The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-22
CHRISTMAS ON THE FLEET
WITH A GROVE OF GREEN TREES
AT MASTHEADS.

Everything Was Prepared for Jolly weh19R
M HArbOP af P0Ya ~ Apnln-Chrlstmna
Dinner the Feast Of the Year-Jue3
VIVA the Men IN the ships WIN Eae.
The ioIiest Christmas the Cnited States
navy has ever had IL likely 20 be celebrated
this week. Christmas on board q battle
ship In always a festive occasion, but X
anybody should notice an unusual glow
in the southern sky next Wednesday night.
don worry. Look up Trinidad on' the
map and wish that you had your fingers
around the little glass and we're hearing
again the familiar:
-Well.-. glad to see you on board.
II all goes well the harbOr At Port OF
Spain will show a mighty pretty sight on
Christmas morning. Trinidad should be
reached the night bsfore. and the morning
sun-let him dare not TO shine!-wnl md
a Gne green grove a-SrOwing where WaS
mono the night before.
Dressing a battleship for Christmas In
no longer the elaborate affair IL vas In
sailing days. Then a vessel would sprout
a dozen or more green trees at her past
heads and yard arms and would poke n
nice fuzzy one over her bow. But there
are only two masts on a modern battleship.
and they are military masts at that. with
extremely short equipment in the way OF
yards.
Still. sixteen ships can show a fine lot
Of green's even IL they put trees only at
the masts. the headboom and the jackstsif.
They are sure to do that much this year.
Before the fleet left Norfolk the men were
out cutting scrub pines for that particular
purpose.
OF course the dinner is the paramount
event Of the day. At any rate. the men
think 30.
II you've ever seen some of the gay menus
Of Christmas dinners aboard battieships
you'll not wonder that they do. One Of
these holiday menus. that of the receiving
ship Hancock for Christmas. 1904. after
winding up with the customary scorYee.
cigars. cigarettes" added at the bottom
of the card:
~BUGLERl SOUND SICK CALL
These menu cards not only contain an
astonishing list Of good things 20 eat but
are often 30 pretty that the mere sight of
them would give a man an appetite. Some
times the cover is stamped with a wreath Of
holly in red. green and gold. with a picture
Of h ship enclosed in the wreath When
in port these bills of fare are printed ashore.
but the ships have their own printing presses
which do the work at sea.
The one used Inst year aboard thev Virginia
is a beauty. It has stiff covers with the
menu and the musical programme on sn-
closed sheets with rough edges The
cover is stamped in relief with the shield
in colors. surmounted by a gold eagle and
backed with crossed anchors. also in gold.
Below is a battieship. stamped in gold.
riding upon a green sea, a pretty bit OF
engraving. Below. engraved on a scroll.
is the ships name. h whole booklet -
tied with ribbon decorated with holly.
Here is the bill OF fare:
CHK1saxAs DINNER.
General Mess
sour
Oyster stew
Pickles Olives cSlsrs
Roast Turkey q La Virginia
CHESTNUT Dressing
Cranberry Sauce GfhEet 0rnvT
Smishneld Ham
VEGETABLES
Baked Sweet PoIstoea
Mashed Potatoes Orsan Peas
Bananas OranEes RaAans
Ice Cream
Coffee Gpers
The musical programme. printed opposite
he bill OF fare, consisted Of twelve num-
bers. The band generally gets lrst call
for dinner so that later IL can dispense
music to the rest OF the crew: though how
mortal man could blow a horn or even
beat a Drum after doing Justice TO a meal
like the above passes b 10 comprehension Of
the landsman.
That the feet is going TO have all Il can
dispose OF for this dinner extraordinary Ia
proved by the figures from the bureau OF
supplies and accounts. whence all the nayv's
blessings flow. When a SUN repOrtsr az
pressed an interest in the amount OF truck
laid in for a~ssuaging tho naval appetite
on Christmas and New Years the follow
ing statement was furnished:
Tn supply ships will take a. provisions
designed especially for these holiday meals: