Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-08-20
History of The Drum.

eliminated from Jn0 french army Dy
the reforming zeal of General Fare,
and that the infantry soldier will not
march better in consequence of this
latest innovation may be safely predict
ed, for any attempt he may have made
hitherto to keep step has been mainly
due to the rataplan. Comparatively
little importance, however. is attached
IN France to regula ity of step, though
a regiment which makes any show of it
is invariably the most cheered at re,
views, this being one of the inconsis-
tencies prevalent there which it would
be vain to attempt explaining. The
Minister of War explained before the
Budget Committee that his reason for
adopting the change is because drum
mers are not cOmbatants, so lie pro-
poses to replace them by trumpeters,
who do come under that category. Like
the white leather aprons of the sappers,
which have disappeared for some time,
the little parchment.covered cylinders
are hencefOrth doomed. We do not
know whether the origin of the drum
has ever been traced by some patient
inquirer. We have been told that it
comes to us from the East, and that the
Moors first brought it into Europe.
Certain is the fact that the most savage
races have always rejoiced in their tam
tams, and, as the pleasure of making q
noise is inherent in human nature, per.
haps this most effective way of creating
din was invented by Adams sons or
grandsons. But the drum does not APP.
pear to have been used in the French
army until toward the close of the four
teenth century, and its introduction is
attributed to the English invasion
under Edward ILL.,; its general adop-
ton by the infantry dates back to the
time of Louis XII, when the Swiss ele-
ment was largely infused into the royal
forces. The drum at that epoch was q
shapeless instrument, and served more
fsr sallying the troons or for the CON
veyance of the word of command than
for regulating the step, which was far
from being as measured as it is now.
Each captain had a drummer in his
private livery, and he employed him to
carry his orders or his instructions as
much as for beating the word of COM
mand; the drummer in those days APP
pears to have been kind of aid.de-
camp. The covering was usually made
from the hide of some acknowledgement
ly of an ass-though if it be true that
John Zisca, the avenger of Huss, be-
queathed his skin to his gallant com.
paniens-in-arms to form the covering
| Ut drum which was to summon them
in case OF danger, material more noble
was at least once made to serve the pur-
pose. The drum was not used for
drilling infantry to keep step until the
middle OF the eighteenth century, and
the roll, such as we now know it, was
only regulated some hundred years
ago. The drummer's art then became
more difficult, and to perfect it regi
mental schools were established, tue
master of which was the drum major,
who in recent times Was still such a
prominent and popular parsonage in
each French regiment. Tue period oil
his greatest glory was the First Empire,
when the drum major of the Grenadiers
OF the Guard had rank as a captain and
wore uniform which cost Napoleon
$500. Under the Restoration and the
Monarchy of July, drum majors were
given to the regiments of tiremen, and
even to those of the National Guard
but OF late years their prestige has ai-
mlnlshed IN great extent, and also
their stature; they are no longer such
imposing clothes-horses, all lace aad
feathers, towering above ordinary NOR
tails; the race has, in fact, been visibly
deteriorating. Such as they are, how.
ever, they will now disappear from the
head OF French regiments, with their
drums.
| The lnvei ton of clocks is by some
ascribed to Paciicus, Archdeacon OF
Verona, in the ninth century. and by