HMS Valiant

[impunity]

On the question of the "Small Beer"... it actually depended on the length of the voyage, who the purser was and his skill. If you can imagine that a ship can get very hot, and caskets are porous. Alcohol continually evaporates from the caskets, and so in the course of a voyage the alcohol content would reduce by as much as two thirds. In the case of a 1.5% beer, this would drop below the threshold after which beer would spoil at sea after around 3 months.

 

Small beer in the English use of the word is actually a by-product of making very strong beers, and in fact could be much stronger than 1.5%.

 

With regards to the Rum Ration.... I would like to review wikipedia's sources. The reason I say this is that I believe the article there to be almost entirely inaccurate. My sources in this are the incomparable Daniel Baugh in "British Naval Administration" and N. A. M. Rodgers in his pamphlet "Food and Drink in the Royal Navy" and "The Wooden World" (which I have mentioned here before). The British Royal Navy had a BEER ration. In chapter II, Section F of the Wooden World, N. A. M. Rodger is categorical... "They did not 'splice the mainbrace' in the fashion beloved of novelists, for there was no official issue of spirits in the Navy".**

 

The only exception was on long voyages, where beer ran out and was unavailable for purchase. There was also an exception during certain wars when supply lines were short (such as the Napoleonic wars), but this was not standard and the Navy stores show only beer in ledgers. This inaccuracy seems to be endemic even in scholarly articles on the internet - however it rises from a misconception. That said, what WAS common on ships was a subscription, via the purser, to a daily tot. This was a private arrangement and was not a navy ration

 

In 1970 the United Kingdom government banned all spirits from ships (with a few exceptions). The day the ban came into force became known as the "Black Tot Day" and has perhaps exacerbated the idea that the Navy directly supplied rum to soldiers.

 

West

 

** A note on Sources. Daniel Baugh is considered the definitive expert on British Naval History, and in addition to his publishing credits, was a professor at both Princeton and Cornell Universities (a pedigree JP Crampton might be proud of ).

 

N. A. M. Rodger was the Assistant Keeper of the Public Records office, Honorary Secretary of the Navy Records Society and a Trustee of the Maritime Museum at Greenwich. He is the author of the acclaimed book "The Admiralty".

I will defer to your evidently greater expertise.

[ricky]

Fascinating! The more I learn the more I'm getting into it. I have fallen in love with the knowledge of the period and the lifestyles. I can't wait to find out more about Winkler and his cadre. It really IS a microcosm of society afloat in a dangerous world. Thank you for sharing your gift of knowledge on this wonderful subject.

[sandrewn]

Hi y'all. I'm back (for about two hours). Since time is short, I am making a hard copy of all that I have missed. I will try to review and post on all of it. I don't know exactly when I'll be able to pass them on to GA.

What the heck is going on here? The likes for each chapter are great, the corresponding number of reviews not so much so. The posts (our back bone) have taken a nose dive, very depressng. So this is a token post. I have enjoyed a few ( well ok, maybe more than a few ) tots in the past. Here is something I found on its history:

 

http://readyayeready.com/tradition/tot-history.htm

 

The following I can really attest to ( big time ):

 

 

For those who can remember back to their camp firesongs, this is a clean one ( sort of ):

 

 

This last one, was sort of how I felt when I saw the recent feedback to our beloved Bridgemont series. I apologize in advance for the language. I just felt really poopy about it all:

 

 

See you all, I don't know when, take care. Please, post and review. Bye for now.

[ricky]

Hi y'all. I'm back (for about two hours). Since time is short, I am making a hard copy of all that I have missed. I will try to review and post on all of it. I don't know exactly when I'll be able to pass them on to GA.

What the heck is going on here? The likes for each chapter are great, the corresponding number of reviews not so much so. The posts (our back bone) have taken a nose dive, very depressng. So this is a token post. I have enjoyed a few ( well ok, maybe more than a few ) tots in the past. Here is something I found on its history:

 

. . .

 

See you all, I don't know when, take care. Please, post and review. Bye for now.

 

I think we're so fed up with Lady Ignorance that we're sitting tongue in cheek until the old bat can be moored. It was nice that she was shunned by the Admiral. It should tell her that she is WAAAAY out of bounds. But she doesn't look to be the type that can see her place in society. Clearly she needs to be put in her place and ratcheted down firmly. A surgical whip stitch across her lips would be welcome. Leave room for a straw or funnel. No need to be cruel; right? Hopefully she will be deposited in the next chapter. 

