where do I sign up?

Rudi · Post by **Rudi** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:51 am

Our providore sent this to me while processing our stores order thought it seemed relevant.
lesson on logistics below:

On 23 August 1779, the USS Constitution set sail from Boston, loaded with 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of water, 74,000 cannon shot, 115,000 pounds of black powder and 79,000 gallons of rum.

Her mission: to destroy and harass English Shipping

On 6 October, she made Jamaica, took on 826 pounds of flour and 688,300 gallons of rum. Three weeks later, Constitution reached the Azores, where she provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, she set sail for England where her crew captured and scuttled 12 English merchant vessels and took aboard rum.

By this time, Constitution had run out of shot. Nevertheless, she made her way unarmed up the Firth of Clyde for a night raid. Here, her landing party captured a whiskey distillery, transferred 13,000 gallons aboard and headed for home.

On 20 February 1780, the Constitution arrived in Boston with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, and no whiskey.

She did, however, still carry her crew of 475 officers and men and 18,600 gallons of water.

The math is quite enlightening:
Length of cruise: 181 days
Booze consumption: 1.26 gallons per man per day (this DOES NOT include the unknown quantity of rum captured from the 12 English merchant vessels in November).

Naval historians note that the reenlistment rate from this cruise was 92%.

LOGISTICS LESSON LEARNED:
Don't load up with too much water.

Post by **HookLine** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:03 am

Great tale. But...

1.26 gallons a day!

If they were drinking that much, they wouldn't have been able to stand, let alone handle the ship.

Maybe they sold some of it, and pocketed the proceeds?

Post by **bronzdragon** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:09 am

It may have also been watered down spirits. It hardly seems possible for a man to drink that much per day and still remain in any shape other then laying on the deck and vomiting. They were also basically a floating bomb, lol. Glad they didn't get hit by a couple cannon shot.

I have heard that it used to be the custom to use a certain amount of hard liquor in water, while at sea in order to kill any organisms that my be living in your water.

Alas, when I did my sea-time, no liquor was allowed shipboard. Although, I'd met sailors from other countries where they still allowed the guys to have a nip everyday.

~r~
p.s. I've seen the Constitution before and it didn't seem big enough to carry all that, hehe.

cannon.co.tn · Post by **cannon.co.tn** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:33 pm

It is amazing how full they managed to pack ships back in the day. A gallon plus per day seems high but not out of the realm of possibility for the 18th century. Yes, the men were drunk most of the time, nobody would be foolish enough to drink the water straight up.

Johnny Reb · Post by **Johnny Reb** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:50 am

bronzdragon wrote:It may have also been watered down spirits. It hardly seems possible for a man to drink that much per day and still remain in any shape other then laying on the deck and vomiting. They were also basically a floating bomb, lol. Glad they didn't get hit by a couple cannon shot.

I have heard that it used to be the custom to use a certain amount of hard liquor in water, while at sea in order to kill any organisms that my be living in your water.

Alas, when I did my sea-time, no liquor was allowed shipboard. Although, I'd met sailors from other countries where they still allowed the guys to have a nip everyday.

~r~
p.s. I've seen the Constitution before and it didn't seem big enough to carry all that, hehe.

The US Navy continued with the Ale or Rum tradition up till around 1970 and I believe each man was rationed or allowed a pint a day

Johnny Reb

grainhopper · Post by **grainhopper** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:17 pm

Alas, when I did my sea-time, no liquor was allowed shipboard. Although, I'd met sailors from other countries where they still allowed the guys to have a nip everyday.

It was not allowed only if you got caught

Our ship did bring on beer? I saw a Michelob truck pull up to the dock when we were taking on supplies for a six month cruise.

The US navy would give a beer day, just 2 beers if you were at sea more than 45 day consecutive. But never happened on my boat, the captain could'nt go too long without hitting a port. Damn Pacific Islands.

Post by **blanikdog** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 4:19 pm

Rum was indeed used as currency in the early days of European settlement in Australia, hence the Rum Corps.

On the other hand, if one were to look at the number of shipwrecks around our coast, maybe the crew did drink a gallon a day, but I think it was mostly for trade.

blanik