The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-25
CHRISTMAS CHEER
ON BOARD WARSHIPS
Uncle Sans Sailors Enter Heartily Into Spirit
Of the Day--Vessels Are Scenes
of Merriment
Especial to The Timcs-Dispatch.l

Especial to The Timcs- Dispatch.l
washington, December 24.-Nowhere
within the world girdling zone of
Christmas cheer Is the real spirit Of
inc day entered into moro completely
than on board the ships OF the United
states Navy Observance OF this chief
OF all national holiday varies, Of
course, In form with the location OF
tho fleet at the time
Into each of tho continental home
ports HEADQUARTERS OF certain indi-
vidual vessels) the big gray monsters
naEe been dropping In by twos and
threes TIL. in New York and Philadel-
phia and Norfolk and Frisco, It looks
almost like a naval review. They have
come 10 give the boys In blue n run
on the beach CELEBRITY" as they call
IL In the serv!cc). and every man jack
who Is not actually under punishment
Is allowed and encouraged 10 take his
look at the bright lights. go home on
leave or uptown for fun. or anything
else he likes, as long as his money
lasts. but away from the ship, in any
event This custom applies not alone
TO the enlisted men. hut to the Off
ce-s as we'll: and when Christmas
morning dnwns in home port, there
are not likely to no many more PEI
Sons on board any man-o'- war than the
regulations call for in the minimum.
The few ''shlp-kccpers" cannot un-
der such circumstances make very
successful effort toward merriment
but what they lack In numbers they
Invariably make up In other ways. one
OF these being the complete sasisfhc-
ton Of the inner man. where are tur-
keys ana fruit cakes galore for the
men. as we'll as the. officers. and in n
quiet way all hands make the hest of
II, even II they are not lucky enough
to go home.
Elaborate Decorations
In accordance with immemorial Gus
tom. the mastheadS are decorated with
green's. with touch OF color also
about the decks. whereas the indi-
Tidual decorations of tables forward is
often elaborate, II not indeed pretcn-
tions. However. Christmas Ia almost
dies non in HON, ports because OF
the number OF authorized absentees
abroad and a, sea. though. 1t IL alto
ge;her different Every soul on board
from the usually scdatc naE officer
ard the more or less unapDroncha Bile
frst lieutenant down to "Jimmy-lers"
and the ships cook and the messenger
boy. voluntarily constitutes himself a
committee OF one to sec the thing
through in "oId navy" fashion. and
even King Neptune, when he comes on
board on crossing the line" to douse
every havseed and landlubbcr has a
formidable AMI most popular rival in
the spirit: CT Christmas"
1t matters not much whether the
ship be anchored off Havana or plow-
ing through the indian OCEAN, moored
head and stern In the Neva or bounc-
ing about in "the roaring forties" Of
Australian waters, the distance from
home and friends renders 1t incumbent
on all to do their level hest to make
mt least brave try for merry Christ
nas"-thouEh in truth they may feel
like the little boy who '-whistlcd that
he might not weep"
And So albeit one ana anothsr may
now and then stiHe n cry for lovel
ones far away Che hopes alive and
we'll In the land OF liberty. but for all
nc knows even now passed on to the