 

If I had a question to use for wondering it might be what George has in mind for the funds he's asked Caroline to set aside for him. Perhaps he plans to resign and become a privateer? Hardly likely now being posted. But what?

 

Loved the youtube songs, thanks. Wasn't into the poop song but loved the two windows in your post were really fun.

[JimCarter]

I miss my weekly Granger fix.  Mark to plan to surprise us at the last minute or is this week late?

[ricky]

I miss my weekly Granger fix.  Mark to plan to surprise us at the last minute or is this week late?

Jimmy! It's JUST barely Friday morning! Drink a billy beer or something. Geeze! You KNOW he always takes care of us. . .  Well MOST always anyways.

Cut him some slack. You can SEE he's getting older! Fewer brain cells are shaking hands up there then ever before! So cut him a little slack okay?

Hugs

[Daddydavek]

With all the kids heading off to college, we are approaching a busy time of the year for Mark and traditionally, his output does slow a bit and I expect it will slow a bit more as we get into September.   Having said that, I'm hoping he is at least five chapters ahead of what he has posted.  Of course that is probably a bit of wishful thinking......

[Headstall]

This last chapter of Valiant was a really illuminating look inside George Granger the man. It is much of what we all know of him, but hearing HIS thoughts was quite powerful. As always, I think too much...but it has occured to me that in George's relationship with Calvert, there are echoes of Brad and Robbie from CAP. I am not saying it is the same but there are some similarities that have jumped out at me. We do not really think of George(on the surface) as having insecurities but he does...he needs love and devotion to make his universe work. In a similar way, Brad's need for that love and devotion from Robbie was magnified by his insecurities and any time he lost it, his world went out of kilter. Calvert's penchant for "falling" for someone else while loving George (this is not the first time) is similar to what Robbie did over and over to Brad. It would appear that George is stronger than Brad in being able to handle it but I wonder if that is more because of the times and what was expected of men back then. Brad has at times, showed incredible strength as well. I just hope that they both find that elusive happiness in someone that will not end up screwing them over. While they are in different timeframes they are both on similar paths in their personal lives as we watch in this one.

[Timothy M.]

If Granger was a man of less keen intelligence, I'd frown at this moment of self-pity. But he does manage to sort out his feelings and realize the basic problem is a feeling of loneliness.

However, he fails to see the other side of the coin and here his innate modesty does him a disservice. Granger is handsome, lovable and destined to attract the attention of another lover sooner or later. Not many people would be lucky enough to have been loved by the number of wonderful men at such a young age - we're glad if we find true love and a meeting of minds (and bodies) once or twice in a life time. So Granger needs to appreciate the fact than whenever he's been lonely before, he's always met someone who could fulfill his needs (and I'm talking spiritual love as well as carnal).

Plus, he may have lost Calvert's primary love to Gatling, but if he was to meet them, he'd find out that both men still had plenty of love for him, even if was somewhat different.

 

And I totally agree with you Gary: Granger needs to be constantly reassured that he is attractive and worthy of love. But we tend to forget he's much younger than Brad, so his insecurities are perhaps more understandable, even if he's as successful profesionally and in his personal life (in spite of ups and downs) as Brad is.

Hmm I'm wondering what this craving for affection and recognition says about the author - don't worry Mark, we all adore you

[ricky]

Personally I think he's losing his mind. Saving the wench was only stopping the earliest recorded ocean pollution. He should have helped history by nudging her overboard. Instead he has brought about the worst kind of plague, a grateful Lady Elgin.

[Westie]

Jimmy! It's JUST barely Friday morning! Drink a billy beer or something. Geeze! You KNOW he always takes care of us. . .  Well MOST always anyways.

Cut him some slack. You can SEE he's getting older! Fewer brain cells are shaking hands up there then ever before! So cut him a little slack okay?

Hugs

 

what parallel universe is this when RICKY is the one telling us to be patient

[ricky]

what parallel universe is this when RICKY is the one telling us to be patient

Well, ok. Busted!

[Timothy M.]

He should have helped history by nudging her overboard. Instead he has brought about the worst kind of plague, a grateful Lady Elgin.

