The Royal Navy, Rum and Great Bights Mum

[Romanoffia]

I stumbled upon this little interesting factoid:

On this day in 1970, the British Royal Navy gave out its last ration, or 'tot', of rum to British sailors. July 31st will forever be known as a day of infamy: BLACK TOT DAY

So have a dram and toast all those poor, thirsty sailors with all that water and not a drop to drink!

 

[Great Bights Mum]

I read somewhere that back in the 17th-19th centuries the water onboard the ships was pretty nasty, stagnant stuff. The sailors needed the rum to mix with the water. Presumably by the 1970s they had solved the water purification issues and so the navy could safely eliminate the rum rations. All I have to say is.... That's more for me!

Cheers!

 

[mcmasterdonia]

I bought a nice bottle of rum the other day, called The Kraken, and it was in a typical pirate-style bottle. Very nice.

 

[Haor Chall]

I read somewhere that back in the 17th-19th centuries the water onboard the ships was pretty nasty, stagnant stuff. The sailors needed the rum to mix with the water. Presumably by the 1970s they had solved the water purification issues and so the navy could safely eliminate the rum rations. All I have to say is.... That's more for me!

Cheers!

Well, that's where the tradition may have started, but I think it was eliminated more to save money than for any other reason!

Though the rum ration is gone, tots are still handed out occassionally - the Queen ordered "splice the mainbrace" after the Jubilee this year.


McM - Kraken is very nice stuff! Neat bottle and the contents are very good too!

 

[Romanoffia]

My favorite variety of Rum is a local 'bootleg' product from New Foundland called 'Screech'. It's a traditional 'pirate rum' and it will dissolve the glazing off the inside of a toilet bowl when you puke the next morning. Arrrrgh!