ADMIRAL EVANS ON CHRISTMAS AT SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14250, 22 December 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

ADMIRAL EVANS ON CHRISTMAS AT SEA.

"On Christmas morning," eaid Admiral Evans (Fighting Bob), "I thank Cod that He made three times as much water as land. " Every old seadog will join me in this. Tho eea is hie home; he loves it as the farmer loves his broad acres. Apart from it he is restless and dissatisfied, but with a voyage ahead of him he is as happy as a clam at high tide. No true sailor would exchange Christmas at pea for one on shore. It would be like Thanksgiving dinner without the turkey. "Of all the Christmnses spent at eea the one that rises before mc most vividly is that of 1865, when the Federal army and tho gunboat fleet were trying to capture Fort Fisher. Tho only presents we received, and they came fast and furious, were solid shot and thell from the guns of the enemy. But this didn't destroy our sense of humour. The boys would write on each solid shot or shell before placing it in the gun, 'presented by,' and add the name of the vessel from which it happened to be fired. Mighty few hurled at the fort that day lacked this Christmas greeting. All tho gunners caught the spirit of the grim jest, for the fighting line is no place for eerious faces. "Despite the excitement of tho fierce combat wo managed to have the mastheads of the ships all trimmed with Christmas green, even though tho sailors had to risk their lives in going ashore to get them, and you may be .itemed the sentiment of tho day was not wasted. " Last year Santa Clans followed our fleet of 16 vessels. He anticipated our 12,000milo voyage and furnished us in advance with tho pick of his best. On board the supply vessels when we sailed from Hampton Roads were thousands of packages containing every imaginable Christmas gift, from a whisky flask to a smoking jacket, each-package labelled, "Don't open until Chrictmas.' "Along with these gifts ho sent thousands of yards of bunting to decorate tho mastheads of the battleships. It would be aiificult to imagine a more beautiful sight than theso flaps lined tin Christmas morning with the sailors breaking out tho Christmas trimmings with as much zest nr, the small boy displays when ho lights the candles 011 his Christmas tree. " Then comes the opening of the Christmas packages. This is always a gala occasion. Not a man on board would dare ignore the instruction any more than he would think of disobeying his superior officer. It has become custom through years of faithful observance. Always a bottle of wine is broken in christening these tokens from the loved ones at home. " If I hadn't been a lieutenant myself I wouldn't dare give away official secrets. " Last year we practically had two Christmases. We received our first mail at Trinidad, West Indies, some time Christinas week and delayed Christmas ma.il reached us at Callao, when the vessels were approaching their own country on the western side. No nation provides more plentifully for the .Christmas cheer of its sailors than does Uncle Sam. Each of the battleship crews has a dinner of roast turkey, plum pudding, pumpkin pie, and all the trimmings which go with it. Tho men are served in messes of 20 at 12 o'clock, and each nun is allowed one enifter of grog as an appetiser, in ration of tho occasion. " The officers dine at six o'clock, and, as Is the custom when spending the holiday at sea, are guests of tho commanding officer."