Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-20
BELATED XMAS FOR JACKIES
BattIeship Globe GIrdIers Must Wait
for Christmas Tree Five
Weeks.

Somewhere between Colombo and Suez.
on Christmas day. the sixteen men-o'war
OF the Atlantic fleet, with attendant col
liers and supply ships, will be bucking their
way home, fir trees dashed to mastheads
and jollity unmitigated on every craft. But
withal, there will be something missing.
II is not important how II happened, but
Uncle Sam slipped up In his holiday cal
culations for the 1900 jackies who are on
tho beginning OF the last lap OF their world
encircling voyage. He forgot to allow suffi-
cient time for tho Santa Claus ship OF the
navy to reach it's destination. The result
is that the supply ship Celtic Is lying at
the Brooklyn navy yard, now, taking on
its Christmas load, with the prospect OF
not getting away from its dock until Christ
mas is long past, perhaps not even before
January 10. At that rate. 1t will be impos-
slble for tho Celtic and the battleships
to come together until February 3.
And all those long weeks. from Christmas
day 10 February 3. the bluejackets must
wait. wondering what on earth the folks at
home have sent them. 1t isn't much fun.
as every one will admit. to have such a
siege OF anticipation. Waiting until Christ
mas day is bad enough. But to have to add
about six weeks m~ore-that will be really
trying.
Christmas is Christmas In a double sense
when YOU are far away from the place
where Christmas seems 10 center. Perhaps
that is why the stiffest executive officer.
according to the blueJackets. unbends on
that particular day. with a hearty Merry
Christmasl' to every one. from his watch
officers down.
All this, however, Is very far away from
Al. .,D,t,. .bgn CoNtI, h,coin0 CIOao ~
its berth at the old coal dock In the navy
yard, with East river zephyrs nipping In
through portfolio and open hatch. Open
matches are a necessity because long lines
OF freight cars have been run up beside
the vessel. and from them stevedores are
hoisting aboard. in nets. the 900 tons OF
fresh beef. in huge slabs. which will &c
to assuage the hunger of the battleships
crews. Later on will come the turn Of the
turkeys to descend into the Celtic's ca
pacious ~holds-flocks of them.
Lots OF other eatables. too. are included
in the cargo of the supply ship, vegetables
fresh and dried. sweets. everything, In
short, that can aid In satisfying the appe
tites OF 1900 more or less hungry men
Not. OF course. that the crews of the battle
ship fleet must wait until the Celtic ar
rives for their Christmas dinner. Uncle
Sam was not quite so forgetful. Another
supply ship left for the east some time agC
with the materials for the spread. and Il
is expected hat 1t will connect with the
fleet In ample time.
Claim OF the Celtic to the honor OF being
fleet Santa Claus Is based on the fact thai
II is TO carry all the parcels and bundles
OF presents, from friends and relatives
which are too large to go by mail. Many
and many a fond mother in Kalamazoo OF
Fredonia is spending loving care on a fruit
cake. a plum pudding, "A jar of mince meat,
or something eatable that will keep. Be.
sides. there are books. handkerchiefs, neck
ties. everything. In fact, that a mar eX-
poets TO find on a tree at home.
when the travel-stained battleships steam
into Gibraltar haTbor, under the shadow OF
the Rock OF the Lion. about February 3
there will be the Celtic waiting for them
with a wreath OF white steam putting on
OF its whistle pipe for a Santa Claus bearC
and holds bursting with good things and
material for turkey dinners. Being 4
hearty, bluff-bOwed, broad-beamed OLD
cargo carrier, It plays its role welL-Nev
York Post.