 

Are you sure, she'll be grateful ? Even more interesting: will Lord Elgin be grateful ?

At one point I wondered why he hadn't prevented her from going up on deck. Did Lord Elgin maybe want her to go overboard? But then I remembered she's pregnant, and I suppose he cares for his unborn child, at least.

[ricky]

Are you sure, she'll be grateful ? Even more interesting: will Lord Elgin be grateful ?

At one point I wondered why he hadn't prevented her from going up on deck. Did Lord Elgin maybe want her to go overboard? But then I remembered she's pregnant, and I suppose he cares for his unborn child, at least.

Hmmm, forgot that she's already been allowed to become a breeder. And good point, there IS that perception of B__tchy pregnant women. And who's to say Lord Elgin didn't just "send" her topside. I mean could anyone BLAME him? And of COURSE she'll be grateful. She's in his cabin where it's warm. And NOW, because of the trauma, the doctor will "probably" prescribe bed rest in his warm cabin for the remainder of their trip. If Granger thought he wasn't getting any BEFORE!

[Mark Arbour]

Alright, I have bad news, and good news.  The bad news is that I don't have the next chapter of Valiant ready to publish.  The good news is that the first draft is done, and it's gone into the editing process, so at least you know it's in the works.

[ricky]

Alright, I have bad news, and good news.  The bad news is that I don't have the next chapter of Valiant ready to publish.  The good news is that the first draft is done, and it's gone into the editing process, so at least you know it's in the works.

 

Oh DRAT! Had I known that I never would have consented to a five hour layover in the middle of my 20 hour flight! NOW what will I do.

[Headstall]

Has anyone seen the TV series called Sleepy Hollow? In it there is an actor (Tom Mison) that plays Ichabod Crane. I watched an episode last night, and all I could see was George Granger. The hair color was wrong but otherwise the facial features and body are exactly how I have pictured him from Mark's desriptions. He has this aristocratic, somewhat patrician look and the English accent from the 1700's that I can hear George speaking with.He is worth googling....

Edited August 29, 2014 by Headstall

[davewri]

I     am     waiting     patiently     for     my     end     of     the     week    treat.        Please    post    soon.       I    don't    know    how   much   longer   I can   last.     I   think   my   browser    refresh    function    is     broken. 

[ricky]

I     am     waiting     patiently     for     my     end     of     the     week    treat.        Please    post    soon.       I    don't    know    how   much   longer   I can   last.     I   think   my   browser    refresh    function    is     broken. 

Your's too?! I thought I had just hit mine so many times it was ignoring me. Wow . . . HEY! Maybe I'll try one of my other browsers!

[damejintymcginty]

Mark,

 

Ignore the other comments. Genius takes time and the Bridgemont series is pure genius. Thank you to your hard working team. Plus, as a Brit, I have been conditioned to wait.

 

Jinty

[davewri]

Ricky, I tried other browsers and other computers, must be something wrong with my Comcast connection.      

 

Every chapter Mark writes is certainly worth waiting for.  My deepest appreciation for the hard work of Mark and crew for some of the best writing on the internet.  When these infrequent delays occur I just go back and read the preceding chapters again to glean a few morsels I might have missed.

 

"They also serve who only stand and wait"

[ricky]

Ricky, I tried other browsers and other computers, must be something wrong with my Comcast connection.      

 

Every chapter Mark writes is certainly worth waiting for.  My deepest appreciation for the hard work of Mark and crew for some of the best writing on the internet.  When these infrequent delays occur I just go back and read the preceding chapters again to glean a few morsels I might have missed.

 

"They also serve who only stand and wait"

Well said. And HEY! I have Comcast too! And they're "Expert Professionals" at screwing things up. That MUST be it.

[Westie]

Patience is a virtue.... not that this site (or Mark Arbour's forum) is the place to talk about being virtuous

[ricky]

Patience is a virtue.... not that this site (or Mark Arbour's forum) is the place to talk about being virtuous

Westie What are you talking about. We sacrifice virgins all the time!

Oh wait . . . you said "virtuous". MY bad. Never mind.

[Westie]

Westie What are you talking about. We sacrifice virgins all the time!Oh wait . . . you said "virtuous". MY bad. Never mind.

I tried the whole virgin sacrifice thing once... made a terrible mess on the carpet