The Wilmington morning star., 1945-09-22
TEA EYE-OPENER
IN BRITISH NAVY.
WHISKEY LATER

ABOARD Inns. DUKE
YORK ENRoUTE TO ~ HoN VI
KONG-lRAIf the British 'N NV
had only one certain custor, NaVy
would know from this that i you
manned by one of the most WA was
llzed nations in the world, WYE
That custom is the nre.h.,
fast cup of tea. 'esA'
Every morn4Ag if Won .ro
guest or officer aboard one Of h;s
majesty's vessels you are res+ " MS
gradually to life by Marine 1lsu
taps you on the shoulder and d %.o
his best to convince you that w.
world is endurable by PUTTING
steaming cup of tea by your boa
side. "eo'
You drink it lying stretched mn
length and your head propped wv
on your pillow. 1t creeps con N.Y.
fidently around inside your douh. .
full stomach gently and savs
everything is going to be Al
right and this is going to be ons M
of your better days"
BY then you are awake enm,0h
to shave and half an hour later
you can sit down to breskfast
with complete serenity, ready n
joust with the worlds evils
This morning tea habit-there is
also a 4 o'clock tea to tide vo,
over the long hours between lunch
and dinner - and the British
Nays adult attitude toward alec.
hol point up one of the superior.
tiles of sea life aboard the battle.
ship Duke of York over say the
Battleship of Missouri.
The British have learned 10 re.
lax better than Americans on lone
sea tours which threaten to break
men down with unchanging monot.
ony and boredom.
The wardroom bar aboard This
ship is open from noon until l;3O
pm. and from 6 in the evening
until 1920 p. m. This routine is fol.
lowed even during wartime when
the ship is on combat duty, ex.
cept when the men are actually
at action stations
Ordinary seamen 20 years Of
age or over get a traditional tot
of rum daily-one eighth of pint
two full ounces-or they can take
it out in added pay if they prefer,
three pence Is cents daily.
About 60 per cent of the men
prefer the rum. The kings regu.
lations provide that rum issued to
seamen must be mixed with at
least two parts water. They can't
drink it neat.
On special occasions, such as a
victory over Japan, everyone
20 or over "splices the main.
brace"-he gets an extra tot of
rum and one ounce Of sugar.
When the japanese SURRENDERED,
Admiral Halsey issued an order
to splice the mainbrace" for Bri.
fish fleet units under his com.
mand.
Unfortunately for American sea.
men he followed it up with mega.
titive" for United States ships
whose personnel were all ready TO
break out beer stored in holds for
consumption ashore.
The American Navy still re.
mains theoretically dry at sea
with the exception of carriers, on
which plane pilots get one whisky
slug, if they want one, when they
| return from missions.
There is no set restriction on the
consumption of liquor in British
wardrooms by officers, but there
is generally an understanding that
each officers bill won't exceed
five pounds ($2W a month. The
average price of Scotch is only
sixpence drink-one dime-or
less so that it allows an officer
200 drinks a month, or six per
day.
Most officers are we'll below the
limit. The mere fact that liquor
is available every day tends to cut
down it's use.
ut would be silly to abuse it"
said one officer, who likewise
thought it would be equally silly
if no liquor at all were allowed
to be drunk aboard.
This grown-up attitude puts re-
sponsibility squarely on the indlvl'
dual officer. If he can't stand up
to his 1iquor-or his responsibility;
The British Navy has its ways Of
handling the situation.