The binnacle list is a bit of paper drawing-pinned (or thumb-tacked in the US Navy) to the binnacle. In the old days when approaching port the crew were encouraged to write things on the list that they would like buying to improve food on board. When they got to port the captain would give the list to the purser with some of his own money so that nice treats could be bought for the sailors. A charming old custom, immortalised (in Britain atleast) in the phrase"ship's biscuits". These were kept in a big tin (often with a picture of Balmoral Castle on); the Jaffa Cakes, bourbons, ginger nuts, rich tea fingers and so on, all the brands that the sailors had asked for, were served up with the rum ration.
In Britain, this was alas all abolished by the Navy Act of 1957, when these traditional perks were removed and replaced with a very modest inflation-linked pay rise.