USS Constitution Booze Cruise
Bassoonist
Constitution. I find the booze consumption stats to be incredible. That
would mean about seven ounces of booze every hour of the day and night for
every man on board. Can anyone
verify the numbers and figure out where the error is?
The following tale is from the history of the oldest commissioned
warship in the world, the USS Constitution. It comes by way of the
National Park Service, as printed in "Oceanographic Ships, Fore and Aft",
a periodical from the oceanographer of the US Navy.
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,
11,500 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum. Her mission: to
destroy and harass English shipping. On 6 October, she made Jamaica, took
on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Three weeks later,
Constitution reached the Azores, where she provisioned with 550 pounds of
beef and 2,300 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 their 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 quantify of rum
captured from the 12 English merchant vessels in November). Naval
historians say that the reenlistment rate from this cruise was 92%.
Vince Brannigan
Bassoonist wrote:
> A friend sent me the following concerning alcohol use on the USS
> Constitution. I find the booze consumption stats to be incredible. That
> would mean about seven ounces of booze every hour of the day and night for
> every man on board. Can anyone
> verify the numbers and figure out where the error is?
>
> The following tale is from the history of the oldest commissioned
> warship in the world, the USS Constitution. It comes by way of the
> National Park Service, as printed in "Oceanographic Ships, Fore and Aft",
> a periodical from the oceanographer of the US Navy.
>
> 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,
> 11,500 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum.
The fact that this all this supposedly took place 17 years before the
CONSTITUTION was launched at boston should have been your first clue.
Vince
Bill Rhodes
<wi...@mindspring.com> wrote:
<<<))) 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,
CONSTITUTION was built by Colonel George Claghorn at Edmond Hartt's
shipyard in Boston. Made from more than 1,500 trees, with timbers
felled from Maine to Georgia and armed with cannons cast in Rhode
Island and copper fastenings provided by Paul Revere, the vessel is
truly a national ship. Launched in Boston on October 21, 1797, she
first put to sea in 1798. Having remained a part of the U.S. Navy
since that day, CONSTITUTION is the oldest commissioned warship afloat
in the world.
William Black
Bassoonist <wi...@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:8tc8e2$3u6
<snip of rubbish>
The numbers don't add up.
Start again with the understanding that the RN in those days issued 1 pound
of cheese or beef and two pounds of bread (hard or soft) per man per day.
Also you seem to have far too many cannon balls, in fact it's all balls....
--
William Black
-------------------------------
British Submarine M.2,
(ex K19 renamed 1917) Vickers 19.10.18
Fitted at Chatham 4.28 to carry seaplane
(12" gun removed)
sunk 26.1.32 off Portland.
Be nice or I'll change it to K13
Andrew Toppan
> On 23 August 1779, the USS Constitution set sail from Boston, loaded
Amazing! Most of were under the impression that CONSITUTION was *launched* on
21 October 1797, some *18 years* AFTER she supposedly sailed on this "booze
cruise".
In short, it's bullshit - and a very old and well-circulated story.
--
Andrew Toppan --- acto...@gwi.net --- "I speak only for myself"
"Haze Gray & Underway" - Naval History, DANFS, World Navies Today,
Photo Features, Military FAQs, and more - http://www.hazegray.org/
US Naval & Shipbuilding Museum/USS Salem - http://www.uss-salem.org/
William Black
> CONSTITUTION was built by Colonel George Claghorn at Edmond Hartt's
> shipyard in Boston. Made from more than 1,500 trees, with timbers
> felled from Maine to Georgia and armed with cannons cast in Rhode
> Island and copper fastenings provided by Paul Revere, the vessel is
> truly a national ship. Launched in Boston on October 21, 1797, she
> first put to sea in 1798. Having remained a part of the U.S. Navy
> since that day, CONSTITUTION is the oldest commissioned warship afloat
> in the world.
What a careful choice of words. Victory is still in commission (It flies
the flag of the Port Admiral at Portsmouth) and is older, it's just set in
a dry dock and so not afloat.
I once got involved in a discussion about what would be needed to float it.
Anyone got lots and lots of oak?
Bill Rhodes
<black_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
<<<)))
<<<)))What a careful choice of words. Victory is still in commission (It flies
<<<)))the flag of the Port Admiral at Portsmouth) and is older, it's just set in
<<<)))a dry dock and so not afloat.
As those who have been around the quarterdeck of the USTAFISH for a
while know, we have had this discussion a number of times.
However, as much as I would like to lay claim to those words, those
are the US Navy's.
<<<)))
<<<)))I once got involved in a discussion about what would be needed to float it.
<<<)))Anyone got lots and lots of oak?
How much oak we talkin?
Andrew Toppan
>How much oak we talkin?
In rough terms, a new hull.
Steve Won
>
> In rough terms, a new hull.
Is that all? Here, you can use my desk...
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Semper Fi LCpl Steven H Won Weapons Company
"Ding" 2nd Batallion
PP-ASEL 24th Marines
TJ
>per man per day (this does NOT include the unknown quantify of rum
>captured from the 12 English merchant vessels in November). Naval
>historians say that the reenlistment rate from this cruise was 92%.
