Aloha,

Two hundred and seventy years ago Admiral Edward "Old Grog" Vernon issued his infamous Order to Captains No. 349 on August 21st, 1740. His goal was to improve health and reduce drunkenness aboard ships of the Royal Navy so he ordered that every sailor's half pint ration of rum be mixed with a quart of water and that the men receive, "extra lime juice and sugar" to mix with it.

And so was born Navy Grog. At the time this was not a popular idea, the sailors preferred to drink their rum straight or with only the juice and sugar in it.

Ironically Vernon did improve the health of his men... by preventing scurvy with the lime juice and possibly by making the stagnant water aboard ship more palatable. Eventually people noticed that Vernon's men were more healthy but it would be decades before the rest of the navy followed suit.

So today we salute "Old Grog" for his accidental success in curing scurvy and providing us with a way to get our daily allowance of vitamin C while drinking.

Keep the torches burning,

—Tagata Maori Rogorogo