The times., 1899-12-24

ReQ war VIII BRING 70 cCutl AFRICA thlS
year the biggest Christmas that blood-soa
ed region ever has known, says the
London correspondent OF the New
York Press. Perhaps peace on
earth, good viii TO men, the customary
Christmas motto, viii not cut much of a
figure in the celebration. but the material
side Of the day VIII be a revelation TO Trans
vaal. Cape Colony. and Natal for it is es-
timated that at this moment more than
twenty tons of plum puddings are on their
way yhither from England, and they aver
age LOCO puddiugs 10 the ton. one firm
alone has shipped 10000 pudding5. which
were offered 20 -t- War Office and ac-
cepted gratefully on behalf of T. Atkins
Maybe tobacco and rum are not con
sider1d officially necessary adjunct Of
Christianity grea-. religious festival.
but Thomas Atkins Eas views of his own
on the subject and at ,hl- particular sea-
son whatever Nr Atkins wants be is
going 10 have. il England can get it to
him.
So this year on Christmas Day il is un-
derstood that "tOt" Of rum win be
served 10 every Tommy in South Africa,
unless he has the bad luck to be dead OF
to be besieged in some Iucdess town
where no Christmas rations can get to
him.
The War Office has accepted a vast guam
tity Of tobacco. one man in Glasgow sup
piled a ton, which Lord Lansdowne, Secrc-
tary Of State for War accepted with very
many thanks and other offers of small
quantities have been received and accepted.
Many Of The regiments also are being re-
membered en- masse by their friends, as for
instance. the LeiCestershire Regiment,
which is To get Christmas present from
the E=ieesrershiTe Volunteer Battalion of
eco Jlus Of tobacco, which q local firm
supplied az cost and threw in LOCO briar
pipes besides The Sherwood Foresters
VIII gel from their Nottingham friends half
a ton cf plug tobacco. LOCO cigarettes. J 600
cheTywo0d pipes and six cigars apiece,
or g 69e ln all. and I25. 600 cigarettes were
Forwarded 10 the Essex Regiment from
their friends al home. ! am told that these
regiments are not likelysto be favored es-
pecially, either as most of the others viii
have similar gifts from their friends and
the rest VIII be supplied from The enor-
nous quantity presented TO the government.
For the Naval Brigade.
The naval brigade was not forgotten. and
is TO be provided with 5000 pounds Of to-
bacco and 1900 pipes from a popular fund,
10 which the Duke Of York was the first
contributor, with a subscription OF SIS.
Furthermore. every steamer sailing for
the seat of war is loaded down this week
with family presents for Mr. Atkins indi-
vidually. Plum puddings come first in the
list Of such presents for in England plum
pudding is as much part CT Christmas as
turkey is of Thanksgiving Day in America.
Pipes and tobacco come next and photo
graphs are third il the list
The Queen had great deal Of trouble in
choosing her presents for the soldiers. She
knew as well as anyone that a little flask OF
grog would have warmed the heart OF
Thomas more than any other thing under
the sun, but that was not 10 be thought Of
for like The President Of the United States
the Queen hears from the teetotalers when
ever she gives cOuutenance publicly TO the
demon rum. although by her physicians
advice she usually has bit Of whisky and
water az meals. Tobacco was open 10
similar objections. and, besides. the Queen
ab0uinates tobacco, and never permits the
Prince q Wales TO smoke, when he Is Wis
fIiuE her. IL any room that she is likely 10
and finally hi, upon the idea Of sending 10
each man a tin of cocoa, bought from her
own private fund.
Many of the plum puddines that are go
ing TO the front were made before the war
broke out July Is considered the banner
month for Christmas puddings. for ii takes
Al least six months 10 ripen. Fortunately,
z sea voyage contributes 10 the mellowiug
process. If the pudding is packed properly,
and Tommy NAV have ervrn hr~ra fhern-
fore, OF getting better pudding in Pre-
toria where be has rather brashly prom
ised himself 10 be 10y Christmas time than
be would if he had stayed at home
Sobby Plum PuddingS.
The plum puddings accepted by the War
Office are said TO be some OF the uobbiest
specimens Of their kind. Those provided
by one restaurant rest each in its own ba-
sin. which bears the inscription: Merry
Christmas Wishing you safe and speedy
return"
The basins were packed in air-tght
cases Of different sizes. some Of them con
tanning puddings big enough for eight sol
diers. reckoning a pound 10 a man. II is
estimated that the gift Of this one firm
alone wiz provide a feast for 22.0o0 Of
the gentlemen In khaki ordered south %
and judging by the other shipments il
begins 10 look as il some OF the men
would be under the subsequently painful
necessity Of eating two puddiugs apiece.
il has been observed that one os the most
desperate deeds that remained TO the
Beers would be 10 cut on the great pro-
cession Of plum puddings that viii be
starting for the interior lof Africa in a
few days from Durham and Cape Town.
An old campaigner. who has seen nearly
every war since the Crimeau campaign.
tells me that il there are not enough plum
puddiugs 10 go round on Christmas Day In
South Africa, the soldiers can be depended
upon 10 make tCeir own. We were re-
duced TO the necessity once be said, of
making them out OF flour. raisins and salt
We knew wen enough that they woulGn Z
be very good. but you have 70 have a
plum pudding for Christmas no matter
what It's made Of. We had lot Of sport
making them. but there wasn't so much
sport for The fellows who tried 10 eat
them. Anything 10 drink2 Well yes.
Rum Is provided for the u.s. Of the army
when the doctor DEGREES il necessary. and
on Christmas Day Is il usually decreei 10
b. necessary. and tot is offered 20 Of
hceTs and men alike.
Rare Liquids for the Fighters.
What Is a tor? Why. IN q manner OF
speaking, as Long John Silver would say
& tot is about q gill, and IS good for three
drinks. 1t is rare old rum that the gov
eminent serves, too. Some Of il is thirty
or forty years Old, and, oddly enough we
have the teet0talers 90 thank for g. You
see the total abstinence movement grew
pretty strong in the army and navy a few
years ago. and good many OF the men got
Into the way Of taking q money allowance