Our Daily Bread -- Feeding the Fleet

There shall be allowed to every person serving in his majesty ships, a daily proportion of provisions, as expressed in the following table,

Together with an allowance of Vinegar, not to exceed have a pint to each man per week.

In case it should be found necessary to alter any of the foregoing particulars of provisions, and to issue other species as their Substitutes, it is to be observed,

That a pint of Wine, or have a pint of Rum, Brandy, or other Spirits, holds proportion to a gallon of Beer.

At 4 pounds of Flour, or 3 pounds thereof with 1 pound of Raisins, are equal to 4 pound pieces of Salt Beef.

They have a pint of Currents, or ½ lb. of Beef suet is equal to 1 pound of Raisins.

The 4 pounds of fresh Beef, or 3 pounds of Mutton, are equal to 4 pounds of salt Beef, and 3 pounds of fresh Beef, or Mutton, to a 2 pound piece of salt Pork, with pease.

That whenever Rice is issued either for Bread, Pease, Oatmeal or Cheese, 1 pound of Rice is to be considered equal to a pound of Bread, a pint of pease, a quart of Oatmeal, or a pound of Cheese.

That a pint of Wheat, or Pot of Barley, is equal to a pint of Oatmeal;

At 5 pounds and 3/4 Molasses are equal to 1 gallon of Oatmeal;

Then when Sugar is substituted for Butter or Cheese, 1 pound of Sugar is equal to 1 pound of Butter, or 2 pounds of Cheese.

That 1 pound of Oil is equal to a pound of Butter, or 2 pounds of Cheese; and that ½ lb. of Cocoa, or 1/4 pound of Tea, is equal to 1 pound of Cheese.

Knots You Should Know

The first rating in Western Lakes Station is that of a Waister. Historically these were the least skilled men aboard and their working assignment was in the waist of the ship hauling on ropes. So here are a few terms, as well as, a few hitches and knots to get you on your way.

Terms

Bight - a curve or arch on the rope; any part between ends.

Standing part or end - inactive part.
Working end - the part being manipulated.

Bends - secure two rope ends to each other.

Hitches - secures a rope to another object.

Knots -  form loops or make knobs.

Animated Knots by Grog™

 Square knot (reef knot)  

 Half Hitch 

 Overhand knot 

 Figure eight

 Clove Hitch

 Clove Hitch by Loops

A Sailor's Kit

In a well-regulated ship, a sailor's kit consists generally of at least two blue jackets, and one pea jacket, which is a sort of lumbering shaggy surtout, or curtailed great-coat, capable of being wrapped round the body, so as to cover the thighs... A seaman must also have two pairs of blue trousers, two pairs of shoes, six shirts, four pairs of stockings, two Guernsey frocks, made of a sort of worsted stocking-work, without any opening in front; two hats, two black handkerchiefs, and a comforter to wrap round the throat; together with several pairs of flannel drawers and waistcoats; for in hot, as well as in cold climates, and at all times of the year, the men are now encouraged, as much as possible, to wear flannel next the skin.

His delight is to place a black or coloured silk handkerchief lightly over his neck, and to confine its ends across his breast by means of one of the small bones or vertebræ of a shark, which forms a neat, white, perforated cylinder. Some very prime dandies of the mizen-top fold a part of their handkerchief over the shoulders and back; but it requires the aid of a handsome person, and a good deal of modest assurance, to make this tolerable.

They must also provide themselves with four pairs of duck trousers, a straw hat for fine weather, and a canvas or beaver one for squalls, though this need not be insisted on. Shoes are not much used, except by those whose work lies aloft; and prudent hands generally keep a blue jacket by them, in case of rain or night-work. It is not a bad rule to muster the crew occasionally with blue jackets, even in hot weather, to see that such things are really in existence. 

HANDY STORAGE
As a seaman's kit generally forms his whole property, it ought to be carefully preserved…soeternally are they interfered with by some inconsiderate officers. "Pipe the bags up!" "Pipe the bags down!" "Stow the bags afresh!" "Pipe to scrub the bags!" and twenty such orders are given in a day in some ships…

INTO THE HOLD
I remember a captain…directing them [the crew] to roll up all their blue clothes, worsted stockings, and so on, in neat bundles, each having the name and number of the person it belonged to written on a wooden tally, and fastened to it. These being all collected, and packed carefully in well-dried, watertight casks, were stowed away in the hold…

Artifacts from the HMS St. George wreaked on the west coast of Jutland in December of 1811. Strandings Museum St George, Ulfborg Denmark.

