Nicotian a 293 



gift or offer of ' any cigarette or cigarettes or 

 cigarette-papers or substitutes for the same,' but 

 leaving unfettered the use of pipe and cigars. 



In his ' Counterblaste ' James I. declared that 

 smoking unfitted a man for the part of a soldier. 

 ' No man,' he said, ' can be thought able for any service 

 in the wars that cannot endure the want of tobacco.' 

 The British Solomon so little understood the herb he 

 was denouncing that he knew not that tobacco serves 

 as meat, drink, sleep, and medicine to the warrior. 

 He pictures a night-attack rendered futile by all the 

 men lagging behind to smoke. But in the desperate 

 night sortie from Ladysmith to destroy the Boer gun 

 on Bulwana, the fuse of the charge of gun-cotton that 

 shattered the Long Tom was lit from the glowing 

 end of an officer's cigar. 



In all wars since its discovery tobacco has played 

 a notable part. The discovery of Elizabethan adven- 

 turers, that for hunger, fatigue and privation tobacco 

 is a sovereign remedy, has been verified by all suc- 

 ceeding generations of soldiers and sailors. On active 

 service there is nothing the men desire more than 

 tobacco ; in soothing the last moments of thousands 

 of men laying down their lives for their country 

 tobacco has been the noblest benefactor. 



In all navies and most armies tobacco is served out 

 as part of the men's rations. In the British Navy the 

 Admiralty provides Jack with tobacco at the normal 

 price of is. per pound, obtaining it duty-free. On 

 active service the same course is followed in the 

 Army. In neither branch of the service are youths 

 under eighteen allowed to smoke. More than any- 



