A Spirited History: Alcohol on Vessels

Alcohol has a Long History with Mariners

Hardly can there be a more trying career than one with long stints at sea. For as long as we have known alcohol to exist (2700 BC), mariners have consumed it in celebrating their successes, mourning their losses, raising their hopes, and quelling their fears. Since the early 17^th century, when it was first reported distilled on sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean and traded by British privateers, rum has been a popular liquor aboard ships. It has become the subject of long standing traditions.

In December 2014, the issue of drinking aboard vessels caught peoples’ attention when the Royal Canadian Navy implemented a partial ban on drinking at sea. Prior to the partial ban, sailors could consume alcohol while the vessel was at sea, provided they were not on duty in less than six hours. The ban prohibits drinking at sea with the exception of special occasions. The announcement was met with some criticism, and reminded many of when the Royal Canadian Navy stopped issuing a daily ration of rum to sailors in March of 1972. I am grateful to commodore Robert Preston of the Royal Canadian Navy, who was retired for providing the following perspective on the daily “tot”.

The Daily Tot in the Canadian Navy

The issue of a daily ration of rum to sailors serving on ships was passed down from the Royal Navy where it originated some 300 year ago. At that time, it was a daily issue of a half pint of neat rum. Over the years, rum issue was regulated by order of a succession of admirals and by 1850, had been reduced from a half a pint per day to two and one half ounces of rum issued to each man. This “tradition” was adopted by the Canadian Navy on its formation in 1910.

The procedures surrounding the issue of rum, as expected, were closely regulated as rum was a much sought after commodity and the ingenuity of the sailors was boundless in dreaming of weaknesses in the processes surrounding the security which applied to storage and handling of the rum supply and any opportunities the weaknesses provided.

A short look at the daily procedure of issuing rum on board ships at sea and in harbour reveals the very detailed and precise routine that surrounded the event.

Rum issue commenced at 1120 in the forenoon with the Bosun’s Mate making the pipe, “Up Spirits”. This brightened the day of every sailor and caused the officer of the afternoon watch to take custody of the keys to the spirit locker, meet with the coxswain and a supply rating and proceed down the many ladders to the spirit locker which was typically located in the very bowels of the ship. The coxswain at this point would have made a record listing each man entitled to his “tot” of rum and the exact amount of rum would be carried from the spirit locker to the location chosen for issuing. (On a fair day it might be on the upper deck or if inclement weather in the main passageway.)  The rum would be poured into a large container from where it would be issued.

Under the watchful eye of the officer and the coxswain, the supply rating would first issue the correct amount of rum to each of the petty officer’s messes and this would be taken to the respective messdeck as chief and petty officers were permitted to drink their tot unsupervised and at their leisure. Not so for the sailors who would muster at the appointed location and line up with their cups containing a measure of either water or Coke into which the supply rating poured an exactly measured tot of rum. The sailors were required to drink their tot in view of the officer and coxswain to preclude saving it for another day or passing it to a mate.

When all had been issued their tot, there was usually some left over as attendance at rum issue was voluntary. This excess was referred to as “ullage”. The rules were clear — it was to be irretrievably disposed of in the presence of the officer. By noon, the event was over — each sailor having taken on board 2 and 1/2 ounces of rum and ready to continue his working day.

It is interesting to note that the coxswain’s tally of daily entitlement did not include officers who as a group were not entitled to the issue of rum. It did not include those sailors who declared themselves “temperance” who were compensated financially with a small addition to their pay. It also did not include those sailors who had incurred the captain’s punishment of “stoppers” usually as a result of issues related to drunken behavior ashore.

The End of the Issue of the Daily “Tot” in the Navy

The tradition of rum issue was discontinued in the British Royal Navy in 1971 on a day that will be forever remembered by many as “Black Tot Day”. Canada followed suit the next year, having concluded that the 300 year old practice of a midday issue of rum to those entrusted with the operation and maintenance of today’s complex weapons systems presented certain inconsistencies. The Canadian Navy terminated the daily issue of rum on March 31, 1972. Some have said that ending the daily tot represented progress and others have lamented that, “we have abandoned a tradition that has served us well for over 300 years.”

Many thanks to commodor Robert Preston (Ret’d) for providing the history of tots in the Navy.

Alcohol on Non-Navy Vessels, Reasons for a Rationed Approach

The consumption of alcohol on ships remains extensive, particularly on smaller and less sophisticated commercial vessels and pleasure crafts. While the concerns of what effects alcohol may have on a mariner’s ability to operate a complex naval ship are clearly not the same on other vessels, the effects of alcohol should be closely monitored by owners and masters. The use of alcohol by a crew on a voyage, for example, may mean that the vessel is not legally seaworthy. A vessel’s insurance may be voidable where the owner is aware the crew has consumed alcohol, and the intoxication contributed to an accident. While this was likely not a consideration for the Royal Canadian Navy in banning drinking aboard vessels, as the Navy insures itself, it is a consideration for all other vessels. Although alcohol will obviously have some presence aboard many vessels into the future, its effect should always be closely monitored.

Article was original published in the March 2015 edition of Western Mariner. Darren Williams is a marine lawyer and principal lawyer at League and Williams in Victoria B.C. and can be reached for question or comment locally 250-888-0002, or at info@leaguelaw.com.  Commodore Robert Preston, RCN, is enjoying his retirement and possibly the occasional rum.