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
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1961 (Hugill-ShantiesFromTheSevenSeas)
KEYWORDS: work law sailor ship
FOUND IN: Australia Ireland
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Fahey-Eureka-SongsThatMadeAustralia, pp. 42-43, "According to the Act" (1 text, 1 tune)
Hugill-ShantiesFromTheSevenSeas, pp. 58-59, "The Limejuice Ship" (1 text, 1 tune) [AbrEd pp. 54-55]
Hugill-SongsOfTheSea, p. 176, "Limejuice Ship" (1 text, 1 tune)
Kinsey-SongsOfTheSea, pp. 120-122, "According to the Act" (1 text, 1 tune)
Kane-SongsAndSayingsOfAnUlsterChildhood, p. 94, "Then shout, boys, hurrah" (1 text)
Roud #8341
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Son of a Gambolier" (tune & meter) and references there
cf. "The Merchant Shipping Act" (subject of crew's rights under shipping regulations)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Limejuice and Vinegar
The Limejuice Ship
NOTES [106 words]: 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. (The use of lemon juice was important, since lime juice has less vitamin C.)
This is so close in concept to "The Merchant Shipping Act" that there is a temptation to lump them. But I think they are different. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.5
File: FaE042

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