>
>
>
I dunno guys. Maybe this did happen with the real constitution, and
the log is kind of hosed. I mean, with 1.26 gallons of hot toddy per
man per day - - - attention to detail would mean being able to breath
or to recognize night from day.
All in all, a real chuckle of a story. Got any more?
TJ
ken...@cix.compulink.co.uk
(Andrew Toppan) wrote:
> In short, it's bullshit - and a very old and well-circulated story.
However at the time there was an official drink issue in the US navy.
I can't remember if it was the same as the English daily one which was
Four pints of bear or
Two pints of wine or
half a pint of spirits
Ken Young
ken...@cix.co.uk
Maternity is a matter of fact
Paternity is a matter of opinion
Keith Willshaw
<ken...@cix.compulink.co.uk> wrote in message
news:8tfdkd$cv0$1...@plutonium.compulink.co.uk...
> In article <77ojvsg30b9nejif1...@4ax.com>, acto...@gwi.net
> (Andrew Toppan) wrote:
>
> > In short, it's bullshit - and a very old and well-circulated story.
> However at the time there was an official drink issue in the US navy.
> I can't remember if it was the same as the English daily one which was
> Four pints of bear or
> Two pints of wine or
> half a pint of spirits
At one time it was 8 pints of small beer
However it should be noted that small beer was
even weaker than mass market American beers
19th Century Bud Lite as it were :)
Keith
Greg Surratt
Yeah! That's it. It was a typo and should have said "1797" rather
than "1779". That would have made it her maiden voyage, something
that calls for Ustafish type celebrations!
Bill Rhodes
<wi...@mindspring.com> wrote:
<<<)))A friend sent me the following concerning alcohol use on the USS
<<<)))Constitution. I find the booze consumption stats to be incredible. That
<<<)))would mean about seven ounces of booze every hour of the day and night for
<<<)))every man on board. Can anyone
<<<)))verify the numbers and figure out where the error is?
<<<)))
<<<)))
<<<)))The following tale is from the history of the oldest commissioned
<<<)))warship in the world, the USS Constitution. It comes by way of the
<<<)))National Park Service, as printed in "Oceanographic Ships, Fore and Aft",
<<<)))a periodical from the oceanographer of the US Navy.
<<<)))
<<<)))
<<<))) 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,
<<<)))11,500 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum.
<<<))) Her mission: to
<<<)))destroy and harass English shipping. On 6 October, she made Jamaica, took
<<<)))on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Three weeks later,
<<<)))Constitution reached the Azores, where she provisioned with 550 pounds of
<<<)))beef and 2,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail
<<<)))for England where her crew captured and scuttled 12 English merchant
More from http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/Shiphistoryx.htm
1798: July 22 -- First put to sea and commanded by Capt. Samuel
Nicholson.
1798-1801: Cruising in West Indies protecting U.S. shipping from
French privateers, CONSTITUTION is not engaged in any battles.
1802-1803: Laid up in Boston, MA.
1803-1806: President Thomas Jefferson sent her to the Mediterranean
to protect American ships and seamen from attack by the Barbary
pirates. With Captain Edward Preble in command, CONSTITUTION and other
ships of the squadron bombarded Tripoli.
Back
<<<)))vessels and took aboard their 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 quantify of rum
<<<)))captured from the 12 English merchant vessels in November). Naval
<<<)))historians say that the reenlistment rate from this cruise was 92%.
<<<)))
<<<)))
<<<)))
<<<)))
William Hanson
<ken...@cix.compulink.co.uk> wrote >
> > In short, it's bullshit - and a very old and well-circulated story.
> However at the time there was an official drink issue in the US navy.
> I can't remember if it was the same as the English daily one which was
> Four pints of bear or
> Two pints of wine or
> half a pint of spirits
>
> Ken Young
I've had bear before, but I'm pretty sure 4 pints of it would be more steak
than I'm up for. How about some beer, instead? :)
ken...@cix.compulink.co.uk
keith_w...@compuserve.com (Keith Willshaw) wrote:
> At one time it was 8 pints of small beer
Dug out the Source Nelsons Blood by Captain James Pack.
You were right about the beer issue. It was a gallon of small beer in
home waters and a gallon of strong beer on ships going overseas. The
higher the alcohol content the longer the beer kept.
From the 1731 regulation "it is to be observed that a pint of wine or a
half pint of brandy, rum or arrack hold provision to a gallon of beer.
The rum issue was not changed until 1824 when it halved to 1 gill
compensated for by the issue of tea and cocoa, an increased meat ration
and an extra 2 shillings a month pay. Mind you the new Imperial gallon was
also introduced in 1824 which had the effect of increasing the volume of a
gill by a fifth. The general issue of beer was terminated in 1831.
