Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-27
City OTr1or: No. 7O6 srH Sr. w., WAsH1xoror d
Orr1on HoUns: Fnox : Al To 4:3O PM

hour. the excuse for garish uniforms IL a very
poor one. On this line the London Telegraph
speaks follows: ''Well-nigh all the decorative
attributes Of the French army were done away
with as symbols of tyranny by the guiding
spirits of the great revolution, and the officers
who, under Pichegru, Augereau, Hoche. Kleber
and other successful generals of that heroic
epoch, led the republican troops to victory
were scarcely distinguishable from the rank
and file in respect to the fashion and quality of
their apparel Napoleon Bonaparte. well aware
that the Spartan simplicity and inexpensiveness
of republican uniforms would be absurdly out
of keeping with the demand for display incl
dent to brand-new military empire deemed
no costume too ornamental or costly for the Off
GERS OF an army that raised him to supreme
power and enabled him to conquer Continental
Europe.
MURAT WAS soLDIERLY DUDE.
1.-The beau sabreur,' Joachim Murat, some
time Grand Duke of Berg and King of Naples,
was a type of Napoleonic military gaudiness.
In his famous portrait by Isabey he is repre-
scented as he rode past his illustrious patron at
q grand review held in the last wear Of the fore
going century mounted on a powerful gray
charger, all the trappings Of which were mas
sively plated with pure gold. The marshal was
attlred Ill u blue velvet tail coat, with scarlet
and gold facings, scarlet tights enriched with
heavy gold embroidery, half-high boots of
purple leather worked through and edged
trimmed with broad gold lace and surmounted
by triple plume of crimson ostrich feathers
Round his waist were knOtted two silken sashes
one very broad. of pale lilac hue, profusely
bordered and fringed with gold; the other mar
rover, bright scarlet in color and similarly or
namented He was seated on leopard skin,
stretched over a crimson and gold saddle cloth.
His spurs, stirrups and the scabbard of his
jewel-hilted saber were all Of fine FURNISHED
gold. II may be doubted whether Solomon in
| all his glory was ever showily arrayed as a
marshal OF France under the consulate or first
| empire.
I'm all the principal armies Of Europe. includ-
ing our own, until a comparatively recent date,
the habit-contracted early in the present CEN
tury-Of subordinating utility to decorativeness
in relation to officers uniforms lent itself, re-
gardiess Of expense, to military dandyhood
which Aourished exceedingly as latelya as twenty
tive years ago Blow after blow, however, was
dealt to this variety of foppism by successive
improvements in arms of precision exempli-
fed during the sanguinGry struggles Of 1865, at
the battle of Montana. and throughout the
franco-German war, the Seryian rebellion and
the Russian invasion of Turkey. The formidable
extension Of point-bank ranges, both for rifles
and field guns, and the corresponding increment
OF skill in Workmanship. which were the inevita-
BILE outcome Of those improvements, impera-
lively indicated the necessity of eliminating
| every element of conspicuity from the apparel
Of soldiers and more especially Of their officers,
when on service.
THE DANGERS OF A BRILLIANT UNIFORM
at was these new conditions of war, bringing
with them an enormous increase In the number
OF Casualties that led to tine abolition Of the gay
white uniforms that formerly impaired 30 bril-
liant an appearance 20 the Austrian line, but
were so distinctly visible ut long distances ~ to
in Bohemia and Lombardy alike of thous ands
upon thousands of gallant fellows who might