Feeding a battleship required large quantities of provisions: a First World War poster lists 30 tons of beef and 60 tons of potatoes among its supplies. The quantities are described as roughly a week's supplies. Rotten provisions could make a crew unwilling to sail. A sympathetic captain could withhold the sailing order and press for replacement food, keeping the grievance from becoming direct disobedience by the sailors. The Admiralty had an operational reason to act quickly because poor food damaged morale and a crew's ability to operate its ship. Resolving a small provisioning dispute could prevent it from growing into a larger confrontation.
Notable Point · 5:22-8:55
Feeding a battleship and containing food disputes
A battleship's enormous food requirement explains why rotten provisions demanded a quick response from captains and the Admiralty.