wet navy

created by lagrange
(thing) by lagrange (1.3 y) (print)   (I like it!) Wed Sep 20 2000 at 21:51:40
Royal Navy slang for a navy where alcohol is permitted on board; IIRC this means the RN, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian navies. Certainly the RN, and possibly some or all of the others mentioned, actually have a daily alcohool allowance for sailors---since Black Tot Day, this is a can of beer per day. Oppose dry navy.
(thing) by Segnbora-t (1.2 hr) (print)   (I like it!) Wed Sep 20 2000 at 22:00:59
Robert Heinlein has one of his characters (Lazarus Long) use the phrase "wet navy" to refer to any navy involving boats and water, as opposed to "space navy" with spaceships.
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