Black Tot Day: The Day Rum Rations Died

We all know water is essential to life. At the same time we have to keep in mind that it can also sustain deadly diseases including typhoid, cholera, giardia, dysentery, e. coli, hepatitis, and salmonella. It wasn't until the late 19th century that science really began to understand diseases, their vectors, and methods of control and prevention. It's no wonder that the fermentation of beer was an early cultural practice in human history around the world. Beer was reliably safer than water. It traveled better, lasted longer, and had some medicinal properties as well. The magic molecule was alcohol.

By the 15th century and the burgeoning age of distant empires it was already apparent that ships full of soldiers and sailors needed to carry water. Unfortunately it didn't last more than a few weeks in a barrel or ceramic container under a hot tropical sun. Beer wasn't much better, nor was wine, but rum was almost perfect as a cheap, plentiful, and long-lasting alternative. In 1650, the Royal Navy introduced the tot ration, a daily amount of rum for every sailor. It was a welcome offering for crews whose work was brutal, dangerous, and little more than enslavement for those pressed into service. The practice of the rum (or tot) ration and its benefits and liabilities became an essential part of Royal Navy life. Despite a growing temperance movement in the 1870s and the increasing complexity of tasks, the practice continued until the last piping of "Up Spirits" on July 31, 1970. That day is remembered as Black Tot Day. The practice ended in Canada in 1972 and in New Zealand in 1990. Here is the story of the rum ration and its iterations throughout its more than 300 year history.

Splicing the main brace with the Royal Navy

The end of the rum ration had an enormous impact on producers in the British Empire and its territories, particularly in the Carribean. Many distillers had an association with the ration for centuries. It was a tough decision to put aside such a long tradition but all was not lost. The rum stocks were auctioned and warehoused by the new owner in Gibralter. From there, he supplied select Royal Navy vessels, Royal Air Force and Army messes, and even a few choice bars with the treasured rum. In 1979 Charles Tobias secured the rights to the original Admiralty recipe and founded Pusser's Rum, named after the Ship's Purser who oversaw its daily distribution to sailors. Here's more on the Pusser story.

The American military experience with rum closely resembles that of the Royal Navy. History tells us that both the Contiental Army and Navy had a daily rum ration. The U.S. Navy ration lasted until 1862 when temperance sentiment prevailed in Congress and the practice was abolished. The law took effect on September 1. Here is an air sung in the ward room of an unknown U.S. vessel on August 31.

Farewell To Grog

Come, messmates, pass the bottle ‘round

Our time is short, remember,

For our grog must stop and our spirits drop

On the first day of September.

Jack’s happy days will soon be gone,

To return again oh! Never,

For they’ve raised his pay five cents a day

But stopped his grog forever.

Farewell, old rye, ‘tis a sad, sad word,

But alas! It must be spoken,

The ruby cup must be given up

And the demijohn be broken.

Yet memory oft will backward turn

And dwell with fondness partial,

On the days when gin was not a sin

Nor cocktails brought courts martial.

All hands to splice the main brace call,

But splice it now in sorrow,

For the spirit-room key will be laid away

Forever on to-morrow.

"Splice the main brace" was the common response to the sound of "Up Spirits" on the bosun's pipe.


It would be fitting tonight to pour an ounce or two of rum - obviously Pusser's if you have it - and add twice the amount of water to make a grog, then find your most comfortable chair, sit back, and enjoy your tot while thinking about a great British naval tradition and the day it came to a sad end.





Sources

Photos and Illustrations:
thehistoryproject.co.uk

Text:
Wikipedia
Imbibe!, David Wonderich, Tarcher Perigee, 2015
Naval History and Heritage Command, Navy Department Library
Pusser's Rum