LIQUOR IN THE NAVY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12911, 27 February 1906, Page 3

LIQUOR IN THE NAVY.

• The Admiralty (says the " Express ,r ) has settle face against the consumption of alcohol, except in. very moderate doses, by naval officers. The" sea lords a*#ert. that thefdaily whisky habit destroys nerve and quickness of brain, and w. in consequence, fatal to fleet efticieccv. ,T!ii* opinion yeas issued to admirals in Xorwribcr last, and, has since been circulated throughout the .squadrons in the form of an order. The result is that conisiderable dissatisfaction has .been expressed at what is termed grandmotherly legislation. The official mandate runs as follows -.—" Officers of aay rank who'habitually consume more alcohol than is gcod for them must necessarily suffer a loss of nerve, and con.-equcntiv render themselves inefficient for service"; and commanding officers are in such oase* to limit or to stop the wine hills of anv officer should -they consider this course to be in the interests J*jf His Majesty's service." Officers' wine bcoks a*e examined, and no officer under the of 2C is permitted to consume spirits of aur kind. The officers state that this order puts a premium on entertaining private guests, and placts in the hands of captains a power which is not enjoyed by any person in civil life over the" private actios** of grown men- in their charge. As a reason for,-this order, it is claimed that officers of the ships at Home which are provided with nucleus crews have "no work to do _in the afternoons, and that their good habits are endangefedby this leisure. Instead of providing these officers with work, the authorities cut off their wbidtv because a few officers in port are addicted to conviviality. Among the men of the navy 9000 are known abstainers. Tho marines aie {Kiiticularly sober, and the Boscawen. Caledonia. Implacable, and Bulwark each boasts over 100 temperance bluejackets