“According to the Act”
Description
The song details shipboard life, and how conditions are kept tolerable, for "There's nothing done on a limejuice ship contrary to the Act." The most obvious example is the ration of limejuice, but other rules are also cited
Notes
The British Merchant Shipping Acts regulated most parts of a sailor's life, including the regular rations of lime juice (to prevent scurvy). Hence the title "limey" for British sailors, the word "limejuice tubs" for British ships -- and hence also this song.
Ironically, for the most part it was not lime but lemon juice that was given to sailors. They called it limejuice anyway, probably to make it sound more palatable. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Son of a Gambolier" (tune & meter) and references there
References
- Fahey-Eureka, pp. 42-43, "According to the Act" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Hugill, pp. 58-59, "The Limejuice Ship" (1 text, 1 tune) [AbrEd pp. 54-55]
- Roud #8341
- BI, FaE042