reached the ship;
When snore liberty some OF the sailors ENJOY
| the removal OF the prohibtory regulations ana
| probably drink too much occasionally; but. as
rule they ashore and return to the snip as gen
tlcn.en self-respccting and sober. IL must not oe
charged that Amer rican man-of warsmen are set
of drunkards; such Is far from the truth. Inc NJ,
sailor loves liberty and he may drink too mucn
sometimes; but the United States Navy never had
more respectable or law-abidins set of enlisted
thirtv vears' for which Admiral Footc and many
other officers may take much credit to themselves