1 9 1 8 . ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁the ▁" Gre at ▁Rum ▁Deb ate " ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons , ▁and ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁later ▁called ▁" Black ▁Tot ▁Day ", ▁the ▁practice ▁finally ▁ended , ▁although ▁all ▁ratings ▁received ▁an ▁allow ance ▁of ▁an ▁extra ▁can ▁of ▁be er ▁each ▁day ▁as ▁compens ation . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁stages ▁of ▁British ▁settlement ▁in ▁Australia , ▁the ▁word ▁gro g ▁entered ▁common ▁usage , ▁to ▁describe ▁dil uted , ▁ad ul ter ated , ▁and ▁sub - standard ▁rum , ▁obtain able ▁from ▁s ly - g rog ▁sh ops . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁dec ades ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁colon ies ▁such ▁be ver ages ▁were ▁often ▁the ▁only ▁alco hol ▁available ▁to ▁the ▁working ▁class . ▁ ▁Event ually ▁in ▁Australia , ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁the ▁word ▁gro g ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁sl ang ▁collect ive ▁term ▁for ▁alco hol , ▁such ▁as ▁going ▁to ▁the ▁" g rog ▁shop " ▁to ▁buy ▁gro g . ▁ ▁Hon oring ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁British ▁Army ▁regiment al ▁mess ▁and ▁gro g ' s ▁historical ▁significance ▁in ▁the ▁military , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy , ▁U . S . ▁Marine ▁Corps , ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force , ▁and ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁carry ▁on ▁a ▁tradition ▁at ▁its ▁formal ▁d ining ▁in