The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-27
NO MORE GROG.
Splicing the Main Brace" Does not Take
Place After Conquest.

| They didn't s'splice the main brace"
the other day on the Nashville when that
gallant gunboat had raced through the
sea, with every human pulse a-beat, and
captured the first prize of the war. They
won't splice the main brace on the Oregon
even if all hands should have the strain
of all that seemingly impossible thing,
an all days running fight with a feet of
Spanish cruisers.
"Splicing the main brace" is, or rather
used to be, serving an "extra" allow ance
to all hands on naval vessel after an
engagement This explanation is so old
that 1t will be news to many in these
days. II things were as they used to be
how naturally it would have happened
that when the Nashville had captured her
prize and when every heart aboard was
aglow with the success the boatswain and
his mates should have piped through the
ship the order, GAN hands for grog" At
the beginning of any other war in our his
tory sGrog oh p would have resounded
through the ship. But
They We raised his pay five cents day
And stopped his grog forever.
A notable event was the invention Of
grog" in l740. According to a learned
article on the subject published in the
United States service by Admiral Meade,
| in 1884, the honor is due to Admiral Yer
non of the royal navy. In bad weather it
was his fashion to wear on deck grogan
cloak, from which he acquired the
sobriquet of sod Grog." About the year
mentioned, while in command of tho
West Indian station he originated new
and satisfactory beverage composed of
rum and water, the sevring of which be-
gan on his faghip. the Burford, and
| thence spread. The beverage was dubbed
"grog," and the word has lied.
When our navy began Its illustrious
career amid the Revolution liquor was,
of course, as necessary part of the sup
plies as sea biscuit and powder, and we
| find Paul Jones, on sailing from Ports
mouth. in TIT. bewailing, among other
shortage. ''only thirty gallons of rum
| In 1881 Congress took an advanced step
by providing that all in the navy who
Voluntarily relinquisned the spirit ration
should BIO paid six cents day. In lS42
the ration was out down to one gill, but
the alternative of half pint of wine was
added, and the communication price was
| fixed at three cents.
The first year OF the CIVIL war Drough6
a greatly increased naval force and in.
creased trouble from strong drink. Moral
sntiment had progressed, too.
nj July, 1862, Congress revolutionized
the American navy by passing the his
toric law providing
"That from and after the first day of
September, 1862, the spirit ration in the
navy of the United States shall forever
cease, and thereafter no distilled spirit
mons LIQUORS shall he admitted on hoard
of vessels of war except as medical stores
and upon the order and under the control
of the medical officers of such vessels, and
to be used only for medical purposes.
From and after the first day of Septem
Der next there shall be allowed and paid
to each person in the navy now entitled
to the spirit ration hve cents per day In
communication and lieu thereof, which
shall be in addition to the present pay.
And since that day there has been no
"grog" in the United States navy.-San
FRANCISCO Call.