Eight o'clock
It is said , on good authority , that a Captain once ventured to dine at five , when the Commodore 's hour was four . Next day , as the story goes , that Captain received a private note , and in consequence of that note , dined for the future at half-past three . Though in respect of the dinner hour on board a man-of-war , _ the people _ have no reason to complain ; yet they have just cause , almost for mutiny , in the outrageous hours assigned for their breakfast and supper . Eight o'clock for breakfast ; twelve for dinner ; four for supper ; and no meals but these ; no lunches and no cold snacks . Owing to this arrangement -LRB- and partly to one watch going to their meals before the other , at sea -RRB- , all the meals of the twenty-four hours are crowded into a space of less than eight ! Sixteen mortal hours elapse between supper and breakfast ; including , to one watch , eight hours on deck ! This is barbarous ; any physician will tell you so .