THE KING'S HEALTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22198, 27 August 1935, Page 14

THE KING'S HEALTH

MEMORABLE OCCASION "SPLICING THE MAIN BRACE" Officers and men of the Royal Australian Navy drank the King's health at Jcrvis Bay 011 July 21, when, in accordance with the Royal signal to "splice the main brace," beer was issuod to the ship's companies of the Australian squadron for the first time in 15 years. Each man was given half a bottle of beer or its equivalent in soft drinks for teetotallers. It was a memorable occasion, and, for the majority of the ship's ratings, it was also a unique event. Never beforo had tliev heard tho bugle sound tho "rum call" which summoned the mess orderlies to draw the beer issued to them by Royal Command. The King's signal will take its place as a historic document in the records of the Royal Australian Navy. In tho wardroom of the flagship, the admiral and the captain joined the officers in tho loyal toast, which the Sussex and other ships of tho Royal Navy had previously drunk in traditional rum. But, though rum has been issued in tho Royal Navy for many years, the Australian squadron was in accord with earlier naval history in "splicing the main brace" in beer. In the sixteenth century, when food was poor in quality and almost negligible in quantity, there was an allowance of a gallon of beer or wine a day. Owing to the limited stowage for beer aboard tho ships of those days, rum was issued as a substitute for beer, and was officially adopted following the conquest of Jamaica, when it was first introduced.