Sailor's Provisions

A daily allotment of provisions for every man serving abord a navy vessel, taken from "Regulations and Instructions Relating to His Majesty's Service at Sea" (London, 1757).

In case it shall be thought for he Service to alter any of the aforegoing Particulars of Provisions in Ships employed on Foreign Voyages, it is to be observed, that a Pint of Wine, or half a Pint of Brandy, Rum, or Arrack, hold Proportion to a Gallon of Beer; Four Pounds of Flower, or three Pounds of the same with a Pound of Raisins; half a Pound of Courants, or half a pound of Beef-Suet pickled, are equal to a Four Pound Piece of Beef, or Two Pound Piece of Pork with Pease; half a Pound of Rice is equal to a Pint of Oatmeal; a Pint of Olive Oil is equal to a Pound of Butter, or to two Pounds of Suffolk Cheesel and two Thirds of a Pound of Cheshire Cheese, is equal to oun Pound of Suffolk.

The Beef provided in His Majesty's Ships, is to be cut into Four Pound Pieces, and the Pork into Two Pound Pieces; and no unusual Pieces are to be put up, such as Leg Bones, Shins of Oxen, Cheeks of Hogs, Ox Hearts, etc. and every Cask of Provisions is to have the Contents thereof marked on the Head.

If it shall happen that any of His Majesty's Ships shall be in Want of Pork, the Captain is to order three Pounds of Beef to be issued to the Men, in lieu of a Two Pound Piece of Pork.

For the better Preservation of the Health of the Seamen, it is ordered, that one Day in every Week, thgere shall be issued out to them a Proportion of Flower and Suet in lieu of Beef; but this is not to extend beyond Four Months Victualling at one Time, nor shall the Purser receive any Allowance for Flower or Suet kept longer on board than that Time. And there shall be supplied once a Year from the Victualling-Office, a Proportion of Canvas for Pudding Bags, after the Rate of one Ell to every sixteen Men.

In the Victualling His Majesty's Ships for Foreign Voyages, there shall be only supplied three Months Butter and Cheese, the Remainder of those Species being to be made up in Olive Oil; but for the Mediterranean, the Pursers are to be supplied with Credit, or Foreign Money (if Credit cannot be had) for procuring Oil abroad.

When any of His Majesty's Ships shall come into Port, either at Home or Abroad, where there is an Officer of the Victualling, they shall be supplied Two Days in the Week with fresh Beef or Mutton, one Day in lieu of salt Beef, and the other in lieu of salt Pork, when it can be conveniently done, for which the Captains are to send their Boats. And it is to be observed, That Three Pounds of Mutton are to be accounted equal to a Four Pound Piece of Beef, or to a Two Pound Piece of Pork with Pease.