In 1793 officers were allowed to buy duty free wine in the following
quantities a year
Admiral 6 tons (1260 gallons)
Vice Admiral 5 tons
Rear Admiral 4 tons
Captain 1st/2nd rate 3 tons
Captain 3rd/4th/5th rates 2 tons
Captain below 5th rate 1 ton
Lieutenant 1/2 ton
The American issue was established as a half pint of rum per day in 1775
and when the navy was reconstituted in 1794 this was continued. In 1842
the ration was reduced to 1 gill and the issue was abandoned in 1862
John Dallman
> The American issue was established as a half pint of rum per day in
> 1775 and when the navy was reconstituted in 1794 this was continued. In
> 1842 the ration was reduced to 1 gill and the issue was abandoned in
> 1862
Thanks; that's interesting. Do you know when the USN became fully "dry",
as opposed to not issuing drink?
---
John Dallman j...@cix.co.uk
William Black
Andrew Toppan <acto...@gwi.net> wrote in message
news:p94kvs4p2rtt8nhlh...@4ax.com...
> brh...@PapaAlphaNovemberIndiaXray.com (Bill Rhodes) wrote:
>
> >How much oak we talkin?
>
> In rough terms, a new hull.
The restoration done in the 1950s was a mess, you are gonna need new knees
and futtocks for a start. Most of the hull looks good, but there's 200
years of paint on it so who knows. The decks and the masts look good
however.
We could get the wood, the rebuilding of Windsor Castle proved that good
oak is still available at about £20 (that's 20 pounds sterling for those not
blessed with 8 bit news readers with a Brit character set) per cubic foot.
If we raised the money do you think:
1. They'd let us do it?
2. They'd let us crew it?
Alternatively, anyone want to put a real engine in Warrior?
Harbor Pirate
Josephus Daniels, prohibited"the use or introduction for drinking
purposes of alcoholic liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any
navy yard or station..."
The above is taken from the fifth edition of
_Naval_Ceremonies,_Customs_and_Traditions_ by WP Mack and RW Connell pg
256.
HP sends from the New England's snowy West Coast
> Thanks; that's interesting. Do you know when the USN became fully
"dry",
> as opposed to not issuing drink?
>
> ---
> John Dallman j...@cix.co.uk
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
ken...@cix.compulink.co.uk
(John Dallman) wrote:
> Do you know when the USN became fully "dry",
> as opposed to not issuing drink?
July 1 1914. The following was one of the reactions
Away, away with sword and drum
Here we come, full of rum
Looking for something to put on the bum
In the Armoured Cruiser Squadron
Josephus Daniels is a goose
If he thinks he can induce
Us to drink his damn grape juice
In the Armoured Cruiser Squadron
B F Lake
<8tjsq0$p5k$1...@plutonium.compulink.co.uk>...
> In article <memo.2000102...@jgd.compulink.co.uk>, j...@cix.co.uk
> (John Dallman) wrote:
>
> > Do you know when the USN became fully "dry",
> > as opposed to not issuing drink?
> July 1 1914. The following was one of the reactions
> Away, away with sword and drum
> Here we come, full of rum
> Looking for something to put on the bum
> In the Armoured Cruiser Squadron
An adaptation of :
Away , away with fife and drum,
Here we come, full of rum,
Looking for women who peddle their bum
In the North Atlantic Squadron
The cabin boy, the cabin boy ,
That dirty little nipper
etc,
There was a girl from Montreal
etc
This was/ is a favorite of RCN new entries and sea cadets and I always
thought it came from the RN, but it seems the USN was the only one that had
a North Atlantic Squadron.
Sing-songs were still "in" up to the 60s from way way back. Don't know
what recruits do these days on the bus to the rifle range---probably all
busy on their lap-tops or something :(
Regards,
Barry
John Dallman
> j...@cix.co.uk (John Dallman) wrote:
> > Do you know when the USN became fully "dry",
Thanks!
---
John Dallman j...@cix.co.uk
Ogden Johnson III
>(John Dallman) wrote:
>> Do you know when the USN became fully "dry",
>> as opposed to not issuing drink?
> July 1 1914
A date that shall live in infamy.
OJ III
Bill Rhodes
wrote:
<<<)))> July 1 1914
<<<)))
<<<)))A date that shall live in infamy.
At least in sobriety. Having been in the Navy during the 70's, I can't
imagine what it would have been like had there been legal, allowed
intoxicants.
Keith Willshaw
"Bill Rhodes" <brh...@PapaAlphaNovemberIndiaXray.com> wrote in message
Probably a rather lower incidence of the use of illegal
disallowed intoxicants. Other nations seem to manage the
situation well enough. Quite why it is deemed inappropriate
for a man coming off watch to be able to drink a can
of beer I have never fully understood.
Keith
Greg Surratt
<harbo...@icqmail.com> wrote:
>"General Order 99," of June 1, 1914 signed by Secretary Of The Navy
>Josephus Daniels, prohibited"the use or introduction for drinking
>purposes of alcoholic liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any
>navy yard or station..."
And to think we named a ship after him!
Andrew Chaplin
>
> On Sun, 29 Oct 2000 21:23:54 GMT, Harbor Pirate
> <harbo...@icqmail.com> wrote:
>
> >Josephus Daniels, prohibited"the use or introduction for drinking
> >purposes of alcoholic liquors on board any naval vessel, or within any
> >navy yard or station..."
>
I hope it was a tanker. :-)
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)