Punch (18.1850)

70

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

SAILORS ON SHORE CAROUSING—AS IT WILL BE WHEN THE GROG IS STOPPED.

NOTHING LIKE GROG,
(jileto Version.)

[A Committee ot flag officers and captains, with Admiral Sir Bfam Martin in the
chair, is now sitting at the Admiralty, to pronounce on the expediency of reducing the
present allowance of grog which is daily served out to the seamen of Her Majesty's
Navy, a fair compensation heing made to them by a proportionate increase in the amount
of their pay . . . It is a notorious fact that the majority of punishments which take
place in the British Navy, are either directly or indirectly the result of drunkenness ;
and the transition from the " cheerful can" to the cat of nine tails, is hut too frequently
a consequence of the inevitable laws of cause and effect.—Times.]

Avast ! how degen'rate the age is!

What lubbers we soon shall become!
They talk of increasin' our wages,

And low'rin' our 'lowance of rum.
Time was, we Jack Tabs—when we twigg'd it—

Perferr'd liquor to pay or to prog,
And Ben Brace, and Jack Ratlin,

Bill Mizen, Kit Catlin,

And Bunting, and Bowling,

Like porpoises rolling,

CoDtinyally swigg'd it:
And, dear me! there's nothing like grog.

Of my pay I had spent my last guinea,

And gone was the whole of my wealth;
Says the Doctor, "Jack! don't be a ninny,

And drink out both money and health."
To the leeward I lurch'd—and he twigg'd it—

And call'd me a sad drunken dog.
And he blister'd and bled me,

On washy slops fed me,

And bade them to shave me,

And physic he gave me,

Such stuff!—and I swigg'd it I
But, dear me ! 'twas nothing like grog.

The Chaplain one Sunday was preachin'

A sermon as dry as old junk.
And me and my messmates was teachin,'

As how we should never get drunk :
But I show'd him the can—and he twigg'd it—

And saw I was drunk as a hog.
When tipsy, for scorning

His Rev'rence, next morning

I had ten dozen lashes,

And my back was in gashes ;

And all 'cause I swigg'd it:
And, dear me ! there's nothing like grog.

Believe me, there's no way like drinking,

To lead you to that side the grave ;
It disables the wisest from thinking,

And to tremble it makes e'en the brave.
As for me—I suppose you have twigg'd it—

Erom perpetually gettin' agog,
Never mind what the weather,

Eor whole months together,—

Here's my hand all a-quiver,

And I've burnt up my liver,

So hard have I swigg'd it;
But, dear me ! there's nothing like grog.

Railway Anomalies.

Though the Railway Directors have generally gone far above the
estimates within which they should have held themselves, they have
fallen very low indeed, in ihe estimation in which they are held. It
may be further remarked by the philosopher, that the shareholders
have themselves in a great measure to blame for their property being
at a discount, which would never have been the case if the conduct o-1
the directors had been earlier discount-enanced.