Little Known Tidbit Of Naval History...

BangkokDean

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LITTLE KNOWN TIDBIT OF NAVAL HISTORY...

USS_Constitution_v_HMS_Guerriere.jpg

The U. S. S.. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried
48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men.
This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea.
She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers).
However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log,
"On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water,
7,400 cannon shot,
11,600 pounds of black powder and
79,400 gallons of rum."
Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."
Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on
826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.
Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November..
She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.
On 18 November, she set sail for England .
In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war ships,
and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships,
salvaging only the rum aboard each.
By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted.
Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland .
Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred
40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn.
Then she headed home.
The U. S. S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799,
with no cannon shot,
no food,
no powder,
no rum,
no wine,
no whisky,
and 38,600 gallons of water.



GO NAVY!:beer::beer:
 
I read that long ago, I think it's BS.....

but it does sound like fun......:smash:
 
Holy shit, that's funny! Don't know if it's true or not. If it is, it's a good thing the ship was damn near indestructible. Probably sunk most ships by steering into them!
 
Yes, probably exaggerated. But, from what I've read of other accounts on sailing ships of the 1700's and 1800's, it was common for the crews to be drunk, and I think by today's standards, very drunk.

As for crew nutrition, alcohol has no nutritional value. However, as far as maintaining body temperatures goes, alcohol metabolism will sustain body temperatures. So the alcohol fueled crews didn't need food just to maintain body temperatures. They only needed food for basic nutrition. For these sailing ships, alcohol could be an efficient source of just basic calories. Plus it offset boredom I think. In these years, people didn't live long anyhow.
 

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