The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-16 00:00:00

SOLDIERS' FQ77IP M. E YTS

TO TEIE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The very just complaints made against the
dress and equipment of our soldiers by the pinred s
ice
general, ably assisted by' our pioneer Punch)
me to offer a few remarks on that subject. So unviarriore
•
like is the costume of our soldiers, that fault might pto
found with it "from head to foot"—aye, "from t
toe," for we can begin with the head-dress, and a it:
absurd or useless affair never was invented-
cap
should the man be furnished with a ileavl-,,
cr.
many inches higher than his head, with a °"•„,:
under his chin to keep it on, so that when he is
himself, or if it is windy he is obliged to open his 111" If
to tighten the chin•strap, and prevent it falling off. his
the men, do not make the required alteration before til;
campaign is over, by depositing their shakos on the war°,
through the Balkan, and substituting their forage csl3
I am
ee " ro vry much out of m mark. es
Thugh and ready" appearance of the Z°ll3v hs
and other foreign soldiers has caused that vile garotte, t t,
stock, to be discontinued. And Punch's illustration °
an
the chest of drawers ought to be sufficient to cause t
alteration in the soldier's kit and kaapsack. thatl;
depend on it the contents will dwindle away, so by
the and of the summer they will have become " small
degrees and beautifully less."
tiO the
But there is another alteration necessary-2 o
doing away with that salt-box of a thing called s po!ced
Any one who has witnessed a field-day must have DOL,
the light infantry, when skirmishing or running of
steadying with his left hand that box with 60 ronougar
ball cartridge. To prevent it banging against his nit:
he is compelled to lean forward to counterbalionaoio
weight, the cross-belts pressing his chest enough to chips
him, and making him feel anything but comfortable.
as,
"obedience being the first duty of a soldier," be :vieod
or carries anything without complaining: It Is • '
enough for him to suffer thus much on home serflesvi
but as he is about to " rough it" in front of the ene°34
let us see if we cannot suggest something to add to P.
oomfort, and make
way with him more efficient. sna
I would do a the cartouch-box at ones' the
instead adopt a pouch-belt similar to that worn b'
Yod
Cazadores and guerillas in the late Spanish War round
admirable light Infantry they were). It is a belt T
the waist, buckled behind, and supported by two strak37,
passing overthe shoulders like bracpeps. The cartrides
placed in a single row round the body
at each end is a small pocket, to hold ten round is
packet. The number of cartridges round the bocup
about 30, which, with the two packets, would Inticeoci
rounds. Thus the weight is equally distributee4„„iia
the man has the free use of his limbs to asist
scrambling through woods, and over broken glr
The cartridge can be handled more readily, abut it
in sockets
bayonet hangs on his left rear as at present ;
appears that little attention has been paid to tlict 0
provement of our soldiers' accoutrements, and vvherl will
consider what is expected of them, and what theYttose
have to perform on active service, it is the duty of shoe:
in authority to turn their attention to it imrnedist.,4
If I have not trespassed too much on your valua;ble 0P .170
and you should be pleased to insert this, you will I:°'
oblige your humble servant, ia"1",
ROUGH AND lat