RABBITS
Naval slang name given to articles taken, or intended to be taken, ashore
privately. Originally "rabbits" were things taken ashore improperly (i.e.
theft or smuggling - the name arose from the ease with which tobacco, etc.,
could be concealed in the inside of a dead rabbit) but with the passenger of
time the application of the word has spread to anything taken ashore; an air
of impropriety nevertheless still hangs over the use of the word, whether or
not this is justified (it seldom is). Hence the phrase "Tuck its ears in",
often said to an officer or rating seen going ashore with a parcel.


RAKE
TO RAKE
(1) to lean or incline from the perpendicular.
(2) to fire into a ship along her length.


RATES
The old wooden ships of the navy were classified into "rates" as follows:-
First rate - 100 or more guns ) line of
Second rate - 90 to 100 guns ) battleships
Third rate - 80-84 guns
Fourth rate - 60-74 guns
Fifty rate - 32-40 guns (the Richmond is this rate)
Sixth rate - less than 32 guns


RATLINE
RATLINES or RATTLINGS
The ropes secured horizontally between the shrouds of a sailing vessel to
form a ladder (always secured by a clove hitch). hence the expression "to
rattle down" meaning to fit ratlines to the shrouds in this manner.


RATTLE
Having committed an offence and being placed in the Captain's or Commander's
report, a naval rating will say that he is "in the rattle" or he has "scored
a rattle" - possibly from the meaning of the word rattle, "to rail at in a
noisy manner", as a defaulter supposes the Captain or Commander will do.


REASONS
REASONS IN WRITING
When a (junior) officer commits a peccadillo, his Captain may call upon him
to submit "his reasons in writing" for what he has done. This calls for a
detailed written explanation, worded in very official language - and often
closes the incident.


TO BE IN THE RED
Naval slang expression meaning to be in debt to the Crown; debtor balances
are recorded in the naval pay ledger in red ink.


REEFER
An old naval name for a Midshipman; but it is more a Merchant Navy term than
a Royal Navy one.
The name is said to have come from the days when all officers except
Midshipmen wore frock coats: Midshipmen then wore short jackets, known as
"Reefers" - i.e. ordinary frock coats which had had a reef taken in them.
Another explanation is that the name was given to Midshipmen because it was
their job to superintend the operations of reefing the sails.


REVIEW
ROYAL REVIEWS OF THE BRITISH FLEET


23 to 27 June 1774 Spithead - George III

25 June 1814 Spithead - Prince Regent, Treaty of Paris.


RIGGER
(1) Former (pre-1939) official title of ratings serving in the Royal yacht
Service.
(2) Official name for certain dockyard employees.


RIGHT
RIGHT OFF THE REEL
Naval expression meaning to go free without any obstruction, like a rope or
log-line from its reel.


RIGOL
Official name for the curved metal fitting on the ship's side above a scuttle
to deflect water running down the ship's side from entering the scuttle.
Sometimes unofficially called "eyebrows", for obvious reasons.


RISK
TO RISK THE RUN
An old naval expression signifying to sail in war time unescorted.


RNVR
THE ROYAL NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE
The "Fencibles" were formed in 1794; the unofficial force called the "RN
Artillery Volunteers" was formed in 1872 but disbanded in 1892. It was
resuscitated, officially, in 1903 under the name of the "Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserve".


ROCK
THE ROCK
Common name for Gibraltar.


ROCK SCORPION
Naval name for a resident of Gibraltar - originally a Gibraltar policeman
only but the meaning has widened; the first word is often omitted.


ROGUE'S YARN
A coloured thread laid up in the yarns of a rope, both to label it as naval
property (hence the name) and to 'identify its place of manufacture.


ROUND
ROUND THE BEND
Naval along for Half-witted.


TO GO ROUND THE BUOY
Naval expression for coming up, usually surreptitiously, for a second helping
of food.


ROUNDLY
Naval word for Quickly: the opposite to handsomely.


ROUSE
ROUSE AND SHINE
The traditional naval morning awakening cry; often improperly quoted as
"Rise" and Shine.


RPC
Entertainment signal (= "Request the Pleasure of your Company") to which the
reply is either WMP (= "With Much Pleasure") or MRU (= "Which Regret
Unable").


RUB
THE RUB
Naval expression meaning the Blame or Responsibility.


A RUB OR RUBBER
Naval slang word for a Loan.


A RUB OF THE GREEN OR A GREEN RUB
Naval slang expression for an unfortunate mishap.


RUM
Before the XXII century, the ration of drink in the Navy was one gallon of
beer or wine a day. Owing to stowage difficulties, Admiral Blake introduced
brandy instead of beer in about 1650; rum replaced brandy in 1687 following
the conquest of Jamaica. The ration then was half a pint of rum twice daily -
half that quantity for Boys.


Admiral Vernon introduced the watering-down of the rum in 1740, adding one
quart of water to each half-pint of rum (which mixture was soon called Grog
since that was Admiral Vernon's naval nickname). The evening issue was
abolished in 1824 and the ration reduced to one gill in 1850. The issue of
run to Wardroom and Gunroom officers was stopped in 1881: to Warrant officers
in 1918.


RUMBO
Condemned rope.


RUN
TO RUN
Naval official word meaning to Desert; a man who has deserted is marked R or
RUN in official records.


TO RUN LIKE A RIGGER
To run at a considerable speed. This is a corruption of "running a rig", a
trick practised by pirates of running away from a more powerful vessel and,
when out of sight, quickly altering the appearance of the ship.