Tars Quitting Rum Casks

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30453, 29 May 1964, Page 1

Tars Quitting Rum Casks

Wooden rum casks seem an anachronism in these days of radar, steel men-of-war, and bunks instead of hammocks, but the Royal New Zealand Navy has 27 of them for sale at Devonport, Auckland. All empty, there are 26 50-gallon casks and one 36-gallon cask.

Ours is one of the few navies which cling to the old tradition of “up spirits” and an issue of a tot of rum to every man in the morning The United States Navy is completely “dry," the South African Navy issues a tot of brandy instead of rum, the Royal Australian Navy issues beer, and the French and Italian Navies issue wine.

The Royal New Zealand Navy’s rum comes from Australia, where it is made in association with the sugar

cane industry. It is 136 proof, but before issue the Navy waters it down to 95.5 proof (compared with the 75 proof rum sold commercially). Thanks to Admiral Edward Vernon, this is diluted even further to a liquid called “grog” in the proportion of one quart of water to half a pint of spirits. Before his order of 1740 forbidding the serving of raw spirits in the Royal Navy, sailors had a daily ration of a gallon of beer in home waters, a quart of beverage wine in the Mediterranean, or a half pint of neat brandy, rum or arrack in the East and West indies.

The term grog comes from Admiral Vernon's old nickname “Old Grog,” after his sea cloak made of grogram—a silk, mohair and wool fabric waterproofed with gum. Sailors still like their grog and tots are often used (quite unofficially) as a form of currency—usually in settlement of bets. But today, instead of issuing the rum allowance to

each mess, the Royal New Zealand Navy is beginning to supervise the drinking of each tot, and “gash” any grog which remains, over the side