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1763 in Publ. Colonial Soc. Mass. (1917) 19 383 From this Sum..deduct the great General, which is Salt, Bait, Candles, Ballast, Boots etc... From the Crew's 5/8..is to be deducted the small General so called, being for Wood and Provisions of all Sorts, paid for by the Crew.

1823 W. Phillips Treat. Law Insurance I. iii. 56 The great general is supplied wholly by the owners, and includes the salt for curing the fish, the bait, premium of insurance, and some other small articles and expenses.

1904 Dial. Notes 2 425 Generals, n. Some of the expenses of a fishing voyage are divided equally among the crew, such as food and the cook's wages; these are called small generals. Other expenses are divided in proportion to each man's catch of fish, as bait, salt, and barrels; these are called great generals or big generals.

1925 J. D. Whidden Old Sailing Ship Days xii. 116 In fitting out, the vessel found what was called the ‘big general’, consisting of beef and pork, bread, flour, bait, salt and water barrels, while each man furnished his small stores, known as the ‘small general’, his tea, coffee, sugar..and whatever his fancy dictated.

2005 J. R. H. Kimball Disasters &c. iii. 31 Then each man's share of the ‘small generals’ (supplies for the crew, principally food) was deducted from his portion.