The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-08-27
From the London Naval and Military Gazette.
Army Clothimg-Secret influences.


Army Clothing-Secret Influences.
II is said-and we fear on sufficient grounds
that there is not to be any change in the dress OF
the army. This is strange; for il is notorious, and
admitted by beat soldiers that the dress OF the
British army more announcement than that oil the
other armies of Europe. We do not find fault with
the colorAof the clothing, though we admit that 1T
soon becomes soiled and that wet injuries 1t IRE
paraby. The massive cross belts might certainly
be reduced in weight, and that "leather conve-
MEM !" called pouch, be made more easy OF &C
cess and lighter in construction. We would, IN a
word, gladly the foot soldiers equipment very
nearly that of the rifle corps, and thus get rid OF
the pipe-clay, which ID an unwholesome and very
needless annoyance, at home and abroad, in camp,
garrison, and quarters This, in due time, We shall
get rid of, as we did of the hairpowder and tails
The leather stock, too ought to go; it is the first
thing taken off by the soldier on march or on any
other duty of fatigue. Its stiff pressure Is UNI
healthy, mpedes free motion, and mas an injurious
congestve effect on the sight and BRAIN
In the head dress of the army, the big wigs
most certainly seem to have consulted neither the
atile nor the duice. We have materials, in cork
and India rubber, which in the hands OF our skilled
artists and workmen ought to furnish something
better than the old chako or the present Janus
cap" with it's double peak. Even cavalry, on
this head have TO complain; for what true soldier
ever would clap on his pate lady's mutt and
cooks red jelly bag appended?
III the peisse ID to be retained over one shoulder;
why not, said of our old Peninsulars, have a
pair of spare pantaloons over the other shoulder!
But we must come to the British soldiers coat, or
coatee We need for the soldier n coat that Will
cover his body we'll, and his thighs down to the
knees. The present coatec does neither OF these
things; and we therefore wonder on what grounds
the tunic which had these requisites, and was SUBJ
mitted 10 the clothing board, was rejected. The
matter, think, cannot rest where 1t now Is.
we deny that the cost of the tunic would be greater
to the colonels; told it would be actually a
fraction less than that of the coatee. Where, then,
is the influence that thus quashes all improvements
1t ought to be- unkennelled, and we hope to be in
at the death. The army which wears the clothing
ID not consulted the subject. Have the com
mandng officers of regiments been directed to OBJ
tain the opinion OF the officers and some OF the best
soldiers this change from coatee totunic? These
regimental reports, easy to be obtained, would be
Of great value. We well that fancies
are many and tastes various; still the question OF
stunic uersus coatee ought to be referred to, and
decided by the wearers. In like manner should
opinions be called for respecting the head dress OF
the army.
They who wear the coatcc and cap ought best to
be able to say if they afford adequate cover and
protection to the head and body. We are well
that it is almost hopeless to draw the atten-
ton of the military authorities TO any new propo-
sas for improving the clothing and equipment OF
the army; for it is within knowledge that Off
GERS of the very highest rank and of acknowledged
experience in the wants and wishes of the soldier,
have failed to obtain it. Still, 1t Ia our duty to
keep alive the interest in this mater and, without
expressing what might be, in opinion, the best
cut of coat the best form of cap, invite the
army itself to consider the subject, and, 'hoping
against hope" offer their practical suggestions
through their commanding officers; for we suppose
suggestions through the press would be, If signed,
considered insubordinate, or at least impcrtinent
or insoent We cannot, however, belleve that
good model coat cap, though the production OF n
junior officer, or of old practical private SOL
der, would be disdained There is however, n
fcar-n right one, too-of being obtrueve, and
therefore il is that We said the suggestion would
best come through the commanding officers. Surely
it cannot be so difficult to produce good coat and
a good cap for the soldier, as to invent printing
press to strike off 10 900 copies of the Iies in
hour yet prize offered for such machine pro
duced it. why should not the clothing board de-
scribe what is wanted, and set Saxon and Celtic
ingenuity to work on an army cap and coatee?
The difficulty of carrying even the best and most
obvious reforms in the army is peculiarly great.
Sometimes antiquated prejudice opposes the i'm.
provement; sometimes the back door influence OF
disturbed existing interest causes the measure to
be postponed. We could point out some score OF
manifest improvements, during our own editorial
existence, which bitterly and detcrminedly
opposed, and yet have been carried at last So, we
venture to assert, will it be with the reforms, now
rejected in the ar,ning, equipping, clothing, and
drilling of our soldiers. In all things the law OF
advance seems to be from complexity to simplici-
ty; and as the arts advance, improvements, by
simplifcation, the old and the complicated pro-
cesses, are made; but in the army improvement
moves at very slow pace indeed. We are behind
the improvements of the age in the arms of our
troops; we still retain much of the useless and
heavy equipment of Queen Anne and of the
Georges; the army cloth is still specially manuac-
tured by old and inferior processes to those in pre-
cent generally; and our drill is stil conducted
on system more fitted to make parade soldiers
than good campaigncrs, good marksmen, and ac-
tive sSirmishers.
FATAL RENooNTRE-DEATH OF COLONEL JOHN
JAMEs-We are panied to learn, from gentleman
who resides in Choctaw county, that personal
difficulty occurred at Ncholson's store, on the 9th
instant, between Colonel John James (the Union
candidate at the recent election for the Legislature
in Washington county, and Mr.. William Nchol-
son; fight ensued, in whieh the latter discharged
both barrels of q double barreed gun at Mr..
James, killing him instantly. The difficulty, we
understand, grew out of matters pertaining to the