The rum ration (also called the tot) was a daily amount of rum given to sailors on Royal Navy ships. It was abolished in 1970 after concerns that the intake of strong alcohol would lead to unsteady hands when working machinery.
As Winston Churchill reportedly commented, the traditions of the Royal Navy could be summed up as “rum, sodomy and the lash”.
When Admiral Nelson was killed, they placed his body in a cask of rum to preserve it for the trip back. By the time the ship returned to dock, all the rum was gone. After this, taking a measure of rum became known as “tapping the Admiral”.
“a drop of Nelson’s blood” is a common refrain in English sea shanties.
In some of my favorite books, the Aubrey-Maturin series, Dr. Maturin has an asp preserved in alcohol and the seamen sneak in and drink it off!
“Oh a drop of Nelson’s blood wouldn’t do us any harm!” “And we’ll all hang on behind” “As we roll the old chariot along”
I think my favorite version of that song is David Coffin’s crowd sing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FWp7WLYKw
Always props to grey hat w/ green button down hitting the high harmony!