Looking for hardy souls to take the King's shilling!

Looking for hardy souls to take the King's shilling! Prizes to be had that have not been seen these last ten years!

westernlakesstation@gmail.com

Billy Culver - The Oldest Midshipman in the Royal Navy

A greenhorn of a lieutenant, who had recently been entered for provisions on board the Royal William, as supernumerary waiting for a passage to the West Indies, at one p.m. disagreeably surprised Billy in his usual avocation of basting a fine goose.  As the day was warm, Billy sat without his coat, his shirt-sleeves tucked up, and an over-sized ladle in his hands.

'Mr. Culver, I presume?' said Greenhorn.

'I am called Billy Culver,' said our friend, removing the little three-cornered hat from his capacious cocoa-nut.

'I am extremely sorry to announce to you, Mr. Culver'

'Billy, if you please, sir.'

'Well, then, if it will soften the unpleasant information, Mr. William Culver'-

'I answer to no other name but Billy Culver,' replied our old friend;' but I see you are heated, sir; try a swig out of my rummer' and he presented his large glass, with the reddish liquor, to the young officer, who thankfully drank till Billy called 'Belay there'; and the officer, after drawing breath, in a courteous manner said —

'It is my unpleasant duty to arrest you, as absent without leave, and convey you, as a prisoner, on board the Royal William guardship.'

'This is very mal à propos, as I was to dine with some friends on the fine bird before you; but I will put on my coat and attend you to old Grimsby, who is very harsh, as I am only a few days over my leave of absence granted by him.  May I beg the favour of you not to let it burn till I can send the cook in?' So saying, Billy slipped on his coat, and slipped out of the back-door, and very soon reported himself as come on board, to first Lieutenant Grimsby.

'Mr.  Culver, you have overstayed your time three days, and I have sent Lieutenant Greenhorn to bring you off under an arrest. Have you seen him?'

'Dear me, how strange!' said Billy, endeavouring to look very innocent; 'after taking our nooner together (by this he meant a glass of grog, a bad custom in vogue among seamen, even in these days of refinement and reform), I left him in full uniform, basting a goose roasting by the kitchen fire of the India Arms, Gosport; and if you'll please to allow me to fulfil an indispensable engagement this  day, I will, on my passage, make known to him your commands.'

'Send him off instantly, sir; such conduct is particularly unbecoming in an officer or a gentleman.'

And our acquaintance, Lieutenant Greenhorn, was ever after facetiously termed Goose Gibbey.  I believe Billy's objections to being the youngest lieutenant were in course of time conquered, and that he died in a rank I never expect to obtain, that of post-captain.

The Pipe to Dinner and the Noon Ration of GROG

"Pipe to dinner"

These words, followed by a glorious burst of shrill sounds, "long drawn out," are hailed with a murmur of delight by many a hungry tar and jolly marine.  The merry notes are nearly drowned next instant in  the rattle of tubs and kettles, the voice of the ship's cook and his mates calling out the numbers of the messes, the sound of  feet trampling along the decks and down the ladders, with the ample store of steaming provisions; such a set up and braces seaman's frame and give it vigour for any amount of physical action.

Then comes the joyous grog!  That nautical nectar, so dear to the lips of every blue-jacket, with which he washes down his Majesty's junk, as he roughly, but good humouredly styles the government allowance of beef; and while he quaffs off his portion, or his whack, as he calls it, he envies no man alive, and laughs to scorn those party philanthropists who describe his life as one of unhappy servitude.

Up to the year 1824 every man on board was allowed, each day, no less a quantity and half-a-pint of ardent spirits, mixed with three half-pints of water; but, even when thus diluted, the allowance formed a quart of extremely strong drink.  It was divided into two portions, one-half being served out soon after noon, the other between four and five o'clock.  This quantity was undoubtedly a great deal more than the average strength of a man's head could bear; and, in the opinion of the most observant officers in the navy, a large portion of all punishments were consequent upon offenses caused by the inebriating effect. The captain was not allowed to diminish the allowance, while among the man it would've been a reproach and anyone not to have drunk the whole, whatever his own taste might be.