▁in ▁two ▁serv ings , ▁before ▁no on ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁working ▁day , ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁official ▁reg ulations ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 6 ▁and ▁last ed ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁centuries . ▁This ▁gives ▁a ▁water - to - rum ▁ratio ▁of ▁ 4 : 1 . ▁ ▁Some ▁writers ▁have ▁claimed ▁that ▁Vern on ▁also ▁added ▁cit rus ▁ju ice ▁to ▁prevent ▁spo il age ▁and ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁found ▁to ▁prevent ▁sc ur vy . ▁This ▁is ▁not ▁the ▁case ▁and ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁mis reading ▁of ▁Vern on ' s ▁order ▁in ▁which , ▁having ▁instruct ed ▁his ▁capt ains ▁to ▁dil ute ▁the ▁sail ors ' s ▁daily ▁allow ance ▁of ▁rum ▁with ▁water , ▁he ▁says ▁that ▁those ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁crew ▁" which ▁... ▁are ▁good ▁husband men ▁may ▁from ▁the ▁saving ▁of ▁their ▁salt ▁prov isions ▁and ▁bread , ▁purchase ▁sugar ▁and ▁l imes ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁more ▁pal atable ▁to ▁them ." ▁In ▁other ▁words , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁official ▁addition ▁of ▁l ime ▁ju ice ▁or ▁other ▁subst ance ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁– ▁any ▁addition ▁was ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁volunt ary ▁choice , ▁made ▁by ▁and ▁paid ▁for ▁by ▁the ▁men ▁themselves , ▁and ▁done ▁sole ly ▁if ▁they ▁wanted ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁taste . ▁▁ ▁It ▁seems ▁unlikely ▁that ▁many ▁men ▁would ▁have ▁spent ▁their ▁me ager ▁pay ▁in ▁this ▁manner . ▁ ▁Like wise , ▁it ▁had ▁nothing ▁to