History of the Smoking Lamp “Lighting the smoking lamp” is a custom, like many of our Marine and Naval customs, that had its beginning in the days of “wooden ships and iron men”. Sailors were forbidden to have flints or other flame producing devices on their person for obvious safety reasons. At the direction of the ship’s Captain, the smoking lamp would be “lighted” at various times of the day and the sailors and Marines would gather on deck to smoke their tobacco. Strict adherence was demanded and the hapless offender received severe punishment